There's a turtle in my yard!

[Raven]

The dogs just discovered it. It's not very big, about the size of a cantelope mellon. I'm up on a hill, 1/4 mile from water. I brought the dogs in so it can get where it needs to go. Anybody have any idea of what it's doing up here. I'm in NH.

[Lochloosa]

1. Looking for a mate most likely

[PoliticAverse]

2. Is it a turtle or a tortise ?

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Tortoise_vs_Turtle

[Raven]

3. Thanks for the link, it looks like a tortoise and

it's gone! I came in the house just long enough to post this and when I went back out to look, it was nowhere in sight. I can't move that fast! I thought these creatures were supposed to be slow.

[MiddleFingerMom]

4. Do you see a hare nearby... taking the outcome of the race for granted?

[Raven]

7. You mean the one snoozing under the tree?

The dogs got him.

[rug]

5. It's Poldi.

He's taking it hard.

[sarge43]

6. Looking for love in all the wrong places. n/t

[Scuba]

8. They come into my yard and lay eggs. I'm also on a hill, maybe 200 yards from the lake.

Last month I rescued a half-dozen baby turtles before I mowed. About the size of a quarter. Moms are mostly plate size or smaller, but last years I did see a manhole-cover sized snapper (distinctive serrated edge at rear).

[Raven]

10. Thanks. This was about the size of a salad plate. I

can't believe it moved so fast!

[HopeHoops]

9. Maybe Mitch is campaigning for Rmoney.

[A Simple Game]

11. SOUP! n/t

[grandtrio]

12. Yertle

Perhaps it's Yertle the Turtle trying to get a good view without using the backs of other turtles. The Republicans should take lessons.

[Kaleva]

13. They are on the move. Lots of crushed turtles on the highways where I live.

Happens every year around this time as the females are looking for places to lay eggs.

[hedgehog]

14. If you must pick it up, be certain it's not a snapper!

Those babies can reach out all the way to behind their back legs! If you need to pick up a snapper, get a stout stick and let it grab that!

[turtlerescue1]

15. Just out for a stroll

Yep their speed is amazing. AND they are curious.

Yes, I am ONE of THOSE who slam their vehicle into Park, put on the flashes, throw open the car door and carry a turtle across our human-paved roads in the direction his head his facing.
YES, that also likely means if I ran into a bear with a thorn in a paw, yeah I would BUT i KNOW I'ld dance around ten minutes to get my courage up to do something not necessarily normal.

We here in Arkansas have had a larger number of turtles wandering. They know where they are headed-I hope. Also this year we have a lot less hummingbirds and those we do have are significantly smaller than "normal". Am sure "someone" would tell it has nothing to do with global warming, still there's a reality. We have nothing like a winter...maybe eh?

Due to my reputation six weeks ago a friend found one of those small babies, shell still soft, in some leaves under her propane tank. Spent $10 on baby turtle food, but in trying to create a habitat, there was a worm in the clump of grass. Amazing speed, and the little turtle had bitten off both ends of that worm. He is now residing in front of the same house that faces the creek as the very large one. The BIG one, a few days after stopping to carry it across one side of the road, it was crossing back. Picked "it" up explaining I knew a creek with woods, that I hoped they don't have "territories". Likely a female went from the dry side to the wet to deposit eggs. This was a red eared. Stopped to ask the folks if it would be okay, before I got the sentence finished the lady grabbed the turtle and took off down to the creek. Said she was going to tell her grandchildren to see it NOW, that someday the way we're going they'll only be able to see one in "protective custody".

The little one gave me some idea about turtles, they are very very curious. Had no idea.

I do have one that seems to have a residence in the back of my yard, its maybe 100 yards to the creek. Been then two years that I am sure of. Three times it has gotten inside the fence of the dog kennel, and three times the shell has been "clipped", but seems to be enduring. Last month I was weed eating, just hate snakes, looked over to see Turt looking at me, can't figure if I was making to much noise or if I had missed a spot.

Am so glad you got to see one. May wander back by again.

[Raven]

17. Welcome to DU! Amazing...

I had no idea about the world of turtles/tortoises!

[Xipe Totec]

16. This thread is useless without pictures...

[Raven]

18. I would have taken a picture if that

creature had stuck around long enough.

[Archae]

19. Have you seen a flying pony nearby?

[Curmudgeoness]

20. It is probably an Eastern Box Turtle

and they don't need to be in or near water. They are land turtles. We do research on Boxies and have studied a population for over 15 years now---and you would be amazed at how much they move. We monitor them a few times a week to see where they have moved. We also take rehabilitated Box Turtles and we raise babies to give them enough size for protection from most predators. If it was a Box Turtle, the dogs probably would not have been able to do damage, but I am sure it would be no fun for the poor turtle to have been a play-toy. So....this seem very normal to me that you have a turtle wandering through your yard.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

21. I have a Texas Desert Tortoise

aka gopherus berlianderi. It's just a little smaller than its huge California desert cousin, a little over one foot long, front to back. It looks very similar to this guy, below. It's a male because the underside of its shell is concave, not flat like females. We found it walking down the street in front of our house in California about 12 years ago so it must have been someone's pet that got away. He's a wonderful little guy, my best friend.

[Aakrist]

22. Bhagavad Gita cites the tortoise as an example of meditation for elevation to Krishna consciousness.

Bhagavad Gita cites the tortoise as an example of meditation for elevation to Krishna consciousness. Turtles and tortoises are in the reptile family, which means that they are ectothermic, or cold-blooded. Cold-blooded animals rely on external heat sources, such as warm ground, hot rocks, or sunshine, to warm their bodies. Turtles are the original sun worshippers and can often be found sleeping on rocks or logs, soaking up the sun's rays. [link:https://differentiatebetween.com/difference-between-turtle-and-tortoise.html|

[fleabiscuit]

23. Welcome to the DU. Your post was interesting and informative. Thanks.

There are many groups and topics of interest to read and interact in. Keep an eye out for the dates of the threads.