Dear Folks-

I don't know much about turtles. Sorry!

I rescued this one today from my dog, who was menacing it and would not stop. The turtle was in a low cover of dry brush and leaf litter in a wooded area, right next to a high bush blueberry swamp in northern central Massachusetts. The turtle was in a dry place, but so close to the swamp that I could have thrown a stone into the water from where I found the turtle.

I didn't want to move it, in case was a female who had laid eggs, but my dog didn't give me any choice. I carried it about two hundred feet away to a small stream issuing from the swamp that let it make a safe escape, and released it.

The turtle was longer than my hand! I'd say a good two pounds. Very active and healthy looking. The bottom plate (plastron?)was
the yellow of a piece of cheddar cheese. The tail had thin yellow stripes running lengthwise down it. The sides of the shell near the head and front legs were very red, with an almost paisly swirled effect. The only thing I can say for certain is it was *not* a snapper. Those I recognize.

Can someone please tell me what this was? I'm going to be keeping an eye on my dog, just in case the turtle returns to precisely the spot I found it in originally, in case there are eggs there.

Alex in MA

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