Mud turtle at my doorstep!

[adamlikesbananas]

Today while walking around doing my normal thing, I saw what i thought was a
Box turtle. I now know that it is an Eastern Mud Turtle. I set it in a bowl of water so that he can open up and i can see him better. I am going to release him at a pond in the woods near my house. He looks very healthy. is there anything I can do for him before I let him
Go that might benefit him in any way?

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He's much darker and smaller than he appears in the photo.

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Well it turns out that I won't be able to release him for about 4 hours so I've temporarily set him in my tank with my other turtles. Don't worry, I won't keep him I'm just holding him here for a few hours. He is about 3 inches long and far too big and old for me to take out of the wild.

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He is happily swimming around and acting as if he was a captive bred lol I've never seen a wild turtle that was so adapted to humans.

 

[bmt123]

I am no expert but I would not put him in with your other turtles because he might make them sick.

 

[tupacliveson16]

I am constantly rescuing turtles outside and putting them with mine and never have any problems, i wouldn't attempt it but its just because i am very knowledgeable concerning aquatic turtles. This is a beautiful mud, great find. Extremely jelous!

 

[kathyth]

Looks great!
I would just release him.

 

[adamlikesbananas]

Looks great!
I would just release him.

I have already released him. Trust me, I wouldn't take an animal out of the wild that is that age.

 

[Anthony P]

Ok, just to clarify, it is not a good idea to put the wild turtle in with your other turtles. I doubt any experienced turtle keeper has never had a sick turtle, and often times these ailments go on for a while before signs are seen. So putting a wild turtle in with your turtles can hurt your own turtles, by exposing them to new threats of disease and adding to the parasite load of the captives, while jeopardizing the health of the wild population by putting them at risk of whatever may lay dormant in your animals.

To say that you are really experienced and that makes this ok is not really a statement I would buy into, with all due respect. Why risk captives or the wild population for a few hours of entertainment, when the turtle would have been fine in a tupperware or box?