Turtle rescue - now what?

[kc261]

I was driving and saw a turtle shell, upside down, on the road near the curb. So of course I stopped the car, got out, and went to see if the poor thing was even alive. The shell was closed up so tight I couldn't even determine if it was alive or not, but I thought just the fact that it was intact, no sign of injury, and the shell was tightly closed was a good sign. So I picked it up, and put it in the shade of a weed near the side of the road, and started walking back to my car.

That's when I started second guessing myself. I looked around at where I was. On a good sized road, within sight of an intersection of a major road. And not very far in the other direction is a 3rd fairly large road. They all make a triangle right there, and by putting the turtle off the road but closest to where I found it, it was in the middle of that triangle. I didn't know which direction the turtle had been heading, so I had no idea if the first thing it would do was try to cross the road again. Did it get flipped over trying to go down the curb? Or trying to climb up it after crossing the road? The weeds I put it under offered enough shelter that anyone driving by would see it, but there wasn't really much there to make a home for the turtle.

So I decided to pick up the turtle and brought it home with me until I decide what to do with it. Once it got over being scared, it opened up its shell again, and it seems totally fine.

Near where I found it, like within a mile or so, is a river, and 2 different parks on the river that have lots of natural spaces. Even closer, but on the other side of the major road, is some undeveloped land.

So, when they say to release a turtle near where you found it... how far is too far?

I think this is an Eastern Box turtle. Later I should be able to get up some pics so someone with more expertise can confirm that.

[kc261]

No one?

Well, here are some pics. Is it an Eastern Box turtle? In the second pic, it is in my hands, so that should give you a reasonable idea of the size.





Sorry the pics didn't size correctly. I just spent about an hour trying to figure out why photobucket claims they are both 800x600, but one shows up bigger than that and the other one smaller than that??

[tigerlily]

Sorry I don't have any expertise in relocating turtles, but I would think closer to the water would be a good idea. Whenever I find those box turtles I can always tell where they're headed, so I just move them in that direction but off the road. (or take them away from my dogs and place them outside the fence )

That looks like an Eastern box turtle to me.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

[catawhat75]

Wow, what a gorgeous boy! Looks like from the rings (at least from what I can count of them) he is at least 15-20 yrs old. And yup an Eastern Box, beautiful aren't they?
I would say in the park with the rivers if you are that uncomfortable with the busy street area. As you know I struggled with the same thing last month. Follow your heart, the answer is there.
And major kudos for saving him!

[Blu Mongoose]

The colors are so rich!! THats a good sign. I know people say put them where you found them, but busy roads are no place for a turtle. Find him a wild spot!

[kc261]

Well, he has been released. I decided to release him in the undeveloped area across the major road from where I found him. I really hope his homing instinct doesn't cause him to try to cross the road, but for all I know this could have been where he was headed when he went off the curb and flipped himself on his back. There is a rather steep bank up to the road, so maybe that will discourage him from going that way.

Here are pics.

Him in his new home.


The nearby road that had me worried (6 lanes and busy). I actually found him a bit up the not quite so big road in the intersection in this pic. The trees may look inviting from this angle, but it is actually just a very narrow strip of trees lining the major road.


What his new home looks like (unfortunately kinda blurry).


Some pretty moss & fern growing in the area we released him.

[catawhat75]

Looks like a very nice turtle home. He really was stunning!