box turtles

Question
Can I release my 2 box turtles back into the wild? Is it safe to do so. Both are males, and have to be kept seperately or they fight badly. Also, one of them I've had for about 1 year, and the other one I've had for 2 years. I live in a apartment, which is certainly not good for them. But, I try to put them outside at least 3 times a week. But, they are not eating very well the vegetables, fruit, sometimes mealworms, and pinkie mice (they eat them well). It's summer here in Houston, Texas.
Thank you for your help. I don't have an image to attach, but they are your typical male 3 toed box turtles.

Darla

Answer
Hi Darla, I have another option for you that will be better for your turtles and for the wild turtle population. This is a link to the Gulf Coast Turtle and Tortoise Society which is Houston based. It discusses the topic of releasing pet turtles back into the wild and the devastating affect it can have on wild populations due to disease introduction. As an alternative they will take in and place native box turtles with screened, knowledgeable keepers who will keep these previous pets permanently in outside enclosures.

http://www.gctts.org/node/21