Will Box Turtles Die If You Move Them?

Will box turtles die if you move them? Box turtles that are living in the wild have seen unfortunate days. There are different factors that are in play when it comes to the question, will box turtles die if you move them? This is because of human – related circumstances such as transportation factors, change in climate or environment. Other factors like pet trade and loss of habitat also affect their population. This is why it’s important to learn about these threats so you can do something about it. In this article, we will answer your question, will box turtles die if you move them?  

Will Box Turtles Die If You Move Them: Endangered Box Turtle Species

Will box turtles die if you move them? There are some box turtle species that haven’t been studied yet, but it’s possible that the most endangered species of all is the Coahuilan box turtle. Unfortunately, there are also other Asian box turtle species that are already near extinction, and some of them are actually extinct already in the wild. 

The most common species is the Common Box Turtle and the Eastern Box Turtle, both of which has a conservation status of “vulnerable.”

Will box turtles die if you move them? There are some box turtle species that require more information before they can be given an official endangered or conservation status such as the Spotted Box Turtle and the Yucatan Box Turtle. Only a low number of these box turtle species have ever been found in particular areas.

Tips on How to Transfer Them

Will box turtles die if you move them? First of all, humans need to learn that their actions can inadvertently harm these small species. Keep in mind that these creatures existed for a centuries without any human intervention. This is why the best thing for keepers and those in illegal pet trade is to stop interfering with these animals in negative ways because this alone will make a huge difference in the conservation of their population.

Will box turtles die if you move them? The first thing to understand is that box turtles and most turtle species usually have a strong connection to the location they are born in. Box turtles in general don’t travel far from where they were hatched. This is because once they have form some sort of connection to their environment, they usually would want to stay their for the rest of their life – unless of course you move them.

You see, removing a wild box turtle from the place where they are already has gotten use to causes stress for them. This is especially true for species that were born in the wild and were later put into captivity. Will box turtles die if you move them? The effect is that they have a much shorter life expectancy.

What’s even worse is that there are some owners who kept box turtles and when they already can’t provide for them, they just release them back in the wild. You have to understand that box turtles just can’t simply settle down to a new location. They will end up wandering around, aimless and hopeless. They will try to find their old home until they die.

It’s not also too uncommon for owners to just keep a box turtle for a few weeks then later decide to let go of them. We highly recommend that you should never remove a box turtle from their original home unless you have a good reason. Make sure that if you’re going to return them to the wild, you place them back in the same spot where you got them.

If you want to own a box turtle and keep them as pets, make sure to get one that was already bred in captivity. Acquiring these animals from people who capture them from the wild illegally will just encourage them to keep doing it.

Will box turtles die if you move them? There was a study in Louisiana that discovered that 30,000 box turtles were taken illegally from the wild over a couple of years. It’s believed that half of them quickly die because of poor living conditions and during transport.

If you do take a box turtle as a pet, make sure to plenty of research so that you’ll have an idea as to what their exact needs are. Make sure that you also acquire one that’s already bred in captivity.

Since box turtles haven’t been as domesticated yet compared to other household pets like dogs and cats, they can be hard to care for initially but you’ll find it easier as time goes by. Keep in mind that you owe it to your pet turtle to be responsible owners so don’t just try to wing it, go the extra mile. Beyond that, you can help your pet through following basic common courtesy like not littering when you’re out in the wild.

Let Your Box Turtle Thrives

Box turtle species tend to thrive if you just leave them be. That being said, there are of course some instances wherein you can help them out. One such example, is if you find one that’s crossing a road. Obviously they often get hit. If you feel you can help rescue one that can be both safe for you and the other drivers, take the time to move them out of the road. This is particularly true if you live in an area where there are lots of wild box turtles. Make sure to keep an eye out for them whenever you’re driving so you don’t hit one yourself.

Will box turtles die if you move them? There are times when people will discover that box turtles have started nesting in their own garden. Turtle eggs can easily be a target for predators like raccoons. You can help them by putting a protective wire just so the eggs won’t be disturbed and do your part. We hope we answer your question, will box turtles die if you move them in this article. Stay tune for more blog posts about box turtles!