Field Herping in Georgia

Which is to say I was cutting the grass when I found this little one. It is a baby Eastern Box Turtle. It was hiding in a small pile of pine needles on my patio. I went to rake the needles onto the lawn to suck them up with the mower, and I saw a little plastron there as it was upside down. Probably a fortuitous event for him/her that I did or who knows what horrible fate might have befallen the little darling. Makes me think of the mower scene from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" This is the first one I 've found. It's fairly uncommon as they spend a lot of their early life hiding under leaf litter and vegetation.
[IMG]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3831fdde.jpg[/IMG]
You can see from this next pictures their pretty small, about the size of a half dollar, which makes them really vulnerable to predation. That is why they spend so much time hidden.
[IMG]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...psdff5275d.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks for looking.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rlditmars

Which is to say I was cutting the grass when I found this little one. It is a baby Eastern Box Turtle. It was hiding in a small pile of pine needles on my patio. I went to rake the needles onto the lawn to suck them up with the mower, and I saw a little plastron there as it was upside down. Probably a fortuitous event for him/her that I did or who knows what horrible fate might have befallen the little darling. Makes me think of the mower scene from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" This is the first one I 've found. It's fairly uncommon as they spend a lot of their early life hiding under leaf litter and vegetation.
[IMG]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3831fdde.jpg[/IMG]
You can see from this next pictures their pretty small, about the size of a half dollar, which makes them really vulnerable to predation. That is why they spend so much time hidden.
[IMG]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...psdff5275d.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks for looking.

---

Are you in South Georgia? I live in NE Georgia and have never been lucky enough to see one here!
Thanks for sharing!

I'm in the Lawrenceville/Suwanee area. Like I said, I did a little reading and it seems pretty uncommon to find a baby because they spend much of the first year or two staying hidden. However, I think Deborah on this forum found one in her yard last year.

That's very lucky you noticed the little guy. He or she is adorable!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rlditmars

I'm in the Lawrenceville/Suwanee area. Like I said, I did a little reading and it seems pretty uncommon to find a baby because they spend much of the first year or two staying hidden. However, I think Deborah on this forum found one in her yard last year.

---

I live near Deborah. I'm in The Auburn/Dacula area. Right on the Gwinnett County / Barrow county line.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rlditmars

I'm in the Lawrenceville/Suwanee area. Like I said, I did a little reading and it seems pretty uncommon to find a baby because they spend much of the first year or two staying hidden. However, I think Deborah on this forum found one in her yard last year.

---

I did I find a baby last year right under my squash plant ;)

I live in the country I have woods and a creek so it's a good area for them and I guess if they are hungry there is my garden ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, I thought since I found another yard critter I would just add it to my own thread. Found this guy lurking in the flower bed today. Though I did find a shed in the backyard last year, this is the first Eastern King I've come across in the flesh since I moved to Georgia. When I picked him up, he flattened his head and recoiled a bit, and then rattled his tail against my arm. Lots of posturing but no strike. After a minute or two he just settled down and was fine. Can't keep him so I just shot a couple pics and sent him on his way but in a little more snake friendly area of the burbs (more cover).

[IMG]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4447e6c5.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...psc741cc82.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks for looking.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rlditmars

Well, I thought since I found another yard critter I would just add it to my own thread. Found this guy lurking in the flower bed today. Though I did find a shed in the backyard last year, this is the first Eastern King I've come across in the flesh since I moved to Georgia. When I picked him up, he flattened his head and recoiled a bit, and then rattled his tail against my arm. Lots of posturing but no strike. After a minute or two he just settled down and was fine. Can't keep him so I just shot a couple pics and sent him on his way but in a little more snake friendly area of the burbs (more cover).

[IMG]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4447e6c5.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/...psc741cc82.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks for looking.

---

Awesome! Thanks for sharing!!

I was going to pick up some carry-out but unfortunately I forgot my phone or I would have pics to share. Never the less, I was driving along and here was a snapping turtle on a busy road. It was on the other side of the boulevard and from the looks of things, its fate was almost certainly one in which it wouldn't reach the other side unharmed. So I turned around, hit the hazards, and moved the turtle off the road. Got quite a few looks while I was carrying it to safety as it was a pretty good size bugger. The carapace was about 14" long and I'd guess he/she weighed somewhere between 10 and 15 pounds.

I love the spring season because there is so much reptile activity. Once the hotter days of Summer roll around they just spend alot of time under cover and out of site. Next time I'll have pics, I promise.

Good job moving that snapper. We occasionally get them here, we used to put them in the bed of my dad's truck and take them home, as we have a nice large swampy pond about 1000 feet from our house. I swear I've put 10 in there over the years.

Also, it may just be me, but are you doing the "rock" symbol when you're holding that snake?? :)