Frost E. Box Turtle Turtle Eastern Box Baltimore, MD

Update August 2024: Frost has been adopted but MATTS may have other turtles like him.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE CONTACTING MATTS OR requesting an application. Many of your questions will be answered below.

I'm an adult male eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) who was for adoption in the Baltimore/Towson, MD, area. I'm about 6" long and probably 30-50 years old, which is not old at all for a box turtle. I could live another 10-50 years. About 12 years ago I was hit by a car and nearly died. An excellent vet patched me up very well and the vet techs and my foster moms took excellent care of me, but part of my shell on the bottom is missing, so predators would be able to open up my shell, which means I have to either live in a completely screened outdoor enclosure or I have to live inside.

For my indoor winter pen, or if I'm indoors permanently, a "turtle table" would be a good home, and it should at least 8 square feet of space, along with a substrate such as aged hardwood bark mulch, a water pan, artificial plants for hiding, and a heat light and UVB light over one end. Visit matts-turtles.org or e-mail matts_adoptions@hotmail.com to see ideas for temporary housing. This link shows you how to make an inexpensive indoor habitat from a book case. http://nebula.wsimg.com/53c57892d611153a60ef8bde1be11925?AccessKeyId=A3E784782F81D21389AD&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

A backyard pen should be screened in completely to keep out rats and raccoons. It should have lots of room for exploring and digging and soaking in a water pan or shallow pond designed just for box turtles.

To learn more about box turtles, visit http://www.boxturtlesite.org/ or pick up a copy of Box Turtles by Tess Cook, available in some pet stores or on-line. To find instructions for a simple backyard box turtle enclosure, visit http://www.billsboxturtles.com

I am eating the diet recommended here, but my foster family uses Mazuri or Zoo Med Growth Formula aquatic turtle food as the base of the diet (always soaked in water until soft, of course): http://www.boxturtlefacts.org/Feeding_North_American_Box_Turtles.pdf
I love earthworms, strawberries, and plain baked sweet potato, but I need variety in my diet to stay healthy.

Keep in mind that males may harass lone females to the point of illness or death, and will likely fight with other males unless you have a VERY large enclosure with lots of visual barriers and hide spots, so it's probably best if I'm a single turtle unless you have a huge backyard enclosure for the summer.

There's a $30 adoption fee. Local adopters pick up by appointment in Baltimore, Timonium, or Parkton, MD. Our turtles come with a no sale/no trade adoption contract, and the edge of the shell is notched for easy visual ID. For an additional $50, I can also come with the 50 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank with water pan
that I'm used to living in during the winters.

TO REQUEST AN APPLICATION, E-MAIL matts_adoptions@hotmail.com - make sure to indicate YOUR CITY AND STATE. Shipping is possible if the adopter pays for shipping, which could be $45-$110 depending on your location. We DO NOT ship again until after January 15th.

I CANNOT be adopted to VA, GA, WV, PA, or most points north of PA on the eastern shore due to regulations in those states, although you can have a box turtle in CT.

NY residents would need a special educational permit from the DEC to keep a box turtle.
Residents of NJ, IN, and OH require a permit for EBTs.

Maryland residents may require a permit IF they already have an eastern box turtle. If I'm your only eastern box turtle, then you don't need a permit in Maryland. You can adopt me in NJ, OH, and MD before getting your permit.

In NJ, since our adoption contract serves as a receipt, visit https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/exotic_apps.htm

For MD (only if you will have more than one eastern box turtle), visit https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Pages/Licenses/captive.aspx

Like turtles but can't have one? Want to help?
1) You can share my profile on social media and share www.matts-turtles.org so people can take better care of their turtles and help wild turtles stay wild.
2) MATTS has educational fliers (photos) to share on social media if you email matts_adoptions@hotmail.com to request them. Or you can visit https://www.facebook.com/MATTSTurtles/
3) Share our "Monster You Made" video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_935eZl84k on social media.
4) MATTS also accepts tax-deductible donations at
MATTS, P.O. Box 341, Highland, MD 20777, or through PayPal using the yellow "Donate" tab http://www.matts-turtles.org/support.html

Rescue is funded by donations only, and we find homes for over 100 animals a year.

Thank you!