MIDLAND, Texas — The transition from the winter season to the spring season brings out the desert box turtle, also known as the ornate box turtle.
Ornate box turtle sightings become more common during the springtime, as temperatures start climb.
According to Michael Nickell, a museum scientist with the Sibley Nature Center, they are also most likely to come out when rain creates small pools of water.
"I hear so often that they see a turtle that's crossing the street or whatever and they automatically want to rescue it; I mean I understand the sentiment behind that, but the box turtle knows what it needs and how to find food [and] where to find water," said Nickell.
Nickell emphasized that the animal is a wild species that can live up to 70 years or longer. Due to it's long life-span, it can oftentimes outlive their owners if they are kept as pets.
"Whenever you have wildlife confined, they're not able to interact with others of their own kind," Nickell said. "When they mate, oftentimes people will frequently have a surplus of box turtles that you don't know what to do with."
There's been a decline of the ornate box turtle population within recent years, according to Nickell.
"It's primarily due to habitat loss," Nickell said. "[With] all kinds of development going on, whether it be the length of houses or expansion, the city, anything and everything that disturbs the habitat, it's going to affect the box turtle population."
According to Nickell, it's important for box turtle owners to be mindful of what its diet consists of. Some owners have a tendency to focus on one food item.
"Once they get accustomed to eating one particular food item, they won't eat anything else," Nickell said. "So if you have a box turtle, I recommend having a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and an occasional little bit of meat like a little bite of some good grade of dog food or something similar."
The shape and function of its shell is one of the reasons it's called the box turtle.
"Whenever they feel threatened, they can pull their head in, front legs in, their back legs and tail end in and just shut the door. That's why they call [them] the box turtles because they make this little box that they live in," Nickell said. "They are an important wildlife species. Just like any other type of animal that's native here. So they have a place out there and nature is the best place for them."