three toed turtle
official reptile of mo
sub species of the box turtle
fish hatchery in branson mo
turtles
Have You Ever Heard of a Three-Toed Turtle?
By Kareng
@kareng (66183)
United States
January 25, 2020 2:03pm CST
The three toed turtle in the photo is one that was in the museum at the Fish Hatchery we visited on our trip to Branson, MO in December of last year.
I have never heard of a three-toed turtle before. Or did they all have three toes and I never noticed?
This is what I discovered:
1. The three-toed turtle is a sub-species of the box turtles.
2. The three-toed turtle is the official reptile of MO. So that explains why it was in the museum there.
3. They are very common in the south-central states.
4. They get there name from only having 3 toes on the back feet.
Have you ever seen a three-toed turtle before?
Photo Credit: My own
13 people like this
13 responses
@moffittjc (122530)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jan 20
That's a very interesting looking turtle! It actually looks more like a tortoise than a turtle!
We have gopher tortoises all over the place here, and they are federally protected, so before any new construction project starts, the developer has to prove that there are no gopher tortoises on their property. And if there is, they have to halt the project until such time as the state can come in and remove the tortoises and relocate them to another area.
Oh, and we have coot-ers (sorry, had to put the hyphen in there to get myLot to accept the word) everywhere in rivers and creeks, and soft-shell turtles in most of our lakes and ponds!
1 person likes this
@kareng (66183)
• United States
1 Feb 20
@moffittjc The city parish in Baton Rouge is the worst!!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (122530)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jan 20
@kareng Well, we're talking government here, so you know how slow they operate! haha But I think your guess is probably pretty accurate. I'm sure it only takes them a matter of weeks to locate all the gopher tortoises and get them relocated.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (140369)
• United States
13 Aug 20
Yes, I have... As a kid growing up on a farm in southern Missouri my brothers and I often found box turtles on our ramblings through the woods and farmland around our home. We frequently kept the turtles for months, feeding them produce from our gardens. Our parents made us turn them loose in late summer so they could find or dig burrows to over-winter in.
1 person likes this
@kareng (66183)
• United States
18 Aug 20
@DaddyEvil This one was much lighter than the ones around here too.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (140369)
• United States
17 Aug 20
@kareng Yes, three toed turtles are a subset of box turtles. Some have the spotted legs and others don't.
@Tampa_girl7 (51173)
• United States
2 Feb 20
Maybe I have and just never noticed 
I need to pay attention. We have a lot of turtles out here where I live.
I need to pay attention. We have a lot of turtles out here where I live.1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
7 Feb 20
yes ma'am, i've seen quite a few back'n the day. didn't realize such 'twas a sub-species 'f box turtles though. don't reckon i knew states'd official reptiles?
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91527)
• Arvada, Colorado
25 Jan 20
I do not believe I had Karen..good old Missouri critters tho..I miss MO
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (110833)
• Marion, Ohio
25 Jan 20
I have never really looked at their feet.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
25 Jan 20
I do not think so unless in a zoo somewhere.
1 person likes this
