What is a three-toed box turtle?

A subspecies of the common box turtle, the three-toed box turtle is native to the south central United States. They prefer to inhabit humid areas of grasslands and marshes, though they do migrate to surrounding areas.

The turtle gets its name from the three toes found on its back feet. They are often found near shallow bodies of water where they drink, hydrate and hunt for crickets, grasshoppers, roaches, slugs and snails. The olive to light brown domed shell is about 5 inches in length and allows the animal to conceal its head and limbs entirely inside. Bright yellow, orange or red markings are occasionally found along the head and neck of males.