
Eastern massasauga rattlesnake
Dark blotches along a thick body
Illustration · not shown at life sizeReptile guests / Turtle
Terrapene ornata
Yellow lines fan across this turtle’s shell. Its sturdy little legs carry it through sandy prairie and open woodland.
Wisconsin’s native box turtle lives mainly in sandy habitats farther west. It is not a native southeastern Wisconsin neighborhood turtle.
Let’s look closerLittle clues
Yellow rays across a dark shell.
A hinged shell can close like a box.
Lives on land, rather than in a pond.
Out in the world
Sandy prairies, oak savannas, and open woodland edges.
May be active from early spring into fall; burrows into well-drained soil for winter.
Watch quietly with a grownup. Leave wild turtles in their homes, and never bring one home as a pet.
A closer look
The lower shell has a hinge that helps the turtle close itself inside. Unlike Wisconsin’s pond turtles, this box turtle spends its life on land.
This species faces a real conservation threat. Encounters depend on season and habitat.
For curious grownups, too
Original summaries, with references for deeper reading.
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