OT: From the animal rescue dept ... turtle - UPDATE

[J Miller]

Several years ago my wife rescued a turtle from the middle of busy Springfield street. We later turned him loose in the lake of a golf course close to us. But like the dummies we can be we didn't get any pics.

Fast forward to today. She rescued another of the same kind of turtle from another busy street. Got pics this time.
I'm not sure what kind of turtle this is other than he's an aquatic type. He still has moss growing on his shell.
And an attitude. He kept snapping at anything that got close to his face.

Here's some pics.

Front view of dry turtle:

Turtle, front.JPG

Front view, he was snapping at the camera. Sorry about the focus.

Turtle, front, close.JPG

Side view, you can see the red racing stripes on his head:

Turtle, right.JPG

Bottom view:

Turtle, bottom.JPG

Turtle in the tub, YK view:

Turtle, YK view.JPG

Later today after the golf course is closed, we'll let him loose in the lake.
That's probably where he came from anyway.

UPDATE, 10:00PM: Turtle back home:

Turtle, back home.JPG

Joe

[mklwhite]

Glad to see that. As my granny use to say "good on you"!

[pokey]

Turtle in the tub, YK view:

Turtle, YK view.JPG

Joe

that's funny right there.

[1886]

Good for you and Mrs.Miller for rescuing the little guy. I do the same thing. He looks like the turtles I used to see in the pet stores as a kid in the 70s. 1886.

[J Miller]

Good for you and Mrs.Miller for rescuing the little guy. I do the same thing. He looks like the turtles I used to see in the pet stores as a kid in the 70s. 1886.

I've seen them for sale here in Spfld too. So he must be a common type.
I just don't know the correct name.

Joe

[Buffboy]

It's called a Painted Turtle. The most common type of turtle in the USA. There are a few variations due to locality http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painted_Turtle We have them up here and I can remember catching them as a child in IL.

[J Miller]

Buffboy,

Thanks for the ID. If I had my own place with a pond I'd keep him.

Right now he's motating all over the house. May have to stick him in tub to keep him safe till we can take him to the park.
Cats have been having fun watching him.

Joe

[Kansas Ed]

I had one of them about that size clamp down on my finger when I was a kid and not let go...kinda changes your perspective throughout life on turtles. I drive around them on the road, but don't go out of my way to bother them either.

Ed

[3leggedturtle]

Its a male Red-Eared Slider

[AJMD429]

In Indiana, I've been informed it is ILLEGAL to move a turtle (or any other reptile or amphibian excepting 'game' species), EVEN if you're rescuing it from a roadway.

We still do it, though, and just try to be careful about putting the critter in a safe place of the environment it generally inhabits, and if possible the one it was seeking.

Supposedly, box turtles around where we live cross the roads from low to high ground seasonally, heading to deep ravines in the woods to hibernate under leaf litter. Anyhow, they cross roads far too often for their own good.

[J Miller]

Its a male Red-Eared Slider

Probably looking for a girl turtle.

In Indiana, I've been informed it is ILLEGAL to move a turtle (or any other reptile or amphibian excepting 'game' species), EVEN if you're rescuing it from a roadway.

We still do it, though, and just try to be careful about putting the critter in a safe place of the environment it generally inhabits, and if possible the one it was seeking.

Supposedly, box turtles around where we live cross the roads from low to high ground seasonally, heading to deep ravines in the woods to hibernate under leaf litter. Anyhow, they cross roads far too often for their own good.

Considering they sell them in the pet shops around here I doubt we'll have any problems with rescuing him.

Joe

[J Miller]

Wifie got home, took a break and then took the little feller back to the park. She put him on the grass about 3' from the water and he scooted straight in.
Pic in OP.

Joe

[kimwcook]

Wifie got home, took a break and then took the little feller back to the park. She put him on the grass about 3' from the water and he scooted straight in.
Pic in OP.

Joe

He's telling his partners right now "I barely escaped being turtle soup."

[AmBraCol]

Its a male Red-Eared Slider

It's a female. Males have a concave bottom plate to their shell. It mates up better (pun intended) with the convex top shell of the female that way.

Also, when "rescuing" a turtle - move it in the direction it was going or it'll just turn around and come on back through. In other words, if it's moving north - move it on north. Help it along it's way. 'Cause if you move him south he'll just turn around and head north again. They're goin' thataway for a reason and your concern about helpin' 'em out of the road is of no concern to THEM. All they know is they're goin' "thataway".

Have you ever seen what turtles can do to ducks and other waterfowl? Don't know for sure 'bout the lil' box turtles like you found, but the snappers will snap their feet off - unless they manage to drag the whole bird down permanent like for a full meal.

[Coldfingers]

Jolly good show Mr. Miller. Kudo's to the wife.

As a side note, I brought a turtle back from Florida one time in my carry-on. Gave the screeners at the airport fits but got her home. (she laid eggs almost a year later in the aquarium).

That was eight years ago. The turtle spends the long winter months in an aquarium, eating salmon eggs, goldfish, and chunks of moose meat and then goes "outside" for the summer to a garden pond and gets to forage a mite and enjoy a frog or two when I stumble upon them.

There is a feller out at the Chattinka lodge (North of Fairbanks) that has four Sliders that he has kept in a custom aquarium for over twenty years now.

Who says that there are no turtles in Alaska?

Again, good save. I have enjoyed turtles since my childhood days.

"There once was a girl named Myrtle,
who got as a present a turtle.
she though he was dead and
poked his head.
Now the turtle has Myrtle."

My Best,

Scotty

[3leggedturtle]

Its a male Red-Eared Slider

It's a female. Males have a concave bottom plate to their shell. It mates up better (pun intended) with the convex top shell of the female that way.

Yes But look at the front claws, they are extremely long , females claws are short and stubby. Funny you mention Box Turtles. Was going thru OK last yaer and stopped the semi and picked a small boxer off the road, kept her with me for a 2 months, She absolutely loved nectarines, and when i fed her nightcrawlers, she went absolutely nuts on them. Almost felt sorry for the worm. What kind of turtles do you have where you are at. Am hoping to get to visit a turtle when I go to FLA next week. 3leg

[Ysabel Kid]

Good for you Joe!