The natural distribution of this turtle corresponds to the last glacier. Eastern box turtles are found south of a line where the Wiscon-sinan glacier stopped. One of the unique features of turtles is their shell. Plates cover the carapace and plastron and give the turtle its color and design. In box turtles, this is a radiating pattern of light yellow to orange lines or spots on a background of dark brown.
Box turtles have a high dome-shaped shell with a movable plastron that has a hinged seam.
This allows the turtle not only to retreat inside its shell but also to swing the bottom portion of the plastron tight against the carapace so no soft parts are exposed. Box turtles are active during the daylight hours, basking at openings in the canopy and traveling to find food. When they are not seeking food, they rest in forms, depressions made in the vegetation and top inch of soil. The turtle will remain in the form until the morning sun warms it up. Eastern box turtles, Terrapene carolina carolina.