Turtle in my back yard.

[Chrisgarrick]

http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums...3-9CF2-8CC73EB502CB-5371-000004C4BAD42B4E.jpg
http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums...3-830D-9891772F40F0-5371-000004C4B7CABDF5.jpg
http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums...C-B8ED-B656F7749539-5371-000004C4B3DCB37C.jpg
http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums...B-9523-46F991E990F4-5371-000004C4AFB63275.jpg
http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums...7-B012-AFD0DF1D6C21-5371-000004C4A0BC6B4C.jpg


He was 13 inches. My friend said he was a rare local species. I forgot. But he went off into the pond behind the house .

 

[AJ1080]

thats too funny. Last week my dog found a one eyed painter turtle in my back yard. Hes now making my pond his new home....

 

[TanksNStuff]

Cool looking turtle Chris. I'd name him Fred.

 

[MadReefer]

I showed the pics to my son whom I call the turtle guru.
He believes it is a Red Belly turtle. They look like Painted turtles but much larger.

 

[Hawkeye]

That's cool. per wiki painted turtles grow smaller...so i would agree with mark's son. But if that's trully a red belly, it's not indigenous to NJ, it's common on FL. Makes me think someone had this one for a pet and released it.

btw -the long front claws are usually a give away that it's a male turtle.

Pseudemys nelsoni for red bellyed turtle.

Chrysemys picta for the painted turtle.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Phil, there is a northern red belly as well.....Pseudemys rubriventris

 

[Hawkeye]

Ahhh makes sense - it is indeed rare -
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/18460/0

 

[ThatGuy]

Its funny that they're rare. I know its because they are hard to find in most area's but they are all over in south jersey. A friend and myself use to hatch them out and release them. They get HUGE. Almost snapper size.

 

[Tazmaniancowboy]

Chris I found one when mowing my lawn in July. It was a red belly and it was about the same size as you mention. MAN was that thing heavy!!! It was the biggest turtle I have ever come across in my yard. The family had fun watching it for a while and then we had to leave and never found it after that.