Reptile & Amphibian Forums

A turtle has just wandered into your back yard. Is it a box turtle, a red eared slider, or a snapping turtle? Since 1997 this forum has helped people identify unknown turtles around the world, and sometimes return them to the wild. To assist in the identification, please make sure to provide the location (state/country) the turtle was found, type of habitat found in/around, and a detailed description of any physical characteristics of the animal such as color, pattern, length, etc. If you took photos please post them here as well. The more information you can provide the easier it will be for our users to identify. Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. The upper shell of the turtle is called the carapace. The lower shell that encases the belly is called the plastron. In most turtles, the outer layer of the shell is covered by horny scales called scutes that are part of its outer skin.
Show off your turtles and upload your pictures to our Turtle Photo Gallery! Don't forget to check out our other turtle related forums.

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