Turtle ID help please (pics) - Page 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funky Feathers 

I'm not very good at cooking a turtle. The one time I tried it the meat was too tough. Can I come over for your BBQ? :)

 

Sure come on =) this is the first time I will have any in about 15 yrs I have some Gator also

It is a Three Lined Mud Turtle. They only get about 4 inches or so, one of the smallest types. Cute find! It is probably only a month or so old. I used to have a few. They like muddy shallow murky water. They are not the best swimmers either especially as babies.

Just looked at the pics again, judging by the belly shot it is actually an Eastern Mud Turtle, not Three Lined. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funky Feathers 

If he is not a snapper then why did he bite me so hard?? Why is he such a little meanie? BTW I already let him go.

Any turtle can bite

He was not mean

He was being attacked by a giant alien and was fighting for his life

Because he was a wild turtle fending for his life ;) The little guys are even nippier since that is all they can do to protect themselves from other turtles, big fish, people, raccoons, birds, etc etc. Glad you let him go! :)

He is a little musk turtle, sometimes called stinkpots or mud turtles, there are various other names depending on where you are in the country, as a juvenile it is sometimes hard to tell but it is one of the different species, you should be able to narrow it down by where you live, although it may have been a transplant as an escaped pet.  As mentioned above musk turtles only get to about 4 inches so they are very popular pets that can easily be kept in an aquarium.  Care is as most turtles but it is a much more aquatic turtle then most so there doesn't need to be too much area for it to get out of the water and bask.  

I have to disagree with leaving them in the wild, most turtles can be kept long term and even bred with just some research and the proper commitment.  If you are going to keep it you need to make sure you will give it the proper care and get the proper equipment but once that is done there is no reason it shouldn't be a long term pet that will bring you a lot of fun and enjoyment.  There was a time when I kept reptiles and had over 400 different turtles and tortoises from small star and spider tortoises to the largest tortoises on the planet both Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises, the largest individual tortoise in the world was a male aldabra but the average is so close to Galapagos tortoise in size they are usually considered the largest.

Good luck if you decide to keep it!

I agree they make good pets (I had 3 plus a quad of Red Eared Sliders, & large breeding group of Diamondback Terrapins) BUT this was a WILD baby. I only recommend captive bred as pets. Also you would have to check laws...in most states (like PA) it is illegal to keep a wild animal that is native to the state. In lots of other states you can have them but must have a permit to collect or own them. 

As far as reptiles are concerned there are very few rules about keeping a native species as long as it is not a protected species or considered invasive, for instance in CA common snapping turtles are against the law to possess because they don't want them to escape and become established in the state.  I don't know anything specific about PA but I don't remember any restrictions to sending mud and musk turtles to PA,  I know there are some rules for selling native reptiles, for instance most have to be captive bred but you can collect the breeders from the wild as long as you are not selling the ones you are collecting.  There are exceptions, again I don't know the specifics of every state but in CA you are allowed to collect and sell certain box turtles with the correct permits even though they are native and as a hobbyists you can collect 2 for your own personal collection with nothing more than a fishing license.  Even in the states that require a fishing license to collect your own I would think for a person to find one in his or her yard there is probably no reason anyone would check, although technically you may be correct if a license of any sort is required.  There is a great book, can't think of the author but the title is Reptiles and the Law, it covers all 50 states and the federal laws, and I don't remember any restrictions on any species of mud or musk turtles if they are legally purchased or collected, but I am not an expert on individual state laws.  I don't know where this individual was found but as I mentioned as long as you are not going to try to sell it there should be no reason you did anything wrong.  

Keeping a baby turtle you find in the wild should be no different than purchasing one, they don't have any parental bonds or need siblings or companionship, they are very easily kept if you have the correct set up so in my opinion (and I don't hold it against anyone who disagrees with me, I have friends who don't think any animal should be kept in captivity which is the opposite of my line of work, I own an exotic animal breeding and quarantine business so I have dealt with wild animals most of my life) if you are willing to care for it more power to you.  What I will say is if you are not going to give it the set up and care it needs to thrive, find a suitable place and let it go or give it to another hobbyists who is willing and able to care for it.