Does anyone know...

[nkeevers]

what kind of turtle this is? Besides having alligators walking thru my yard, I found this guy or gal the other day! I have no clue what kind of turtle he is though...he's fairly scary!
http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1oJuRSUldfjRCs6RYtn79qUg2CIr3_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1oJuRSUldfjRCs6RYtn79qUg2CIr3)

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1qKKi8YPysLueueCzcRFPv1mS1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1qKKi8YPysLueueCzcRFPv1mS1)

[jazzfisher]

http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/PageMill_Resources/Turtles/SS_nose.jpg
http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/PageMill_Resources/Turtles/SS_adult.jpg
http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/PageMill_Resources/Turtles/SS_immblack.jpg
http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/PageMill_Resources/Turtles/SS_immlight.jpg
Florida Shoftshell Turtle
Apalone ferox

Description: maximum length to 24 inches; flat, pliable leathery shell; very long neck and long, snorkle-like snout (top photo); coloration varies-- shells of young may be all dark (third photo) or mottled (fourth photo); adults shells get darker with age and frequently lose any patterns (second photo); although have soft lips (top photo), have very strong jaws and bite can rival that of snapping turtle; long necks enable it to reach almost to back of shell to protect itself; can run on land with surprising speed and agility
Food: crayfish, fish, frogs, tadpoles, some vegetation; usually lies in ambush for prey under mud or sand at bottom of quiet shallow water, extending tubular nostrils to surface periodically to breathe, but a strong enough swimmer to be able to pursue and catch fish if it needs to
Habitat: totally aquatic freshwater turtle; prefers lakes and slow moving rivers
Range: entire state
Breeding: lays from 6-30 round eggs in spring or late summer in holes dug in sand or banks, incubation about 70 days

[wlc]

Yep! A Softshell Turtle . . . I had one for a pet many years ago. Do a Google search in images.

[jazzfisher]

Yep, that's where I got the info--google. I knew it was a water turtle by it's face. (used to work in a pet store)

[nkeevers]

Thanks Sherry! I googled too but guess I didn't "google" far enough!

[jazzfisher]

You're welcome Norma, I put in Florida water turtle & that's the first page that came up!

[msbrad]

http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/PageMill_Resources/Turtles/SS_nose.jpg

http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/PageMill_Resources/Turtles/SS_adult.jpg
http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/PageMill_Resources/Turtles/SS_immblack.jpg
http://www.corkscrew.audubon.org/PageMill_Resources/Turtles/SS_immlight.jpg
Florida Shoftshell Turtle
Apalone ferox

Description: maximum length to 24 inches; flat, pliable leathery shell; very long neck and long, snorkle-like snout (top photo); coloration varies-- shells of young may be all dark (third photo) or mottled (fourth photo); adults shells get darker with age and frequently lose any patterns (second photo); although have soft lips (top photo), have very strong jaws and bite can rival that of snapping turtle; long necks enable it to reach almost to back of shell to protect itself; can run on land with surprising speed and agility
Food: crayfish, fish, frogs, tadpoles, some vegetation; usually lies in ambush for prey under mud or sand at bottom of quiet shallow water, extending tubular nostrils to surface periodically to breathe, but a strong enough swimmer to be able to pursue and catch fish if it needs to
Habitat: totally aquatic freshwater turtle; prefers lakes and slow moving rivers
Range: entire state
Breeding: lays from 6-30 round eggs in spring or late summer in holes dug in sand or banks, incubation about 70 days
Yup- that is it Norma. I asked David tonight at dinner as I e-mailed them the photo earlier today.
They can be right nasty too.
m

[nkeevers]

I had my long lens on and he seemed scared of me. Wouldn't move and stuck his head in til I left. I caught that one good shot of his head. Or maybe it was a she?

[jazzfisher]

Norma,
Yes it was a great shot--but the male or female is a harder thing to figure out (at least from that point of view):D

[WayneS]

Florida Shoftshell Turtle

Is this a typo from your google source, or the correct name???

Regards
Wayne

[jazzfisher]

Just copy & paste from the page google found! I was just looking at the pics!:D