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turtle i found in my backyard

vegeta Jun 27, 2003 05:33 PM

hello..i found this turtle today in my backyard..can someone please tell me what kind it is and how do i care for it..im from N.Va..any help would be good ty

Replies (5)

draybar Jun 27, 2003 05:49 PM

>>hello..i found this turtle today in my backyard..can someone please tell me what kind it is and how do i care for it..im from N.Va..any help would be good ty
>>

I took the pictures and brightened them up until I could see them.
What I am pretty sure you have is a Northern Redbelly Turtle
(Pseudemys rubriventris)
Very nice turtles...I love mine
-----
Jimmy (draybar)

Katrina Jun 27, 2003 08:30 PM

Yeah, it looks like a redbelly to me, too. It should be released to a nearby pond, IMO, or let free back in the yard if there's little danger from roads or neighbors. It was probably going to lay eggs. Redbellies get HUGE, and should be in ponds, not aquariums.

Katrina

jgsavGA Jun 27, 2003 06:47 PM

It is definitely without a doubt an Eastern Painted Turtle, extremely common in N. VA. I live in Springfield. Judging by the fact that the turtle is a female and that you found her in your backyard, she was probably looking to nest or had already finished. Since this is the most likely case, put her back in your yard exactly where you found her, they are picky about where they nest. Also DO NOT transport her to another area in which you found her to release her. Turtles have home ranges and if you relocate them, they often times will try to get back to their home range no matter what the distance. Good luck, I live in Springfield, so if you have any questions just email me at NtoriusJMG@aol.com.
-Jordan

amazinglyricist Jun 29, 2003 07:05 PM

It definately looks like a Painted Turtle to me, but you need to get a clear shot of the top of it's shell for me to be shure.

vidusa Jun 30, 2003 11:10 AM

Look at the head. It has a yellow dot on the temple, plus a thick V near the mouth. It has red on the margins like a painted and can see where jimmy got confused. The plates on the shell are in-line (only turtle in N. America with aligned scutes is eastern painted) and the top border of each scute (plate) has that yellow border. Its a painted.

Mark

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