Box turtles can heal from a lot of shell damage on their own. But you can help ensure survival by getting an injured turtle to a wildlife rehabilitator.
Cropped version of photo by Richard Bonnett @ Flickr; licensed under CC BY 2.0

If you find an injured animal, it can be tempting to bring it home to nurse it back to health. Even turn it into a pet.

But that’s not necessarily the best idea.

For one thing, they’re wild animals. In most cases they do best living in the wild. Wildlife rehabbers know how to care for the animals so they can be released back into the wild after they recover.

For another, it may not be legal in your area.

Many state laws limit what people can do with wild animals. Especially if the animal is endangered or threatened. For example, ornate box turtles are protected in most of their native range. It’s illegal to take one from the wild.

That doesn’t mean you have to just leave an injured animal where you’ve found it. Many laws do make exceptions for people bringing an animal to a wildlife rehabilitator.

Where to Find Wildlife Rehabbers Near You

Or you can find lists of wildlife rehabilitators online.

• The AnimalHelpNow website lets you search by zip code for nearby rehabbers. Its database includes 3700+ helpers and covers the entire US. You can also download iPhone and Android apps.
• State wildlife agencies often list licensed rehabbers, too.
• The Wildlife Rehabber website lists each state’s wildlife agency contact information.
• The Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators Association links to state agency lists of wildlife rehabilitators. This site also indicates when the information was most recently updated.

Most rehabbers are volunteers. They may have day jobs and not be able to answer your call right away. But their voice mail messages may include instructions on how to drop off animals. Or a time when you can expect a call back.

Bringing the Turtle to a Rehabber

Obviously you don’t want to carry the turtle on your lap or leave it roaming around your back seat!

If possible, contact a rehabber before collecting the turtle. The rehabber can give you more specific instructions on how to handle it and whether or not to feed it or give it water.

If you aren’t able to get in touch with a rehabber right away:

• Try to find a box just a little bigger than the turtle.
• Put the turtle inside and, only if it’s active and not seriously injured, give it a shallow dish of water. Don’t feed it.
• Make a note of where you found it. The rehabber will want to return it to the same area when it has recovered.
• Put the box in a warm, quiet area until you can bring it to the rehabilitator.

Don’t handle the turtle more than necessary, and don’t let kids handle it either. Keep pets away, too.

And of course, bring it to the wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible. The sooner it gets treated, the more likely it can return to its life and its home.

For more detailed information on transporting injured turtles, see this article from the Gulf Coast Turtle and Tortoise Society. It covers different situations, including what to do if you have to keep the turtle for more than a day.