calling any one from missouri

[OhZark Biddies]

My mom just called them all “terrapins”... that’s kind of old term I don’t hear used any more

 

[OhZark Biddies]

....makes me wonder how big a turtle belly is?

So Ronald didn’t eat that third handful of berries, he ate one or two and left the rest there...

...I heard him making his way off into the woods as I tossed the berries to the chickens later...they also get a little less wild about the berries after a few handfuls.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Ronald has been here since at least 2017... when I first noticed him spending the hot part of the days under my nephew’s truck ...

I forget why now but we had his truck sitting in our drive for about 3 weeks and Ronald had a shaded spot next to the front driver side tire where he hung out from about 9am to 6 pm everyday... he’d leave and come back like clock work...

There was an ornate box turtle around the house that year too... but it became sickly and I saw it out on a warm day in December sunning ... and later found it dead...

... I found two or three out like that that winter and found at least one other of those dead a few week later near where I saw it

... seems like I read there was a disease getting them that year and a few years previous... and I’ve found a lot of shells in the woods in the last five years or so...

... hopefully it’s run it’s course, whatever it was.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

this type is what I see here. Whatever it is. I don't get them in my yard often. Normally I see them crossing the road.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I read something else interesting--that different types of box turtles can interbreed. This may explain my cucumber turtle's brownish coloration, it could be half 3 toed, and half ornate.

I didn’t know they interbred either...

... I was just visiting with this lady turtle in the yard this morning... I wonder if she’s a mix since she doesn’t look as ornate as many I see... I thought it would be impolite to ask her how many toes she has... and it didn’t come up naturally in conversation, so who knows?

I also just read that the 3 toed box turtle is Missouri’s “official state reptile”...

...I figured that title would be reserved for an elected political official ... but apparently not

 

[SueT]

I didn’t know they interbred either...

... I was just visiting with this lady turtle in the yard this morning... I wonder if she’s a mix since she doesn’t look as ornate as many I see... I thought it would be impolite to ask her how many toes she has... and it didn’t come up naturally in conversation, so who knows?

I also just read that the 3 toed box turtle is Missouri’s “official state reptile”...

...I figured that title would be reserved for an elected political official ... but apparently not

View attachment 1800006 View attachment 1800007

Wow, and she kind of has the higher domed carapace like the 3 toed have! Fascinating!

 

[OhZark Biddies]

After posting earlier a ran across this video from the MDC and they showed a three toed model with the yellow spotted paint job so maybe the one in the yard this morning was not a cross...

...I dunno?

... I’m equally confused by chickadees here, as the Carolinas and black caps hybridize and learn each other’s songs... so I can never truly ID them as one or another...

At this point, I can tell the chickadees are not box turtles though

 

[SueT]

After posting earlier a ran across this video from the MDC and they showed a three toed model with the yellow spotted paint job so maybe the one in the yard this morning was not a cross...

...I dunno?

... I’m equally confused by chickadees here, as the Carolinas and black caps hybridize and learn each other’s songs... so I can never truly ID them as one or another...

At this point, I can tell the chickadees are not box turtles though

Okay, well, who knows then. But I'm very fond of these creatures, delighted whenever I see one, and sad when they are squashed in the road.

 

[Gray Farms]

Anybody need a rooster?

2-Spangled Russian Orloffs
1-Swedish Flower Hen
1-Dark Brahma
1-Salmon Favorelle
1-English Buff Orpington
1-Black Sumatra
1-White Faced Black Spanish
My back up breeder roosters are no longer needed as I have chicks hatched so they need to move out. They are all 12-14 months old.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

@MClean417 , you don’t need a replacement orloff rooster do you? You and Gray Farms aren’t that far away from one another.