Question
Turtle?
Hi,
My kids and I found a large turtle in the middle of a busy road and of course, saved it. Essentially now we are trying to find out what kind of turtle it is.
My husband's coworker doesn't think it's a turtle, rather a tortise, or terapin? From what I've read online, I think it's a turtle. Either way we want to find out more about it.
It's shell is about 10 in long and 7 in wide. It has creamy yellow stripes and it's underside is about the same color. Hard to tell if there's any pattern or coloring on the actual shell as it's covered in dirt and has had a moss of some sort on it {it looks like it, but isn't there now} It does have webbing on it's feet.
It's very active, and we've been keeping it safe from our dogs as well as caring for it as well as we could figure based on what we've found online. I have a heat lamp on it and it's picked at some grapes and lettuce.
Any info would be great! Were in Arkansas.
AnswerHi,
Your turtle is definitely not a tortoise. In fact, it is a rather aquatic/semiaquatic species...probably a slider.
It is one of two species, from the looks of it. Either the Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), or the Eastern River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna concinna). While this feature fades/darkens with age and your turtle is certainly an adult, you should check around where the head and neck meet...around the 'ear' region...if there is a thick, rather large reddish blotch paralleling the little yellow stripes, then it is a Red-eared Slider, otherwise, it is almost definitely the Eastern River Cooter.
Both species are rather similar. They are both common turtles throughout the southeastern United States. They are largely aquatic. They are omnivorous (= they eat both fruit/vegetable, and meat), and probably the best food for it in captivity would be the 'Wardley reptile sticks' or some other marketed turtle food you can buy at Walmart or a petshop (assuming it is willing to eat such sticks...they would be given in water). Your turtle is typical adult size for either species. Males tend to be smaller than females, in general, but either could reach about that size. Judging by the apparently relatively short nails on the front legs, I believe that yours is a female...which brings up another subject...this turtle may have been wandering around on land in order to lay it's eggs! If it hasn't yet laid, then it will need a sufficient area of dirt, probably with a depth of at least four to six inches, and a comfortably large area for her to walk around a bit..so that she can dig down and make a nest. They do not tend their eggs...they just dig a hole, lay them, and cover them over with soil, and leave them to hatch in about 2-3 months. Further, and since you are not experienced, it may be difficult to tell, you could potentially tell if the turtle has eggs still in her by holding her with both hands and gently pushing on both sides at the same time..on the soft skin just to the front of the hind legs...if she has several eggs in her, you may be able to feel them...they should be about the size of small ping-pong balls.
Generally (other than when nesting), these turtle spend most of the time in water, and would be best kept in clean water with a small basking area...a large rock or something.
I hope I have answered your questions, and would love an update from you.
Please feel free to write to me again. Thank you.
-Chris
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