OMG!! Its a monster!!

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Yvonne G

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12-28-11rescue.jpg


To put it in perspective, that tub fits inside a half whiskey barrel. The turtle is about a foot long. I THOUGHT that only baby soft shells had the patterning on their carapace, and at this size, this is NOT a baby.

The large tail and bumps behind the head tell me its a male Florida, however the males don't show the patterning on the carapace. So maybe I'm all wrong about the type.

I got the call yesterday that some kids playing in the canal had found a pig nose turtle. I explained that pig nose turtles are pretty rare, and its probably a soft shell. The kids were walking along the bottom of the almost empty of water canal that runs by their apartment building and they saw a large rock. When they went to pick it up, it MOVED!! Scared the heck out of them.

Someone a few years ago probably bought the baby turtle and when it outgrew its 10 gallon tank decided to let it go. I guess it lived ok here because its sure a big thing. There are a few abrasions on the plastron, but it looks pretty healthy otherwise.

If you're in the Fresno/Clovis area and you want this big soft shell turtle, give me a call - 298-7114
 

wellington

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Just wondering! If it is healthy, why wouldn't you put it back where it was found? Is it not native to that area? I know nothing about them, just wondering.:D
 

Yvonne G

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Right. Not native to California. Also very illegal to let it go in the canal.
 

DeanS

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The only softshells indigenous to the US are the Florida softshells. They can be a foot long by the time they're a year old...but they can grow up to two feet...they sell Europeans in the alleys of downtown LA...I'm guessing SF too...probably where yours came from Yvonne. Also, we have a shop in Topanga Canyon that has a pignose...The owner says they breed their own!
 

ascott

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An angler snagged this guy here and after 25you minutes reeled it in and another Park Ranger and myself got the hook out of his lip before he slipped back into the lake....he sure was awesome and near 2 feet long ......he is setting on the front seat of the F150 truck..
 

Yvonne G

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DeanS said:
The only softshells indigenous to the US are the Florida softshells. They can be a foot long by the time they're a year old...but they can grow up to two feet...they sell Europeans in the alleys of downtown LA...I'm guessing SF too...probably where yours came from Yvonne. Also, we have a shop in Topanga Canyon that has a pignose...The owner says they breed their own!

I thought the smooth and spiney came from the U.S.???

Apalone spiniferous and Apalone mutica
 

Baoh

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Several of the males and females show the pattern on the carapace, typically reducing in clarity until muted as size increases. Degree depends upon the individual. I have seen a captive pair exceeding 2ft in length whose patterns remained well-defined and a great variety along both ends of the continuum in nature.

The spiny and smooth, along with the Florida, are among the native North American softshell turtles. The spiny softshells can also become quite massive despite the size ranges I see listed in various texts. There are some behemoths I see every couple of years or so about an hour from me in a drainage pond behind a community college campus. They are a match for any Florida.

Unless it is just the photograph, the right rear periphery of his carapace indicates a past tussle or two.

My girlfriend and I have always had an affinity for softshells. I have raised quite a few myself.

I wish you luck in placing him in a proper home.
 

Yvonne G

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Baoh: So this may be a spiney? Or do you think its a Florida. I'm pretty sure (by the tail) its male. And yes, there is old damage to the edge of the carapace.
 

Baoh

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emysemys said:
Baoh: So this may be a spiney? Or do you think its a Florida. I'm pretty sure (by the tail) its male. And yes, there is old damage to the edge of the carapace.

Looks like a Florida to me. The spiny commentary was more of an interesting aside.
 

Yvonne G

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Baoh said:
Looks like a Florida to me. The spiny commentary was more of an interesting aside.

Its too bad he male, as I have two males already and only one female. But there's a fellow that 68 Merc knows who lives just a little east of me and has a huge, great, big old pond. He's contacting him for me to see if the turtle can come live in his pond.
 

yagyujubei

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Are you sure that it's a male? I think a foot in length is about as large as males get. Females will get about twice that length.
 

yagyujubei

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You're probably correct, then. I have some spinys in my pond, but rarely see them. I had a 15" female, but haven't seen her in a couple of years. I got 8 babies two years ago, gave them a summer 'head start", and put them in the pond in the fall - they were about 3 1/2". Didn't see any of them last summer though. Might have become fish food.
emysemys said:
Its got a pretty big tail.
 

Yvonne G

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I have 4 very big female RES, 2.1 pretty big Florida soft shells, one REALLY big phrynops hillari and several pond turtles. I'm sure that any turtles that hatch out are turtle food. But I was lucky enough last summer when digging out the pond to find 2 little soft shell hatchlings buried in the sludge. I always look for nests so I can rescue the babies, but they're not easy to find.
 

EricIvins

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That's a Florida Softshell........

Some hold their pattern, others don't, and while Males are usually smaller, I have found some Males in the 16" range.........Biggest Female was 26" SCL........

And if you have Hillari, you won't find hatchlings........The North American Sliders aren't bad about eating Hatchlings, but Hillari are another story altogether........
 

68merc

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Well the monster is in his new home! He got 10' from the edge of the pond, stopped turned around to look back. I got to watch him for several minutes before he headed to deeper water.

I saw one of 15 or so sliders that I have placed in the pond on the last year, just swimming along with his nose out of the water.
 
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