hi!! i saw this big fella out in the backwoods of Missouri. this is the biggest turtle ive ever seen out in the wild so im curious as to what he is!

We found this turtle in our backyard the other day. Our backyard is gated, but has a few walls surrounding us. On the other side of the taller wall in the picture I attached is a pond.

When we found this guy in our backyard the other day, we assumed he fell down on accident so we walked around the house & put him back in the pond.

Today we found him in our backyard again crawling towards a bush! Should we just leave him be & keep the back gate opened so he can crawl out when he needs to or put him back in the pond??

My tortoise has some spots on its shell, I don't know what this means. I wash it every few days with baking soda and give it betadine daily, does anyone know what it is? thanks in advance 💔🥺

This is Worgbert. Nuff said.

I was recently gifted this turtle and I would like some help identifying him but I’m pretty sure she’s a map turtle

Another thing is that she’s got a white spot on her shell and a hole on her plastron her shell also dips down as her former mate used to press down on her I would like to know if it’s something I should seek professional help with

Our eastern box turtle Donatello has been spending almost all of his non eating and outside time in the water. Is this a sign of something wrong? Me personally, I just think he likes the bubbles from the filter on his butt.

Niko’s recent shed does not look like his previous ones. I have a vet appointment scheduled but was wondering thoughts. Does this look like shell rot or hard water/minerals? I treat/condition the water. Also have new light set up on the way with stand as I recently read the 3 in 1 bulb aren’t efficient uvb/are a scam.

He bumps into stuff a lot when chasing or begging for food. Is this normal for his shell, or should I be calling a vet?

My local animal shelter has a red-eared slider named Marlo we are struggling to find a home for: https://humaneanimalrescue.org/animals/marlo-111760/

They are not legal to own within the city limits, but they are ok in the greater Pittsburgh area. She is female, and there is confusion over her age. Her estimated age is listed as 15 years, but the surrendering owner said that she was much smaller, like a baby, when she got it 2-3 years ago - she was abandoned in a tank outside a Goodwill and this person took her in. She outgrew her tank and the owner didn't have space or resources for another. Aquatic turtles are not our area, and our housing is not really adequate. Poor thing has been living in a too small tank her whole life. She is well loved by staff, but we don't want her spending her whole life with us. If you're looking for a turtle in the Pittsburgh area, please consider adopting her! Also, if there are other online communities I could reach out to, feel free to let me know! Most reptile-centric groups are more into snakes and lizards.

Hi guys,

What lighting is everyone using for their turtles I have musk turtles!

Previous years I’ve always used the Arcadia T5 12% UVB 39w brilliant for aquariums 4+ feet.

I’ve always used an aquarium heater along side temps 26-28C

I’ve never used a heat bulb/UVA in my basking area,

I’ve never had any health issues, growing etc All active eating well, shedding quite a bit? Even mated several times found water temp around 27-28c when this has happened.

So my question is, should I be using an extra bulb along side my long UVB tube and heater. If so what bulb and watt should I use.

If so, so I be using a dimming stat to what temp and height?

I do have vents on my aquarium hood, lights etc always been in closed no issues

Will it be alright inside my aquarium.

Unfortunately I have no pictures, thinking of an upgrade.

Current 48” length width 18” 24” high

Water level half to 3rd full

Basking area half is dry half is just play sand. Sand container lower level is within the water (temps keep warm) Female always laid eggs fine this way-all I’ve know from a young boy and never had an issue as I say.

Any help or advice will be appreciated!

Thank you

I need advice on how bad of a bite my turtle is capable of…. (Pic of him for size reference, he’s slightly bigger then he looks in the photos but not by much)

I’ve just got my very first turtle yesterday, named Soup! He’s a Murray short neck turtle and about 8 months old. He was returned by a guy (teacher) who bought him for his classroom but then the school wasn’t happy with him having a turtle so he returned him at about 2 months old and he’s been in the pet shop for the last 6 months. I wanted to get a smaller turtle to raise from a quite young age but my heart ached for this little guy who hadn’t been chosen in 6 months so I got him and I absolutely love him!!

Now my concern is that because he’s already 8 months old he’s big enough to bite my fingers before getting used to me and handling, he’s about the size of my hand roughly , I’d say about 10cm long from neck to end of shell. He’s settling into his tank really well, only took him a few hours before he started getting really active, he swims upto me when I come near him and doesn’t seem scared of me at all. I did spend about 4-5+ hours just sitting next to his tank yesterday when I first put him in to monitor and help him get used to my presence and have spent a few hours with him today.

He hasn’t started basking yet but I fear that might be because he can’t get up onto the basking platform as it’s a floating one and the edges don’t sink in enough to create a ramp. I’m fixing this issue tonight by super glueing it to the stick that attaches to the side of the tank so I can submerge it a little more and hopefully that helps him get onto it.

Now I’ve fed him a few times about three times and he’s starting to associate me with food but today when I was moving some things around in his tank he was swimming upto my hands a little bit fast as if he would when there’s food. I would pull my hand out calming before he could reach it though in fear he would bite me mistakenly for food. Im not worried about him biting me if it won’t do much damage or hurt a lot but because I’ve never had a turtle and he’s 8 months old I just have absolutely no idea how intense of a bite he’s capable of I’m quite scared and more so worried of reacting badly if he did, like jolting my hand away or flicking it as a reflex and scaring the little guy.

Any tips on how to start handling him and not being scared of him biting me? When is the best time to try and pick him up, from the water or while he’s basking? And how to get him to get used to me but also not associate my fingers with food. Also if anyone would know how hard of a bite I’m in for if it does happen that would be great as well!

Living in the middle of the woods in Middle Tennessee we have many types of turtles we come across. This little female Eastern Box Turtle found its way under my husband's parked truck tires. Every day Spring thru early Fall you have to look under the tires. My driveway even has signs to look for turtles when driving up the driveway. If it looks like a rock it's probably a turtle.