. ▁If ▁common ▁box ▁t urt les ▁do ▁become ▁too ▁hot , ▁( when ▁their ▁body ▁temperature ▁r ises ▁to ▁around ▁ 3 2   ° C ), ▁they ▁sm ear ▁sal iva ▁over ▁their ▁legs ▁and ▁head ; ▁as ▁the ▁sal iva ▁ev apor ates ▁it ▁leaves ▁them ▁comfort ably ▁cool er . ▁Similarly , ▁the ▁t urt le ▁may ▁ur inate ▁on ▁its ▁h ind ▁lim bs ▁to ▁cool ▁the ▁body ▁parts ▁it ▁is ▁unable ▁to ▁cover ▁with ▁sal iva . ▁ ▁Court ship ▁in ▁the ▁common ▁box ▁t urt le , ▁which ▁usually ▁takes ▁place ▁in ▁spring , ▁begins ▁with ▁a ▁" cir cling , ▁bit ing ▁and ▁sh oving " ▁phase . ▁These ▁acts ▁are ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁male ▁on ▁the ▁female . ▁Following ▁some ▁pushing ▁and ▁shell - bit ing , ▁the ▁male ▁g ri ps ▁the ▁back ▁of ▁the ▁female ' s ▁shell ▁with ▁his ▁h ind ▁feet ▁to ▁enable ▁him ▁to ▁lean ▁back , ▁slightly ▁beyond ▁the ▁vertical , ▁and ▁mate ▁with ▁the ▁female . ▁ ▁Rem ark ably , ▁female ▁common ▁box ▁t urt les ▁can ▁store ▁s perm ▁for ▁up ▁to ▁four ▁years ▁after ▁m ating , ▁and ▁thus ▁do ▁not ▁need ▁to ▁mate ▁each ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁May , ▁June ▁or ▁July , ▁females ▁normally ▁lay ▁a ▁cl utch ▁of ▁ 1 ▁to ▁ 1 1 ▁eggs ▁into ▁a ▁flask - sh aped ▁nest ▁exc av ated ▁in ▁a ▁patch ▁of ▁sand y ▁or ▁lo amy ▁soil . ▁After ▁ 7