AboutYexalen Expertise I am experienced with the care, lighting, heating, breeding, sexing, species identification, and general keeping of mostly aquatic turtles. I also have experience with tortoises and land turtles and can certainly research any question that I do not know the answer. I can not answer medical related questions as I am not veterinarian certified. I prefer not to answer questions on animals that you or somebody else has taken out of their natural environment unless the animal was in danger, ill, or injured.
Experience I have owned six aquatic turtles and have been researching turtles for several years. I have been on several question and answer sites under this category. I also have started up a web site focused on reptile care with a portion of it for turtles.
Education/Credentials I have been around turtles sense a very young age and always found them fascinating and because of that it has lead me to researching day after day, reading book after book, and finding endless amounts of web sites with information.
Expert: Yexalen Date: 7/2/2008 Subject: What kind of turtle
Question I found a rather large turtle in my Tennessee yard this morning. I haven't been able to identify what type of turtle it is other than what it is not (not a snapping turtle or a box turtle). Since there is no way to attach a picture I've posted the picture on my MySpace page and include the url. www.myspace.com/rjb1024 Can you tell me what kind of turtle this is. I took pictures but left it to wander into the woods behind my house. Thanks.
Answer Hello Becky, he appears to be a tortoise of some sort.
First I started with a list of Turtles that are native to Tennessee and then subtracted the ones that are aquatic.
He is not an Eastern Box Turtle they look nothing alike
He doesn't look like either Snapping Turtles either.
So I think its safe to say that he ran away from home or somebody let him loose because they didnt want him anymore. Keep a close eye on where he is offer him a shallow dish of water and perhaps some Squash for him to eat. Call a NO KILL animal rescue or shelter. Or keep him in your yard and place "FOUND TORTOISE" Posters up in pet stores and shelters and such.
He looks almost like a sulcata tortoise. It is difficult to see it on your profile as I am not a myspace member I can not get a larger view of the picture. You can email more pictures to
