what kind of turtle is this?

[ferretinmyshoes]

Flux gave you excellent info. It is definitely an eastern box turtle, and a stunted one at that. The overgrown bill and stunted size are caused by inadequate care, ie living in a basement without proper lighting, humidity and probably diet. It's a shame. Box turtles don't do well being hard released, and I wouldn't suggest it for this one with how friendly he is and his bill. That beak will need to be trimmed. It's much too long to wear down naturally at this point. Once it's back to normal size he may be able to maintain it with cuttlebone and better diet, but most likely not. The shape has been altered permanently. Nails can be clipped without any problems too. Nothing wrong with hibernating in captivity btw, as long as he's healthy enough to survive it. My box turtles hibernate in the outdoor habitat every year. They're in the native area, like this one is, so it's natural.

 

[amanda509]

How cold does it get in Pennsylvania? I know that during the winter it gets freezing cold, and a turtle being left in those conditions with no warmth and it being a captive kept animal. Not very good care in my opinion. Try to rescue this animal, maybe bring it to the zoo and donate him?

there is no zoo nearby, and no zoo would take a common eastern box turtle :/ i cant do anything with him cept try and make things better...he's not my, or my friends turtle. he just lives in my friends house and his landlord is pretty attached. it does get freezing in pa, but eastern box turtles are native here and used to it, but i doubt the basement gets much below 30 degrees (if that) because of the furnace.

 

[amanda509]

Flux gave you excellent info. It is definitely an eastern box turtle, and a stunted one at that. The overgrown bill and stunted size are caused by inadequate care, ie living in a basement without proper lighting, humidity and probably diet. It's a shame. Box turtles don't do well being hard released, and I wouldn't suggest it for this one with how friendly he is and his bill. That beak will need to be trimmed. It's much too long to wear down naturally at this point. Once it's back to normal size he may be able to maintain it with cuttlebone and better diet, but most likely not. The shape has been altered permanently. Nails can be clipped without any problems too. Nothing wrong with hibernating in captivity btw, as long as he's healthy enough to survive it. My box turtles hibernate in the outdoor habitat every year. They're in the native area, like this one is, so it's natural.

im trying to talk my friend to talk to his landlord about taking him to a new vet. he said he was at a vet not too long ago and the vet said he was healthy? so either his landlord is lying, or the vet sucks because theres no way he grew a bill like that in such a short amount of time. would you suggest anything for a proper diet? like i said, he is fed earthworms, fruit, and veggies. i can at least try giving him some proper foods. so far he has survived hibernation for 40 years in that basement, so although he is in somewhat of a bad condition, he is strong and hardy enough to live. maybe i can talk my friend and landlord into making an outdoor enclosure instead of the basement?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Actually it sounds like his diet is on the right track, which might have been his only saving grace through this, plus his "walks". Earthworms are a good staple for them and fruits and veggies follow the same guidelines as gutloading. Try to get the higher calcium ones. And sprinkling a little calcium on his food would be a great idea too! To be fair, he doesn't look terrible considering the conditions he's been in. I've seen much worse. But he doesn't look like a beacon of health either. That beak is not normal and any vet who says so doesn't know turtles, which may have been the case. Turtles are surprisingly resilient animals and can survive in bad conditions for so long. It's just a shame to see it. You are my hero for trying to help him have a better life!