Mud Turtle

[wax32]

So I am driving down the road in Lafitte, LA and I see what I thought at first to be just another fiddler crab crossing the road. Then I realize, that's way to big to be a crab! As I get closer I see the tell-tale profile... TURTLE! So I stop the truck and run up. Awesome a stinkpot! So I grabbed it up and brought it back with me.

After a little research, turns out this is a MUD turtle not a musk turtle. This one has the semi-closable plastron instead of the reduced one like musk turtles (also like snappers).

I'm guessing this is a "three striped" or maybe a Mississppi mud. Need to do more looking at pictures.

Here are a couple of pictures I took:

Close-up of his cool little face.

Chillaxing and re-hydrating in a little tub.

I've been wanting to set up a stock-tank "pond" on the back patio. Now I have a good excuse. Time to talk to the wife.

 

[wax32]

Now to print up some care-sheets.

One weird question I thought up as I was driving home. How do aquatic turtles drink/hydrate? Open their mouths underwater? Thru the cloaca? I dunno!

 

[wax32]

This one has a really short tail. Is that a male or a female?

 

[wax32]

OK, Mississippi Mud it is. Looks like short tail means Female...

 

[wstphal]

What a little cutie! How big do these guys get?

 

[wax32]

The care sheet at Austin's Turtle Page says 4.5" and this one is about that big, so it's a full-grown adult. It also says they live 30-50 years, so this one is likely been around awhile. It's shell definitely looks worn, usually denoting age in most turtles.

 

[wax32]

The wife seems amiable to setting up a tank for her or maybe even a pond.

 

[wax32]

I put her into a 20qt sterilite tub with a brick in it. I peeked out on the patio and she is basking on the brick.