Turtle Time in the Garden
Event Details
Join us at The Botanical Garden of the Piedmont Spring Festival to learn about turtles from turtle enthusiast Jennifer Bryerton, co-founder and publisher of CharlottesvilleFamily Magazine. Starting at 10 am, Jennifer and a turtle friend will be at the Garden to meet and greet all turtle fans of all ages and answer simple questions about turtle life.
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Virginia’s State Reptile – The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) was officially designated as Virginia’s state reptile in 1987 due to its widespread presence and unique characteristics.
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Winter Brumation – Unlike true hibernation, Eastern Box Turtles undergo brumation in the colder months, burying themselves in loose soil, leaf litter, or mud to slow their metabolism until spring.
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Lifelong Home Range – These turtles have a strong homing instinct and typically stay within a small range of about 2-10 acres for their entire lives. If moved too far from their home, they may become disoriented and struggle to survive.
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Omnivorous Diet – Eastern Box Turtles eat both plants and animals, including berries, mushrooms, insects, slugs, and even carrion. They are particularly important for spreading mushroom spores in forest ecosystems.
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Slow Growth & Long Life – Box turtles grow slowly and can live for 50 years or more, with some individuals documented to be over 100 years old! However, habitat loss and road mortality pose serious threats to their populations.
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