Today we saw a tortoise/turtle in our front yard but we can't seem to identify it. He was large, maybe 2 feet. His shell was a solid dark color and looked almost glossy. His head looked kind of pointed and he had spikes going along his tail (which was very long). We are native to the chesapeake area. My grandmother thought it might have been a terrapin, but I could not find any pictures that looked remotely like what we saw. Does anyone know what kind of turtle this might be?
2007-08-22 07:05:21 · 12 answers · asked by Chelsea 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
I am pretty sure it was a snapping turtle. I saw one, and it had spikes on its tail too. Here is a picture of one (notice the spikes on the tail and dark shell).
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/nhl/NHL_reptiles/nhl_snappingturtle_2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/nhl/NHL_reptiles/nhlsnappingturtle.html&h=209&w=300&sz=102&hl=en&start=12&tbnid=ph6zkreeH3q-aM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsnapping%2Bturtle%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den
Just be sure not to go near it, it just might be a Snapper, and Snappers tend to bite. And if a Snapping turtle bites you, he WILL NOT LET GO. If you wanted to feed it or something, put it down then walk away, then watch. Good Luck!
2007-08-22 07:15:29 · answer #1 · answered by Hollyberry♥ 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you're in the Chesapeake area it was most likely a large snapping turtle, they are all over the place there (Used to live in Chesapeake) and look pretty much just how you described it. Depending on what type of water they live in, I've noticed some were lighter colored some were darker, but all basically looked the same.
2007-08-22 09:32:55 · answer #2 · answered by Chiappone 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Glossy looking shell and spiky tail is pretty much a common Snapping Turtle. They often are seen while moving from one patch of water to another and are a pretty common species. Snappers have a lot of variation, and the shell could have been obscured by mud, algae, etc.
Good sighting!
For more about this species, try http://www.chelydra.org
Oh- by the way, 'terrapin' is used in the Southern US as a slang term for a lot fo species of edible turtles, including Sanppers. it is also the correct name for a species of brackish water turtle in your area, and the general term for semi-aquatic turtles in Europe.
2007-08-22 07:58:48 · answer #3 · answered by Madkins007 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you saw a Snapping Turtle.
2007-08-22 08:59:28 · answer #4 · answered by Bear 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a snapping turtle
2015-05-09 01:23:01 · answer #5 · answered by Rhett 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have described a common snapping turtle, although if it was even CLOSE to two feet, it was a new world record.
I just love the way people exaggerate!
2007-08-22 13:33:57 · answer #6 · answered by Dion J 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds to me like a desert tortoise. Not sure though. My brother has 2 and thats what I would describe them as.
2016-04-01 08:50:29 · answer #7 · answered by Paula 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With the spikes, it sounds like snapping turtle or an alligator snapping turtle. Check out the links below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2007SnappingTurtle.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Alligator_snapping_turtle.jpg
2007-08-22 07:51:52 · answer #8 · answered by Çåŗőľîņẫ§ħŷġĭ®ł 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Snapper!
2007-08-22 07:32:36 · answer #9 · answered by Christine 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
snapper 4 sure
2007-08-22 09:54:30 · answer #10 · answered by Thia 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋