Yesterday Ma wondered “what is that?!” as she watched something creep through our yard. At first she thought it was an injured animal because the creeper had such an odd gait so she went outside to get a closer look. Turns out, it was this guy and he is super healthy.
Ma believes he is a Yellow-Bellied Slider, a land and water turtle that is native to South Florida and the southeastern States. Here in South Florida, he is a very common turtle as you can find Yellow-Bellied Sliders in most ponds, slow moving rivers, swamps, marshes and wetlands.
This guy made it pretty far from the neighborhood pond where he lives to our backyard. Of course, after paparazzi Ma took his photo, he had enough and turned around to head home.
This guy made it pretty far from the neighborhood pond where he lives to our backyard. Of course, after paparazzi Ma took his photo, he had enough and turned around to head home.
I see there are many websites saying that Yellow-Bellied Sliders make great first time pet turtles for people. Ma and I prefer to see them living it up in their native habitats, where they belong!
Do you have Yellow-Bellied Slider turtles where you live?
Oh my dawg! Where's the hare?
ReplyDeleteLily & Edward
Thats amazing, your very OWN turtle in your garden, oh I is soooo green wiv the jellyness
ReplyDeleteLoves and licky kisses
Princess Leah xxx
We only have Hell-mut and he was imported and dumped by careless peeps before my mom adopted him ... I'm with you, I rather watch them in their natural habitat and in freedom. And if we could we would bring Hell-mut back to his family in greece...
ReplyDeleteNope, only desert tortoises. Not many ponds in the desert.
ReplyDeleteAww, the turtle is cute! I don't know my "breeds" of turtles. So when I see them I couldn't tell you if they are yellow-bellied sliders or not!
ReplyDeleteOhhhhhhhhhhhh Oz I'm so jealous of your living breathing slider. I have a F A K E one in my back yard. But I do have live rabbits!!
ReplyDeleteHugs madi your bfff
OMD OMD OZ that is Cool drool... you had a visit from a Turtle... Wonder if he is an NINJA? better stay away from him... JUSTIN CASE.
ReplyDeleteYuck! We don't like turtles they eat our fish. That's target practice at our house.
ReplyDeleteAroo to you,
Sully
I'm not sure what kind of turtles that we have here but I know that we have snapping ones. I hope that Oz gave that turtle a good barking. I have YouTube video of Pierre's first turtle encounter. It could be the reason that we haven't had any others visit. LOL!
ReplyDeleteHey Oz...he's a cool looking guy, that turtle! We have friendly turtles like that here, too...but then we also have not-so-friendly ones like the big 'ol snappers.
ReplyDeleteNo, no turtles here! But I sure would rather have that in our yard than the last intruder we had.... a skunk!
ReplyDeleteNope, not around here!
ReplyDeleteYour Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
I don't think we have them here. We have Red Eared Sliders and lots of other turtles!
ReplyDeleteCammie!
We've never seen a turtle at all. We know they live in ponds, but we don't have any ponds right around us. He's a cute little fellow. And we like animals in their natural habitats, too.
ReplyDeleteOur little bipeds had a humungous turtle in their yard. The neighbor guy said it was a snapper. It was fun to watch him turn on his side to slide through the bars of the wrought iron fence.
ReplyDeleteWe aren't sure if we have yellow-bellied ones here but we will keep our eyes open.
Woos - Ciara and Lightning
We see them sometimes. I don't like them so I run circles around them barking. We have to be careful too as some are big and are snapping turtles that could snap at us.
ReplyDeletewe have a whole pond full of them right in the pond behind our backyard and often yes - they come walking through our yard too
ReplyDeleteWe think that's what lives in our pond. It's skittish, so it usually dives underwater if anyone tries to look closely, but from a distance, you can see its little head poke out of the water with the yellow stripes on it like your little guy there.
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! I would have thought it was a rock, and freaked out when it started moving! LOL I don't think we have that variety of turtle here, but I've been hearing a lot about watching for turtles crossing the roads - I think that's mostly snapping turtles though.
ReplyDeleteJan, Wag 'n Woof Pets
I don't know about yellow-bellied turtles, but we do have red-eared and painted turtles up here in IL
ReplyDeleteI love turtles! We have snappers and other soft-shells here, but no sliders that I know of.
ReplyDeleteWow!! We love turtles!
ReplyDeletelove
tweedles
I like your intruder!
ReplyDelete