Eastern Box Turtles

Here at Sarett we have two kinds of box turtles – three Eastern box turtles and one Three-toed box turtle. Eastern Box Turtles are native to Michigan and can be found around southwest Michigan living in woodlands and grasslands.

Three-toed box turtles are native to south-central United States and are found in grasslands or woodlands.

Eastern box turtles are the only terrestrial turtle in Michigan. They get their name from the ability to put their head, legs and tail completely inside their hinged shell, thus becoming a box.

Visit our box turtles at the Nature Center, where you might see them gobbling up a worm, hiding in their “garage” or munching on a berry – their favorite!

Life span: Average around 50 years, but they could live up to 100 years!

Size: 4-8 inches

Food habits: Omnivore