Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I watch this little fella everyday from my apartment balcony. He just floats along in a small pond across the lot. Yesterday some teens caught him on a fishing line, so I took him inside to remove the hook. It took some time (he wasn't very cooperative), but I finally got the hook out. I also treated the area with a light 2% chlorhexidine solution. (I also noticed a bit of shellrot.) He seems fine now and is already back in the pond. Any idea what kind of turtle this is? (I'm in upstate SC.)

Also, I used to own a pair of Russian Tortoises, and I remember that you could easily distinguish males from females in that species by the tail. Does this hold true with this species of turtle? (That would make it a male.)

Just curious...

Chris

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mean people suck

Chris

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mean people suck

Chris

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mean people suck

Chris

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mean people suck

And finally his mouth (after the hook was removed, of course.)

Chris

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mean people suck

I'm sure this is some sort of Slider (RES/YBS) from my limited research, but I really can't decide which. I'm not really into turtles at all, so my eyes aren't trained for them. I did notice that the turtle I helped has a lot of sharp, spikey things near the rear of the shell. (The best photo is the second one.) The photos I've seen of the RES have a lot fewer of those spikes. So do the YBS photos.

I'm leaning toward YBS because of the striped shell and the striped legs.

Chris

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mean people suck

Looks like a YBS, but I'd have to see the head to be sure. A broad yellow "check" stripe near or below the eye is a sure sign. YBS are native, but a fair number of RES and YBS purchased as hatchlings in Myrtle Beach have been released in the area and all over the country.

Thanks for helping this guy. Did he feel heavy, good weight?

Katrina

Thanks for the response. Yes. His weight felt fine. Strong, too. I really only thought about identifying him AFTER I released him. I guess the hook was my main concern. I didn't see the red/yellow on the head because he kept his head inside. And when the head did manage to come out a bit, I was staring straight down into the mouth. Oh, well. Maybe I'll go down to the pond today and get a closer view. I'll keep you posted. Thanks.

Chris
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mean people suck

The tail is short and stubby for a slider, and males often don't get that large. A male slider will have a tail three or four times thicker than that, and the cloaca will be past the carapace. Male sliders have much longer front nails, too, for a mating dance in the water ("fluttering".

Katrina

I would guess a Yellow Bellied Slider.
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TurtsandTorts Discussion Group
2 Russians (Harley and Marley)
2 RES (Sunny and Fatty)
2 Gerbils (Sydney and Vienna)
1 Cat (Abby)