releasing a turtle?

[klf73]

Before anyone asks, this is a native species. It is probably a last year hatch, the size of a quarter. I found it in my mother's driveway(she lives on a lake) in late fall. It was dry, crusty, and barely moving. In the condition it was in it would have been prey very easy if I put it in the water. I put an aquarium together and have had it in the house since. It is a rather aggressive species so I have made sure no one bothers it so it doesn't get used to people. If you put your finger against the tank the little guy tries to take it off. He was eating turtle pellets only because I couldn't find feeder fish to give him(they don't sell feeder guppies because it's cruel but they sell comets

). I didn't get the comets because they are so big and native fish sure don't look like that (not sure if turtles can see color?).
It is warm enough to put this turtle back but he has never had live food. I don't think he will have a problem because he is so aggressive and snaps at everything but dh and my eldest daughter insist that I get some feeder fish to make sure it can catch them(was originally my intention until I couldn't find the feeders). What do you think?

 

[dave_Cash69]

i would try the feeder fish just to be sure,
then if he gulps those down
send him on his way!

 

[Dorothy1324]

you could also try some meal worms

 

[georgialee]

They have small feeder fish at petco/petsmart - try some of those and if he eats them then I would say it's safe to release him. good luck!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I grew up on Conecuh River and my papa used to take me turtle catching. We would spot a baby and slowly zoom in and swoop it up in the net. We would release them after a day of playing with them. It was so fun. One of the good memories I have as a girl.

I would say you can be just fine with putting it in the lake. Sounds as if it is a mud/snapping turtle. They will bite a hole in ya

The streaked head turtles are the only ones we would play with. The snappers, we just threw back before being bitten.

I have tried to put them in my goldfish pond but they disappear after a while. We even kept a baby in our fish tank a while before turning him back loose where we got him.


Baby turtles are equipped with knowlege to survive. I think he will be fine in the lake.


Where are pics?

 

[chixie]

you could feed it minnows- yuo should be able to find them at a bait shop or some feed stores sell them.(or at least my feed store does)

 

[klf73]

well, I will see if I can get a pic.....he is a snapper, I do know that

and I don't want to be bitten.
he is still rather small so I don't know if minnows would be too big...