Sweet Lucy

Wild three-toed box turtle found in St. Joseph, MO

Three-toed box turtles (Terrapene carolina triunguis) are native to Missouri, and relatively common in the southern portion of our state. They are classified as Terrapins. Turtles are found in water, Tortoises are found on land and Terrapins occur in the areas between these habitats and are often found swimming or soaking in water. They have hinged shells which allow them to close completely up inside their shell for protection from threats.

They are frequently picked up by well meaning individuals and moved from their home territory. There are various reasons for these abductions, but two of the most common reasons are as follows.

These terrapins are often found crossing busy roads and a rescue is in order to move them to a safer location. Moving them across the road in the direction they were headed is sufficient, but more often than not people put them in their cars and transport them miles away and then let them go in what they deem a suitable place. While their intentions are pure, their actions will often result in the box turtles demise. Box turtles are tied to the environment where they grew up. They know where all the watering holes, food sources (by season), burrows and hibernation locations are in their approximately one mile radius habitat. Moving them away from the only home they are familiar with would be equivelant to somebody abducting you and dropping you in the middle of New York City with no resources and telling you to figure it out. You will struggle and you may not survive. Another reason these turtles are picked up is our desire to own them. After all they are adorable, especially if you are lucky enough to find a baby. They seem relatively easy to care for so why not bring home a new pet for little Johnny?

In reality, there is more to it than putting them in a tank or tote and throwing some food in with them. They need room to roam outdoors in the warm season, and a safe place to either burrow for the winter, or to be inside. They require UVB/UVA light for proper growth and calcium absorption which is critical to prevent deformities and other health issues. They need a true omnivorous diet that includes vegetation like dandelions, romaine lettuce, grasses etc, as well as fruit and protein. Proteins can be given in the form of earthworms, mealworms, crickets, hard boiled eggs, roasted chicken, etc.

I received a message from a Facebook friend of mine asking me if I would be willing to give a home to a three-toed box turtle that she had had for 13 years. I told her I would and we made arrangements to meet and she transferred the turtle to me. She explained that she had rescued this little terrapin when it was a tiny hatchling from two boys who were being mean to it.

When I first laid eyes on this sweet little girl I nearly cried. She was in such bad shape. She had been fed a diet of aquatic pellet food and bits of apples occasionally. She lived her life in a glass aquarium not suitable for exercise, and no adequate lighting. She was deformed and could  not close up into her shell, her body is much larger than her shell so the disproportionate body to shell ratio made it impossible to protect herself from a perceived threat, which can cause undue stress on them. Her toenails were so severely overgrown she was walking on the sides of her feet, her beak was overgrown and malformed making it difficult for her to eat properly. Her eyes were swollen and bulging from vitamin A deficiency and a cranial infection. She had so many layers of dead skin on her body and shell it made movement difficult.

While my FB friends intentions were good when she took this little girl away from those boys, she did not bother to adequately educate herself on the care this little terrapin needed. The consequences were severe and Lucy paid the price for 13 years. 


After bringing her home,we gave her the name of Lucy, as a play on the word Lucky. She went immediately to the veterinarian to put a treatment plan in place.

She had her beak and toenails trimmed and was soaked numerous times over the course of days to loosen and remove the excess dead skin to make mobility easier for her. She was given vitamin A & D to deal with the deficiencies that were causing the swollen eyes and metabolism issues. She also received antibiotics to treat the cranial infection. She was severely underweight and a diet plan was implemented to get her back on track.

Over the course of many months I watched as she struggled to adapt to her new home and new diet. She made several trips to the Vet for more antibiotic shots and vitamin A. We placed her in a large, escape proof pen outside during the warm months and kept her in a safe, secure enclosure inside during the winter. She has been with us a little over a year now and has finally started eating better, and gaining weight. Now she is waiting for me to fill the food dish each day and grabs her favorites out of the dish immediately, which by the way are the earthworms. Her eye swelling is gone, and her color is much better. She will always be deformed and never be able to utilize her shell as a hiding place like nature intended, but she is safe, and cared for now.


While I am not opposed to anyone owning a turtle, tortoise or terrapin,
I am opposed to spontaneous decisions that don't involve educating yourself to their needs. If you aren't sure exactly what these animals need and aren't willing to learn, or feel confident that you can provide for them, please leave them be in their natural home. Take a picture and share it with friends and family. You will have a great story to tell and will know that you did the right thing in leaving it to live its life in the only home it's ever known. They are much happier in nature and are far better at caring for themselves than we are in trying to replicate those needs in captivity.

Lucy is truly one of the lucky ones....she lived.