Found a turtle!

:confused:

We found a turtle in our yard today after school!!! I have NEVER seen a turtle around here, much less one this big :D Our yard is completely fenced in...so I really don't understand how he got into our yard in the first place, or why he was here... :confused: lol I'm just glad that we found him before we let the dogs out :eek: that could have turned bad pretty fast...but he is now safely on the other side of the fence by the creek :D

I know virtually nothing about turtles...is this a snapper??

http://kangashrew13.zoto.com/img/45/...c9cf32c63-.jpg

http://kangashrew13.zoto.com/img/45/...0cd5fd6a4-.jpg

http://kangashrew13.zoto.com/img/45/...7ab1ab3d3-.jpg

Size comparison ;)
http://kangashrew13.zoto.com/img/45/...ecf66edb5-.jpg

Wow! I'm not to hot on my turtle species, but do you think he's a wild one? I don't know if you would have wild turtles near you. Otherwise he could be someone's escaped pet! I think he could be a snapper but I couldn't be sure.

hard to tell, but he does kind of look like a snapper to me!:)

not certain but he looks like a snapper to me.

That's a snapper alright! Good size one too. :D

Nice photos!

Yep, Snapping Turtle. Every year we have one of those making a nest in our front yard. Then a few months later there are tons of them making a dash to the water.

That's definitely a snapping turtle. I don't know what kind he is though. In Florida we have 2 kinds of snapping turtles, the "Florida snapping turtle" and the "alligator snapping turtle". The Florida snapping turtle doesn't get too large, around 35 pounds. The alligator snapping turtle gets HUGE, they can get up to 200 pounds. The one you have pictured looks like a Florida snapping turtle, which I think is also called a "common snapping turtle.

I don't know what kind of turtle it is but maybe king2005 will he has a turtle.

That is surely a snapper look at the snout on it....

Yep, thats a snapper alright! He's adorable. :) Lucky you got him out of the yard.

Thanks guys...I still would like to know how he got into the yard!! It boggles my mind...unless he climbed the fence, I have no idea. :D

He sure is big! Its been awhile since I've seen one that size. Thanks for sharing him with us.

He's beautiful! Did you keep him or let him go or what? He looks like a snapper. Pretty little guy :)

Thats not just a snapping turtle (there are several different species). Its a Common Snapping Turtle!

It might be a female as its tail isn't very thick, unless its under weight. At about that size its prob about 5-7yrs old (its hard to tell as diet plays a huge roll). Axle is MUCH larger then that guy, as hes about 30 pounds & fed good foods lol.. Axle will be 7 this year :D

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Originally Posted by k9krazee

Thanks guys...I still would like to know how he got into the yard!! It boggles my mind...unless he climbed the fence, I have no idea. :D

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Common Snapping Turtles are AWESOME climbers!! My guy at only 20p was able to climb out of his pond, tour my room, climb up onto my bed & dive into his 160g pond! He would also climb the baby gate I had to keep the horrid dogs out of the basement (thank goodness I don't live there anymore).. Now Axle roams free in the bedroom.. he pushes open the door by force & trashes my bathroom on a daily bases. I've found him in my closet in the laundryroom & hes destroyed 20 $$ books on my book shelves & climbed over a barrier I made & destroyed my rare Antique horse in mint condition.. now its a scratched horse with its tail *cries*.. One of these day he'll end up in the oven!!!! j/k but I am mad

You've still got your fingers!? They are great climbers. I rescued a heavy sucker probably over 35 pounds from the mud last year. Took forever to convince him that I was a good person not to be bitten. I ended up shoveling him head first into a bucket to carry to the water. Looks like a "she" to me too. Boys have huge tails. I thinks its a bit late to be looking for a nesting spot? The painted turtles in WI already hatched and I'd assume the snappers don't lay their eggs this late.

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Originally Posted by IRescue452

You've still got your fingers!? They are great climbers. I rescued a heavy sucker probably over 35 pounds from the mud last year. Took forever to convince him that I was a good person not to be bitten. I ended up shoveling him head first into a bucket to carry to the water. Looks like a "she" to me too. Boys have huge tails. I thinks its a bit late to be looking for a nesting spot? The painted turtles in WI already hatched and I'd assume the snappers don't lay their eggs this late.

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Common Snapping Turtles will hatch in late July, as I got Axle as a hatchling from the wild the last week of July. He was a very sick baby so I kept him (& other reasons)... I hold Axle, he sits on my lap, he hangs out with dogs 7 just LOVES dog kisses!! Strangers always touch his legs & tail & I get my nose kisses :D look in my sig.. sure its a few yrs old, hes MUCH larger & I now have long hair, but I still get my kisses :D

Wow, he or she is gorgeous.
Will you keep him?

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Originally Posted by beeniesmom

Wow, he or she is gorgeous.
Will you keep him?

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She stated in her first post, she moved it to the other side of the fence near the creek.. If she was planning on keeping, I would pipe up as its an adult & thats not right, unless its sick.. & having no legs isn't an excuse to remove it from the wile either.. legless snappers do great in the wild.

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Originally Posted by king2005

She stated in her first post, she moved it to the other side of the fence near the creek.. If she was planning on keeping, I would pipe up as its an adult & thats not right, unless its sick.. & having no legs isn't an excuse to remove it from the wile either.. legless snappers do great in the wild.

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Sorry, I must have skipped that post. :o

Ok, I wasn't sure when they hatched. Maybe it was looking for a nesting spot then. I remember finding snapper babies at the park and giving them a helping hand to the water but I didn't remember when in the year it was.

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Originally Posted by IRescue452

Ok, I wasn't sure when they hatched. Maybe it was looking for a nesting spot then. I remember finding snapper babies at the park and giving them a helping hand to the water but I didn't remember when in the year it was.

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NEVER EVER help a turtle to the water, leave them alone. You can stand guard, but do not touch! They need the walk to the water on their own.. If one falls ina hole, ya ok, help him out, but don't walk him to the water.. theres always a reason why turtle nest a distance from the water.. I'm sure the babies long walk is healthy for them.