# Hitchhiker Turtle



## Kaxen (Mar 3, 2013)

My family ordered 100lbs of Louisiana crayfish and we got a hitchhiking turtle. 

And I have no idea what to do about it. Well the lady at the crayfish company suggested keeping it in a tank and "it'll stay the size for the tank." lol, if that was true, my cousin's red-eared sliders would still be in a critter keeper. >_> 

I'm also barely sure of what it is since I'm not much into turtles since they live longer than I plan ahead my life, lol. My guess at the moment is painted turtle, but I'm not sure since no turtles I've looked at have a shell that looks the same and I'm not sure if it's because it's not fully grown or what. The turtle is understandably stressed out about having spent hours in a box of crayfish and has been staying in a ball. Have him in a styrofoam container with water at the moment. 

>_> for some reason the attachments option hates my guts all of a sudden. Keeps saying it's not a valid file when it is.


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## CollegeBettas (Feb 23, 2016)

I don't know anything about turtles, but I do like to research. He/She may be a Louisiana Coast Box Turtle. Here is a little about that kind: Gulf Coast Box Turtle ? Terrapene Carolina major | Box Turtles What you could do is find a general idea based on a few species from Lousiana and care for it, or you could look for a turtle rescue of some sort. If may even be able to go back into the wild since it is so young, though it would have to get there somehow. It is adorable. I would probably keep it.


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## Hopefish (Feb 9, 2016)

Do you have a state biologist or herpetologist? They may be able to give you guidance.
He will want a place where he can be in or out of the water at his choosing, so you will have to make a little island for him in his tank.


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## CollegeBettas (Feb 23, 2016)

Happened to come across a video on turtles today, and now I am thinking it may be a mud or musk turtle. Does it have a musky smell at all? Musk turtles get to be about 5 inches, so living in a 20 gallon is okay (according to a few sources), although some sources said 40-50 gallons.


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## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

Hi,

If you could get a closer shot of the side of its face, I could at least tell you if it was a red-eared slider. If it is a male RPS (Red Eared Pond Slider), it will have some sort of red marking on the sides of its face, and the bottom of the shell would be slightly concave. Females have flatter plastrons (the bottom of the shell) and might not have a very distinct red "ear". If you're wondering about the gender, the whole thing with the bottom of the shell generally holds true.

Hope this helps!

-MissLibby


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## kitkat67 (Mar 10, 2015)

It could be a protected species, you might want to call around and have wildlife officials take it so it can be brought back to Louisiana.


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

Looks like a musk turtle to me


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## ThatFishThough (Jan 15, 2016)

+1 @KitKat. Call your local/state wildlife officials. They can come pick it up/you can drop it off, and it will either be brought pack to Louisiana or taken good care of.


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## Kaxen (Mar 3, 2013)

Oh yeah forgot to update on this. It's a musk turtle and I did not keep it.


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