It looks like what I call a soft shelled turtle. Where did you find the turtle? If it is an Ozark animal see the link below. There is a name this animal forum which might be a good place to post your pictures. Here is a link that might be useful: Missouri Turtles

Brian, that is a wonderful site on box turtles, I did see them there. There is a photo together of a 6 month ond a year old and a two year old. Three of these guys are a year old and the third could be and just has't got the yellow coloring yet since I had him inside this past month. Hard to believe they are so old for their size. I am planning on releasing them very soon. I hurt their habitant by pulling out weeds in the area I found them. I did have wild blackberries and was trying to get rid them too. It's hard to get rid of that so at least it is coming back, I already did have a tomato plant and some parsely and my blackberry plants there. I've added several strawberry plants, another tomato plant (as I have found they love them). I'm reading on the site about foods they like and would like any suggestions for plant life they eat. I am going to dig out some holes for them, add more leaf matter and some logs for shelter and a shallow body of water ( will keep it clean). Any other suggestions would be appreciated. I think tomorrow mornning will be their day. Dirtgirl, I think you are right. The musk turtle/stinkpot seems to describe them well. I found them in my garden pond and am sure I must have seen an adult once. Actually only the head of it, and it was very different than my sliders. She came to my pond on her and must have liked it. I found these two guys in one of my bog areas. I guess I will have to put up the 'leaf' net early this year so I can privide them protection. Thanks everyone for helping me to understand by your info and sites you sent me to. Education is the way to understanding. For these two types of turtles anyway I see they really need to grow up in their own enviroment. The yellow sliders though did great and are living happily in my pond. It only took a couple of months to get them to the size they could have a chance at life on their own.

That is Trachemys scripta, the Red-eared or Yellow-bellied Slider. Trachemys eggs usually hatch around 60 days after they are laid., but if it is warmer than usual they can hatch sooner.

Well I appologize for getting everyone worked up. I posted this on the GA gardener forum too, and updated that post to say that the turtle was on his own, I had him my garden area and he easily got out and took off, I actually never saw where he went. But he was only around for an afternoon at most. Long enough to enjoy some good ole GA peaches that I tossed to him.