How do I release a Box Turtle (cold, pet, wild)

[Tmann321]

I picked up a Box turtle in the street in my neighborhood, I knew I was going out into the country this weekend about 90 miles away from where i found the turtle where I thoughtthe turtle could live safely. (so I thought) Meanwhile we have handled the turtle very little other than to feed it earthworms and grubs however I am now reading that these turtles have homing instincts. I'm fairly certain the turtle could not live in my neighborhood because of the traffic and limited space, I'm not sure if I should release the turtle in my neighborhood, or take it to the country where I know it would not get hit, but I dont know how it would adapt. The last concern is I do not think this turtle came from my neighborhood. The neighborhood is fully developed and lots of streets. Any Advice?

[foxywench]

box turtles are incredibly territorial and can happily live in suburban neighborhoods, as long as theres some cover (shrubs, wooded areas ect) and vegitation.
they do have ncredibly strong homing instincts and if you take him 90 mles into the countryside he'll spend the rest of his life trying to find his way back home, wherever that is.

box turtles are frequently kept as pets, and its quite possible someone let it outside for some sunshine, or the kids "got bored" and they felt it was nicer to just let it go...

youve got a couple of options, return him to where you found him, prefereably pointing in the direction he was heading (if he was in the middle of crossing a road put him on the side he was headding to (otherwise hell continue to try and cross that same road lol)
you could take him with you to the countryside and "re-locate" him, 90 miles is a long distance and while he will try and fnd his way back home, it would take him long enough that he might decide this is a good place for a new home.
in this senario make sure to put him n the woods, away from the side of the road, close to a small body of water is preferable (so they dont get dehydrated while looking for food/water) preferably neer a shrub or in long grass. when disoriantated and confused they tend to get picked off so putting him neer cover untill he gets situatied will give him the higest likelyhood of saftey.

option # 3 is to contact your local zoo or herpatological society, they mabe willing to take him in as an educational animal.

[mrs1885]

PLEASE return him/her. Their numbers have been declining because so many people find them and keep them. Take the turt back to the area you found it and as Foxy said put it in the direction it was going, preferably well off the road if you found it there. Some studies hint that turtles may not be able to locate an adequate food supply in another area if they're moved. Wild kept boxies frequently die as they do not always adapt to life as a domestic pet even in the best circumstances. And depending on where you live, it could be illegal to keep it anyway.

[Tmann321]

I have no intentions on keeping the turtle, my only concern is I found him on a relatively busy street, I knew if I left him he would be hit, I feel like the only two options are to take him to a facility which I hate to do, I'm hoping that if I take it to the country it will adjust, there is a lake there and the closest road is more than a half mile away. It definitely will be let go, I think someone had picked this up and let it go in our neighborhood but thats a guess. Thanks for the advice rest assure I will not keep it, one way or another.

[PacificFlights]

Best Advice
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Originally Posted by foxywench

option # 3 is to contact your local zoo or herpatological society, they mabe willing to take him in as an educational animal.

Or at least they can give you professional guidance on what's the best way to relocate. Some herpetology groups even have relocation programs where you bring it to them and they have organized releases in controlled & monitored areas for best survival.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by Tmann321

I have no intentions on keeping the turtle,,,.

I am giving you kudos for your effort. I have had many tortoises in my past and turtles have a uncanny ability to escape all yards. A turtle/tortoise in our lives is a life long commitment. Please continue to tell us what happens with this turtle.

[Tmann321]

The turtle has been relesed, I appreciate all the advice. I ended up letting him go in the country because I honestly felt like he had been moved to our neighborhood by someone. He quickly swam in the lake, which surprised me, then turned around and came back to land away from us and he was gone. Once again Thanks for the advice.

[mrs1885]

Very cool that he went for a swim. While they do swim, they spend most of their life on land or on the banks of bodies of water, not submerged and swimming. Very seldom do people get to see them out for a swim!

[Staroth]

Thanks I just had this very same thing happen to me, I am about to take him right back where I found him only on the other side of the road where he was heading. We lived in a very heavily wooded area and he was about to get ran over in the street.

[SergioQ]

I too have come upon possession of not only one box turtle but two. One, the female I know where it came from the other a male was given to me by a pet store employee, where I was buying food for the first. I would like to release both together but I'm uncertain of their well being as it's going to get very cold soon here in Colorado.
Just not sure if I should now which is 9/16/15 or wait until spring next year.... Any suggestions?