The key differences between a box turtle and a tortoise are their features, habitat, diet, lifespan, and social behaviors. Both animals have a high domed shell, but tortoises have elephant -like feet. Even though box turtles live on the land, they thrive in moist situations.

Box turtles are not tortoises because they belong to different families. Box turtles belong to the Emydidae family, along with pond and river turtles. In contrast, tortoises are in the Testudinidae family and are adapted for life on land.

Tortoises have a heavier, more domed shell and subdued colors." As usual, terminology is confusing. Box turtles, for instance, which are widespread in the United States and Central America, don't really swim or spend any time in the water, but they're still considered turtles rather than tortoises.

As turtles generally live or spend lots of time in water their shells are relatively flat, thin, and streamlined, to help them swim and dive. Tortoises are land-dwelling and have heavier, rounded, dome-shaped shells to provide protection from predators. The exception to this rule are box turtles and some mud turtles which have dome-shaped shells.