Baby Turtle..what kind???

[Mark Rowan]

Found this baby turtle! Not sure what kind it is. Can it live in the aquarium with my Sliders? Any diet info for this species would also be appreciated! I'm still new to the turtle world. Thanks to All!

 

[absolutangel04]

Did you find it outside or at a pet store?

 

[Mark Rowan]

Did you find it outside or at a pet store?

We found it outside!

 

[alLexX]

We found it outside!

lol,i guess you got a really good sale XD

where do you live(like country) that could help narrow it

 

[Freakgecko91]

The first question to be asked in order to ID it is where do you live (or found it) and what kind of habitat was it in or around. And personally, I'd say release s/he and let nature take its own course with the little one

 

[Mark Rowan]

I live in North Carolina US.

 

[Mark Rowan]

The first question to be asked in order to ID it is where do you live (or found it) and what kind of habitat was it in or around. And personally, I'd say release s/he and let nature take its own course with the little one

It was found in a heavily populated area! Which I thought was very unusual! We thought it would stand a better chance of survival if we took it! Even if we relocate and release it!

 

[Freakgecko91]

Can you post some more, maybe clearer pics, especially of its shell?

 

[absolutangel04]

Make sure its legal to take to do that. A lot of states have laws against normal citizens taking turtles from the wild. I am not sure about NC, but you should definitely check that out!

 

[Freakgecko91]

Although a solid point, I don't believe NC has any laws prohibiting it UNLESS its for mass commercial use, however I may be mistaken as I only did a quick google search on the matter

 

[Mark Rowan]

Shell and head

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

He is a cute little guy! Haha how big are your other turtles?

 

[Freakgecko91]

Hmm that helps a lot, but unfortunately it is not the species I thought it to be, a spotted turtle, let me keep looking and I'll see what I turn up

 

[Mark Rowan]

Not sure exactly how a turtle is to be measured! But the biggest is approx 5" from head to tail. The others are approx 2" from head to tail.

 

[Freakgecko91]

My *best* guess is a eastern box turtle, under a year old. Certain pictures look identical to your little guy while some have a much different shell :/ but I think they change dramatically as the grow older. All in all, eastern box are a rather difficult species to keep in captivity due to their strict diet needs, I'd say find a protected area, like a metro park, swamp, etc, and release him if possible, their numbers are down in the wild and they need every individual out there they are common road casualties as they tend to cross them slowly while trekking to their laying grounds

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Thats a good guess! I looked it up and the pictures all looked very differant. Then i found this baby pic! Looks very similar!

 

[absolutangel04]

Look up both snapping turtles and wood turtles. It can be a bit hard to tell from photos, especially with babies.

 

[Freakgecko91]

100% positive it's not a snapper or a wood turtle. Snappers have a much longer tail, as well as a shell shaped completely different and a more pronounced "beak" and wood turtles are a lighter hade of brown with a more ornate pattern around the edges of their shell. Not to mention both species lack the yellow ridges found on his little guys back. I say hatchling (as in hatched within a month or two) eastern box turtle, ironically, the state turtle of NC

 

[George9]

I just about died when I saw that little guy. He's so cute! Are you sure you wanna be touching wild turtles? Cant you get diseases and stuff?

 

[Mark Rowan]

I've looked up info on eastern box turtles. The diet for these guys is kinda complex! I'm thinking maybe best to set it free. We have many areas to release it. I just hate the thought of it getting eatin, or not being able to survive on its own!