Found a tortoise in my yard. Need help identifying it.
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I can't get the pictures to get close enough for me to see enough, but you have a water turtle... a slider I believe.
I think we are going to need more pictures, including a good clear shot of its plastron ( undershell ) including its tail
Turtles/tortoises same thing. A tortoise is a turtle, but a turtle is not a tortoise. Tortoises are found on land, turtles are both aquatic and terrestrial. Both will have claws. Aquatic turtles however will have webbed feet, to aid in movement of the waters. This indeed does look like a red ear slider. But will have to get some shots of the underside(plastron) and of the face if possible. Best thing to do especially in this season of spring to early summer, when these turtles are either looking to mate(males) or looking for a viable place to lay eggs(females). Take the turtle to a far rural region if possible and release it. As close to a water source especially for this species. Good find too. Most unfortunately get hit by cars or kept as pets.
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In the last picture you can see its a red ear slider . Water turtle not native to California .
No...no...no!!!! DO NOT RELEASE this turtle. What you have is a non-native water turtle and it is illegal to release them into California's waterways. You will have to find a rescue and turn it in. Contact Felice Rood of the Sacramento Turtle Club at [email protected] She will help you with the turtle.
In the mean time, put her in a bucket of water. She looks mighty dry.
In the mean time, put her in a bucket of water. She looks mighty dry.
I thought red ears were native over there? If not then yeah don't release it.
Here is a shot of the plastron but I was unable to get the tail in the shot.
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We had this discussion about RES in Michigan. They are not native to Michigan and a lot of others states too, but has been brought in, let go or traveled its way into a lot of states that they are now
an easy find in the wild and have adapted very well to the climates they wondered into.
an easy find in the wild and have adapted very well to the climates they wondered into.
It might adapt, however if caught, the person who releases a red ear slider in California might be fined up to $10,000. Certainly not worth the risk. And the laws are in place for a reason. Our native pond turtle is very meek and the RES is a bully.
Yeah res adapt to everything, I've seen some on ponds that didn't look like anything could survive in it: they will eat the fish in the pond or where ever you release it and the native turtles can't compete and die. Tragic. That's why there are laws
