I know it's not a Tortoise, but I need some help IDing this Turtle

[HHISIII]

I almost ran over this guy on the way home (got some really nasty looks from other drivers for swerving then stopping) He was a good ways from any water and doesn't look like the guys I see most often around here. I'm curious as to what he is as I don't want to release something that's not indigenous to my area.

He was a bit terrified when I picked him up

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Joe:

South Carolina, right? From the nails and the shell I'm guessing an old male red ear slider. They turn melanistic with old age.

 

[Shelly]

Shell has kind of an odd shape.. Old injury?

 

[HHISIII]

Yup, south Carolina. The shell has me kinda confused as well. It doesn't appear to be an old injury and he doesn't have a spot of color anywhere on his skin.
Also, plastron is 12 scutes and yellow with black along the lines.

 

[dmmj]

I agree with yvonne, most likely an old RES with an odd shell.

 

[bikerchicspain]

I to think its a Scripta elegans or scripta scripta..

 

[ChiKat]

What an odd looking little man! Thanks for saving him

 

[HHISIII]

OK, I let him loose in the pond behind the house and he swam off happily. Hopefully he'll join the colony of younger RES in there.

 

[egyptiandan]

Everyone gave it a good go, but it's not a Red-eared slider. Red-eared sliders aren't native to North Carolina, but Yellow-bellied sliders are. Though this isn't a Yellow-bellied slider. It's an old male Northern red bellied cooter, Pseudemys rubriventris. They are native to Northeastern North Carolina.

Danny

 

[Saloli]

old yellow bellies turn black as well and are native to S.C. but it does look like a red bellie but i've never seen one with a yellow plateron here (in Middle River) they are usually more of an orange

 

[methos75]

I was thinking some sort of Cooter also, the Shell is too domed for a Slider

 

[Candy]

Everyone gave it a good go, but it's not a Red-eared slider. Red-eared sliders aren't native to North Carolina, but Yellow-bellied sliders are. Though this isn't a Yellow-bellied slider. It's an old male Northern red bellied cooter, Pseudemys rubriventris. They are native to Northeastern North Carolina.

Danny

So nice to have you back Danny.

 

[tortoises101]

You can also tell it's a Pseudemys rubriventris because it lacks the cusps found on Pseudemys nelsoni.

 

[HHISIII]

Whatever he is, he's enjoying life in the pond out back now.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Thats great, he looked old.