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This is a box turtle not a snapping turtle, and I believe it's against Georgia law to keep a wild one. I'd check with your DNR and read the link on keeping turtles.

Here is a link that might be useful: keeping turtles

Snappers have kind of a pointed snout and a long tail. They can get huge and could remove a finger with one chomp.
We have some huge ones in the ponds by us. Although they say they wont bother you, Im leary of swimming with them. I wanna keep my body parts. LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: snappers

The point is that it IS against Georgia State law, so links on "how to keep" are irrelevant.

Day by day is correct - if it against the law I would advise against keeping it. DNR in many states are cracking down on a lot of herp law violators. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if these forums were occasionally browsed by such officials (they certainly do on other more herp-based websites).

Also, that box turtle is a female - it has brown eyes and a flat plastron. Males would have a more concave plastron - the eyes are not always a definitive feature of sex in box turtles.

~Mike

Eastern box turtles are on the decline in NJ; one reason is because people take them from the wild. It is not only wrong to imprison a wild animal; it is illegal in NJ.

These animals can live for 40 - 50 years. They cannot be released after captivity, as it renders them incapable of living on their own and introduces disease into the wild population.

One of the reasons there are yellow sliders out of their range is because people bought them from pet stores, got bored, and released them.

So let it go. And let it go where you found it, or it will spend its life trying to get back there. They have site tenacity, which means they always go back to where they were born to breed.

Also, if you don't know the difference between two of the area's most well-known turtles, reconsider keeping any.

In case you don't believe me:

From the NJ Conservation Officers Association:

Officers McManus and Mutone posing as potential buyers of Eastern box turtles, responded to an ad placed in a local pet shop. When they arrived at the suspectÂs home, they observed other non-game and exotic animals throughout the home. During their investigation officers noticed a homemade pen built in the suspects backyard that contained a number of Eastern box turtles. They were able to photograph some of the animals and record their conversation with the suspects. It was interesting to note that the subjects were fully aware of the laws relevant to the possession of the species. In fact, one of them had even applied to be a wildlife rehabilitator. The suspect told the officers that it was illegal to possess some of the animals without a permit, but permits werenÂt necessary, just as long as you donÂt tell anyone! Officers documented fifteen Eastern box turtles and three diamond back terrapin that were illegally collected from the wild. Officer Tonnesen followed up on the information gathered during the encounter and issued the appropriate summonses.

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.

Thanks for letting the gal go! Hopefully she will continue to make new box turtles!

He said he found it in his yard and was going to let it live in his yard. Where did all this 15 box turtles in a pen come from?

THE TURTLE IS GONE, BACK TO WHEREVER IT CAME FROM, IT WAS IN MY YARD FOR HALF A DAY. AND NOW IT'S GONE. I THINK THIS THREAD CAN DIE NOW. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES.

Besides what would you do with him/her when it reaches maturity?, You'd need a pond! snappers can be HUGE! 50 lbs or more is not unheard of. Thats if its a common snapper. The gator snappers get 300 lbs or more, the largest gator snapper ever caught was 409 lbs!

I went and got a snapper on craiglist the other day its about 10 inches and I can't figure out what kind it is the guy said it was 4 years old is there any way to 100 percent tell the difference

Jeez, what is with people and trying to imprison wildlife, as elly_nj so perfectly said?

Aren't there enough animals already in captivity that don't have homes? What is the need for taking wild animals from the wild to become pets??

I never met with this thing.

Here is a link that might be useful: venue

AMEN to what ms minnamouse said!!! min

OK, once again, the BOX turtle was around for a few hours, ate a peach, then left. END OF STORY.

Please stop posting on this thread. Geez this forum must really have nothing else to talk about?