Help! I found this guy in my backyard

[cvkelz]

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5329/8943198671_12774f3cd3.jpg

Anyone have any ideas? I live right by a river but my friend insists this is not a water turtle and I've never seen one in the eight years that we've lived out here.

 

[Jacqui]

Hi! Your friend is correct, that is not a water turtle. What you have found is a box turtle. May I ask what state you live in?

 

[Puckles🐢]

We need more pics of its face to really "confirm" it's a box turtle even though I agree with jac that it's shell resembles one. I wouldn't touch it, it's best to leave wild turtles alone in their habitat. But the only problem is that the box turtle looks like alot of different things.

 

[cvkelz]

Hi! Your friend is correct, that is not a water turtle. What you have found is a box turtle. May I ask what state you live in?

I'm in California--central

 

[cvkelz]

We need more pics of its face to really "confirm" it's a box turtle even though I agree with jac that it's shell resembles one. I wouldn't touch it, it's best to leave wild turtles alone in their habitat. But the only problem is that the box turtle looks like alot of different things.

 

[Jacqui]

Could we see his face? This second picture makes him look less domed like a box turtle would be and more like a Western pond turtle. So I think at this point I am going to change my vote to pond turtle.

 

[sibi]

I agree with you Jacqui, this definitely is a water/pond turtle. His feet are webbed, and the shell is consistent with pond turtles. It would be good to see its face and coloring though.

 

[Yvonne G]

This is a western pond turtle, Actinemys marmorata. They are the only indigenous turtle to California. It is illegal for you to do anything with it, and illegal for you to possess. He or she came from the river and is looking for a mate or a place to lay eggs. If your backyard is a safe place for the turtle, and if it can get back out to the river, I suggest you just leave it alone. Either that, or put it in the river.