Box turtles travel through the woods and cross roads more frequently after heavy rains. The soaked soil brings worms, snails and insects to the surface, allowing for easy pickings. Other foods include mushrooms, berries and carrion.

Compared to other turtle species, the box turtle’s top shell (carapace) appears very dome-shaped. The bottom shell, or plastron, is hinged and can close tightly when threatened. Males typically have red eyes while females have brown or yellow eyes. You may be tempted to collect this beautiful reptile from the wild and keep it as a pet, but doing so is illegal in Georgia.