So, we rescued one of these guys yesterday, from the highway, and set him out near water

[midnight]

This is a Pig-Nosed Turtle. I wish I had brought it home, but I didn't know it at the time, but these guys are only found in Australia and New Guinea. Someone must have lost their exotic pet.

[bnmjy]

Keep it. This place could use pics other than the usual pusspuss *cough* cats and fugg's hooha.

[NaBarney]

1 minute ago, midnight said:

This is a Pig-Nosed Turtle. I wish I had brought it home, but I didn't know it at the time, but these guys are only found in Australia and New Guinea. Someone must have lost their exotic pet.

You probably just mis-ID'd the turtle. Do you have a pic? 

[midnight]

Just now, Nabloom said:

You probably just mis-ID'd the turtle. Do you have a pic? 

I do not. But there's really no mistaking this animal. It had the same pig nose. The webbed feet. The flatter shell. This is exactly what we helped get to water.

[midnight]

3 minutes ago, bnmjy said:

Keep it. This place could use pics other than the usual pusspuss *cough* cats and fugg's hooha.

It was crossing the road, directly in front of our house. We got it out of the road and led it to water. I wish I had brought it home now. 

[NaBarney]

2 minutes ago, midnight said:

I do not. But there's really no mistaking this animal. It had the same pig nose. The webbed feet. The flatter shell. This is exactly what we helped get to water.

How big was it? Maybe someone recently released it bc it got too big, idk if they could survive winter here, maybe since you're near Florida 

[midnight]

Just now, Nabloom said:

How big was it? Maybe someone recently released it bc it got too big, idk if they could survive winter here, maybe since you're near Florida 

It was actually really small. We were on our golf cart, and I thought it was a coffee can lid for a split second. I turned around and it was the little pig-nosed dude. I picked it up with one hand. But now that you mention the weather, I am a bit concerned. Since they are from Australia, I know it is hot there. Hotter than here. I will try to find the little guy tomorrow. The back end of it's shell was really flat. But it had not been hit by a car or anything. Just the way they look. It was a very unique experience. The pig nose was so awesome. A perfect little snout.

[NaBarney]

16 minutes ago, midnight said:

I do not. But there's really no mistaking this animal. It had the same pig nose. The webbed feet. The flatter shell. This is exactly what we helped get to water.

I still think it was a mis ID. Lots of turtles have pig like noses. 

It was most likely this

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiny_softshell_turtle

[NaBarney]

Never seen one on land before, only ever seen them booking it away from me very quickly underwater when walking along riverbanks

 

[midnight]

3 minutes ago, Nabloom said:

I still think it was a mis ID. Lots of turtles have pig like noses. 

It was most likely this

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiny_softshell_turtle

You are probably right. I had heard of pig-nosed turtles, but had never seen one. So, when I googled it, it looked like the one I saw. But, so does the one you posted. So, that's got to be what it was. Thanks for that, Nabs. 

[midnight]

1 minute ago, Nabloom said:

Never seen one on land before, only ever seen them booking it away from me very quickly underwater when walking along riverbanks

 

The one I saw looks more like the one on the link you posted.

[NaBarney]

I didn't know their faces looked like that but when you said you thought it was a coffee can kid bc of how flat it was it made me think of these guys, seen em in very shallow water they look like big dinner plates 

[molarbear]

48 minutes ago, midnight said:

This is a Pig-Nosed Turtle. I wish I had brought it home, but I didn't know it at the time, but these guys are only found in Australia and New Guinea. Someone must have lost their exotic pet.

I actually heard a lot of people that get exotic animals end up getting tired of taking care of them and just letting them go

[midnight]

3 minutes ago, Nabloom said:

I didn't know their faces looked like that but when you said you thought it was a coffee can kid bc of how flat it was it made me think of these guys, seen em in very shallow water they look like big dinner plates 

It was the most unique turtle I have ever seen. Usually, it's just the big gopher tortoise and snapping turtles that we find. But my God, did this dude stink. The stinkiest turtle I have ever encountered.

[midnight]

3 minutes ago, molarbear said:

I actually heard a lot of people that get exotic animals end up getting tired of taking care of them and just letting them go

I am sure that happens a lot. Luckily enough, this one isn't. I thought so, but after Nabs posted the link above, I'm sure that's what it is now.

[Still Me]

58 minutes ago, midnight said:

This is a Pig-Nosed Turtle. I wish I had brought it home, but I didn't know it at the time, but these guys are only found in Australia and New Guinea. Someone must have lost their exotic pet.

I’m happy he’s ok...but did you just let an animal not of this environment free? Isn’t that how the white birch trees ended up on the protected list? Due to Japanese beetles?

[molarbear]

4 minutes ago, midnight said:

I am sure that happens a lot. Luckily enough, this one isn't. I thought so, but after Nabs posted the link above, I'm sure that's what it is now.

All this talk of Turtles reminds me of the "Hey Arnold" episode where Arnold and his Gma save the depressed looking turtle

and also ninja turtles... which now makes me want pizza

I think I may have problem with pizza

[midnight]

4 minutes ago, Still Me said:

I’m happy he’s ok...but did you just let an animal not of this environment free? Isn’t that how the white birch trees ended up on the protected list? Due to Japanese beetles?

Turns out, this turtle is common here. Well, not that turtle, but the actual species of turtle I saw. 

So it's ok. 

And ya lost me with the trees and Japanese. But I watched the Forest movie. It had trees and Japanese folks. 

[Still Me]

3 minutes ago, midnight said:

Turns out, this turtle is common here. Well, not that turtle, but the actual species of turtle I saw. 

So it's ok. 

And ya lost me with the trees and Japanese. But I watched the Forest movie. It had trees and Japanese folks. 

😐

[midnight]

1 minute ago, Still Me said:

😐