HELP! (found a turtle)

[Jacqui_80]

My husband saved this box on his way home from work today. It was going to be road kill. I'm not sure what kind it is though. I have looked at an asinine amount of information and pics today trying to figure it out. Could y'all please help me? TIA!!

The head is pointed, black, and has white stripes. It reminds me of a musk, but it's hinged!!

Also, I'm new to the forum! We currently live in Louisiana.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Well, I am rarely correct, but this time I'm pretty sure it's a Stripped Mud Turtle. They come from your area, South Eastern US. But ya don't see them very often.
I'm sure someone will come along, probably Tortadise, and tell you the correct species. We'll see how close I come...

 

[mike taylor]

I'm thinking a musk turtle .

 

[ascott]

Looks like a gigantinormous Pill Bug.....lol....not a guess just a comment...

 

[Jacqui_80]

I also forgot to mention that it has burrowed into the soil substrate.

I've got 3 aquatic turtles, 2 of which were hatchlings when I got them. I'm completely new to box turtles. It's a small ( maybe 3 inches ) turtle. I set it up in a 10 gallon ( temporary ) aquarium, with a ( for lack of a better word ) bathing bowl, and I used loose coconut fiber substrate with Cyprus mulch. I've put a mix of veggies and fruit on a saucer, along with some box turtle pellets. Am I doing this right?

 

[leigti]

If it is native to your area I would take it back where you found it. Whichever side of the road it was on or closest to just take it farther off the road. I feel it would be sad to make it a pet. Just my opinion.

 

[Gillian M]

My husband saved this box on his way home from work today. It was going to be road kill. I'm not sure what kind it is though. I have looked at an asinine amount of information and pics today trying to figure it out. Could y'all please help me? TIA!!

The head is pointed, black, and has white stripes. It reminds me of a musk, but it's hinged!!

Also, I'm new to the forum! We currently live in Louisiana.

Very sorry, I don't have much experience as far as torts are concerned. This why I joined the forum: I need help when dealing with my tort.

 

[Jabuticaba]

My husband saved this box on his way home from work today. It was going to be road kill. I'm not sure what kind it is though. I have looked at an asinine amount of information and pics today trying to figure it out. Could y'all please help me? TIA!!

The head is pointed, black, and has white stripes. It reminds me of a musk, but it's hinged!!

Also, I'm new to the forum! We currently live in Louisiana.

It's very possible that it's a native species. Please do some checking to confirm and check your bylaws and federal laws. Some species are protected and you shouldn't keep it. The animal should be released in the exact spot where you found it. If it was trying to cross the road, put it on the side of the road it was heading to when you found it. Wild turtles and torts are very territorial and need to stay within their roaming territory. Good luck.


May, Aussies, & Hermannis
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[pam]

Welcome Love your avitar Sorry i dont know what kind your turtle is Best of luck to you

 

[Shakudo]

I have a musk turtle and the shell resembles but I would need to see the body and head to check it out.
If it is indeed a musk or mud turtle you need to set it up aquatic and not terrestrial...
also the food is not the preferred diet, although it might take to the box turtle pellets.

It needs an aquarium and a little island for it to bask on.
is it this turtle? then it's a common musk, they are largely aquatic and sometimes bask, they are omnivores but mainly carnivorous, you could give it tetra reptomin, as a main food, hey like soaked cat pellets (in moderation) boiled piece of egg, snails, crickets, worms, all sorts of insects. They occasionally like some green food too.
But they are specialized in mollusks


picture source: www.kingsnake.com




Here is an example of my aquarium with my Sternotherus minor minor ( loggerhead musk, a family member of the common musk)




for extra info check:
http://www.muskturtle.co.uk


take care

Joey

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Jacqui, and welcome to the Forum!

You don't have a box turtle, that's a little water turtle. The mud/musk turtles DO have a hinge on their plastron.

Water turtles can't swallow food unless they are in the water.

(Leigti gave you the best advice)

 

[Maggie Cummings]

It needs more water than substrate. I'd put that tank on a slant, give him a decent water area and a small beach, until we decide just what it is. But he needs a water based habitat not a substrate....

 

[Jacqui_80]

Ok. Thank y'all!! I will be returning it to the safe side of the road where it was walking to. I'm really surprised my hubs saw it. Glad he did.

 

[leigti]

Ok. Thank y'all!! I will be returning it to the safe side of the road where it was walking to. I'm really surprised my hubs saw it. Glad he did.

That sounds Great, it is very unselfish of you to do this.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I very second that decision. Belongs out there I hope that little guy has all the best!

 

[Jacqui_80]

We put him back yesterday afternoon. He immediately burrowed.

When I went to get him out of his temp setup, he didn't suck in or run. He just kind of looked at me, even when I picked him up. I told him he was gonna be ok.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I hope he'll make it alright... Every time I pick up a turtle off the road (I usually take it home and let it go in the river by where, I live, it's real nice and deep in some parts. If there is a pond nearby were they are, [like, across the road] I just put them in there) I always wonder what happens to them

 

[Jacqui_80]

I noticed there is a crick near where the hubs found it. I made sure we put it on that side of the road. I hope he'll be ok.

 

[Anthony P]

Musk Turtles do NOT have hinges. This is a Mud Turtle, of the genus, Kinosternon.

Due to the location of the OP, the appearance of the carapace, and clues given, this is a Common Mud Turtle, Kinosternon Subrubrum. It could be either subspecies, either the Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum) or the Mississippi Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis), as both are native to parts of Louisiana.

 

[diamondbp]

You have a Mississippi mud turtle there. 100% positive