Do tortoises pose a threat to fruit trees? How about tomatoe and watermelon plants?
I found this guy in my orchard today!
I moved him to my deck, and tested him with a slice of tomato, which he ate half of it. So, it looks he may attack low hanging tomatoes.
turtles have low metabolisms and eat very little. id gladly share with him if he / she plays well. 
Would it eat or chew on tree bark? That’s definitely something I would not tolerate.
ive never heard of it but maybe someone that knows of this turtle will chime in. i had one many years ago and it loved grass more than anything but would eat some fruit/ veggies if offered.
It is an Eastern Box turtle. It may eat a few fruits like strawberries, but will not do any really significant damage. It will not hurt your trees. It is also legally protected by state law in your state as well as mine.
i think it was what i had years ago.
My orchard is fenced, with one little gap due to uneven ground below the fence gate. A few weeks ago I saw it trying to enter the orchard at a point far from the gate, and it could not. Today I found it inside; seems to have smelled something yummy inside 
, it also deserves my respect for persistence…,
They are omnivores and will eat bugs, slugs, worms, berries, leaves, etc. I’m sure he was happy with that soft slice of tomato, but can’t imagine they’d have interest in tree barks, since they prefer softer things. I used to have one that visited my garden/yard somewhat regularly and never saw any damage - as @steveb4 noted they don’t eat a lot compared to the warm blooded devils like chipmunks, squirrels, voles, etc. One day I saw that turtle under my raspberries struggling to reach the lowest fruit. After a few minutes of watching it keep trying and missing, I crept up behind it and just bent the cane down so it could reach. It ate 2 and then very slowly wandered off. I can’t imagine how many a catbird eats in a single day.
I welcome all the cold-blooded critters to my garden, since they are generally very beneficial.
In my experience they originate as someone’s pet and upon escape become very destructive in home vegetable gardens and grape / berry patches.
In college, my house mate had one and would monitor its progress around the back yard by taping a helium balloon to its back.
How could they become “very destructive” when they move slowly, can’t reach high, can’t climb and eat fairly little?
The biggest annoyance is my dogs barking at them constantly when they crawl up from the lake to lay their eggs. They can dig a fair number of holes to lay their eggs, but it’s not like they are very destructive. I just put them back in the lake when the dogs are raising a ruckus about them being on their turf.
He is a little box turtle they are harmless but love strawberries, cataloupe, etc. Any kind of fruit they can reach. They dont bother watermelons besides sometimes gashing the rinds with those front claws , but they can burrow a hole in cantaloupe. They are very destructive if you have a cataloupe or strawberry patch. I usually put them under a mulberry or in a blackberry patch after i feed them.
Cute little guy. That is an Ornate is it not? Never seen one of those yet. Loving your “feed the enemy” approach.
who couldn’t love box turtles. hilarious little critters. i dont see them much near my place.
@Ahmad feeding him tomato pretty well guranteed he is not hungry or thirsty at the moment. He needs to be in the middle of a patch of wild strawberries or gooseberries etc. .Most animals, reptiles, birds etc. I live in peace with on my farm. My philosphy is they have to eat as well and i plan on that happening.
Tortoise Town website sells 1 yr old Easter Box turtles for $379 each! I use to see them every year in my yard but only saw one in the last 10 years.
$379 each!!
There you go @Ahmad. auction it off, you can buy several more trees with the money you could make 
I have a box turtle that visit my garden on occasion. Never caused any problems. They will eat any fruit within 4 inches of the ground, but other animals are your real enemy. I like the guy, one of the few wildlife animals that does not get under my skin in some way or another.
