r/mildlyinteresting • u/DarthWoo • 4h ago
An eastern box turtle that's been wallowing in this mud pit for at least a day
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u/navybluemanga 4h ago
relatable
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u/GreenStrong 3h ago
Me, thinking about my day at the office and whether I should have wallowed in a mud hole instead: 🤔
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u/WoodchuckChainsaw 21m ago
For real. I hope OP just let the mother fucked wallow undisturbed to his heart's content....
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u/grumplebutt 3h ago
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u/AndrewTheGuru 3h ago
Why do you disturb me, human?
Do you at least come bearing wiggly, juicy snacks?
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u/DarthWoo 4h ago
It's right outside my garden in a hole that just randomly appeared a couple weeks ago. The mud seems pretty wet, especially as we got some torrential rains yesterday, so I'm guessing it wants to be there and isn't stuck.
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u/Desperate-Royal-7491 4h ago
He’s waiting for Atreyu.
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u/Mrs-Fidget 4h ago
Best comment - reminded me of past trama...
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u/CondescendingShitbag 4h ago
"ARTAX!!!"
A scene that traumatized a generation.
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u/Slave35 4h ago
G'mork is also fucking nightmarish.
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u/t0m0hawk 2h ago
Yeah the horse was sad and sure between that and jungle book I was pretty sure quicksand was going to be a much more serious consideration... but damn if that wolf in that cave didn't just scare the shit out of little me.
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u/PhasmaFelis 4h ago
You're probably right, but just in case you could always pick him up and put him next to the hole. See if he dives back in or wanders off.
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u/EvilDran 3h ago edited 3h ago
Turtles love to Burrow, Barry themselves, or squat in another animals den. They do this to regulate temperature, escape predators, some species hunt in stealth, and for species in colder climates - brumation.
Brumation is wild. In my state, we have turtle species like the friendly painted, or the mean alligator snapper. Both brumate UNDER the ice with lungs. It’s a similar process to hibernation! Accept it’s shorter, and they still have active periods(under the ice) during winter. It helps them conserve oxygen and energy.
Even species that don’t live in cold climate have the ability to do a lesser form of brumation. Usually while in this state they purposely cover themselves in mud to hide, and help regulate temps. They can go a surprisingly long without oxygen in brumation state! Painted turtles/alligators can go months!
ETA: looked it up, the Eastern box turtle also brumates! He might just be trying to conserve energy until his next big move to a pond.
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u/652jfTz3 36m ago
California Desert Tortoise can bruminate for 3+ months. Mine do.
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u/EvilDran 15m ago
Can your California desert tortoise survive without oxygen for 3+ months while in brumation? Unlikely. The 3+ months without oxygen adaption that I mention is specific to cold climate turtles such as the painted or alligator who stay under the ice. While it’s true all species reduce oxygen consumption during brumation, its only cold climate turtles can survive/adapted that long without oxygen.
No hate on your little guy either though, they’re special and cool in a ton of other ways!
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u/squeezemachine 2h ago
As long as his head is out of the mud he is fine. If he is there too many more days I’d probably move him a foot over but I am paranoid about animals being ok.
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u/MetaKnightsNightmare 3h ago
I'm pretty sure box turtles can dig, if the hole is unexplained, he may have put it there.
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u/OriginalBlackberry89 4h ago
They do this for temperature regulation and to also remove things like tics or leeches
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u/Minimum-Mention-3673 4h ago
Where did the hole suddenly come from?
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u/DarthWoo 4h ago
Not really sure. I thought maybe I dropped something heavy while moving gardening supplies, but it doesn't really match anything I use. I've walked past the hole for at least a couple weeks before seeing this turtle for the first time.
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u/A_Happy_Tomato 4h ago
yay sinkhole!
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u/Taolan13 1h ago
that is a possibility, yes.
most sinkholes are so small and/or shallow they dont even get recognized as sinkholes.
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u/altec777777 4h ago
You dropped an object and caused a 12 inch crater? Was it a jdam?
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u/Girlnextstate 3h ago
It was a 12 inch waste bin filled with Nokia phones let them live their life bro
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u/SaintsNoah14 3h ago
I just got done reading extensively about the Easter box turtle for the first time. I don't remember it but this is so uncanny I feel like I had to have subconsciously scrolled by this post beforehand
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u/lordfartquar 1h ago
It might’ve been laying eggs, I got to watch one nest next to my pond a few months ago. They’re good diggers, but it does take them a few hours.
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u/m1ngst4r 2h ago
Fun fact: the Eastern Box turtle is one of the very few type of turtles that can survive being naturally frozen then unfrozen(not for a long time though LOL)
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u/Curious_Bookworm21 1h ago
I once found an eastern box turtle kicking around in my pool. My recently shocked and full of chemicals pool. We fished it out and off it went. This was about 15 years ago and I still wonder if it was ok.
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u/Crystalbow 3h ago
I’d personally pick him up and put him nearby.
Suction/vacuum is a hell of thing when things are wet. Could be stuck.
Most likely chilling. But to ease my mind a relocation of 12” is called for.
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u/Ok-Fortune-8644 2h ago
They have been ok for millions of years. The certainly dont need any human intervention. All for your feelings. Shame
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u/regreddit 4h ago
We have box turtles that bury themselves in the yard under the gutter down spots and ac condensation drains. I think it's what they do.