My friend Trevor Box Turtle is a true ambassador for turtles. He enjoys meeting both children and adults, and they love seeing a turtle that can fold up into a box. But Trevor is so friendly that when asked to close into a box, he doesn’t like to fold the hinge in his plastron to demonstrate how it works. He always wants to be out, taking part in the action. He usually will fold up half of himself, but soon his head is back out, taking everything around him in.
Sometimes, Trevor gets paid for his visit. No, not with money–what would a turtle do with money? Trevor takes his payment in snails! Back when he lived in New Jersey, Trevor’s favorite food was the slugs he found outside. He would croak happily as his face became covered in slime.
When he moved to Arizona, he didn’t have a source for slugs. It’s just too dry in the Sonoran Desert. Instead some people grow snails inside their homes. These are the people who generously share their snails for Trevor. So, the next time you wonder what to give your Box Turtle as a present, think snails!
As a voice for the lizard community, I’m just grateful Trevor doesn’t think of us as a delicacy!
And, to learn about my other very interesting turtle friends, the Hickatee, please click on the book, Hickatees vs. Sea Turtles, below.
