As I was exploring Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge earlier this week, I stumbled upon this cute little Southeastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum). It looks like the little turtle had attempted to withdraw its head into its shell, but it does not quite fit.
I’ve only spotted this species of turtle, also known an Eastern Mud Turtle, a few times, so I decided to do a little research. Among other things, I learned on the website of the Virginia Herpetological Society that Southeastern Mud Turtles are ominvores, eating, among other things, insects, crustaceans, mollusks, amphibians, carrion, and aquatic vegetation.
Here are a few more fun facts about these turtles from the same website: “Southeastern Mud Turtles are bottom walkers, spending most of their active time in water on the bottom. A substantial but unknown portion of their annual activity period is terrestrial. They seldom bask. Southeastern mud turtles are pugnacious when caught and many will try to bite, causing a minor wound from the curved beak.”
I am glad that I felt no desire to pick up the turtle.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
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I hit the publish button inadvertently before I loaded the photo. Check again and it should be there now. Sorry for the inconvenience. Please let me know if you still can’t see the photo and the rest of the article. 🙂
We have desert tortoise in the Southwest. They a PROTECTED animal here. Tortoise laws do not allow us to touch them or pick them up. They scare easily, should they pee, they can die. The water is scarce is the desert, the little the desert tortoise retains means life or death for them. LOVE your Mud Turtle! (Nevada has Mohave Max as our mascot….kinda like the famous Groundhog in PA!!!!)
That’s great information. Diann, and it makes a lot of sense. My general approach is to leave the wildlife alone, particularly when there are nests and/or young ones involved. I’ll have to check out Mohave Max–I was stationed in Arizona for three years when I was in the Army and grew to love the high mountain desert.
I love turtles. I like the way you captured his/her wary eye watching you!
My grandmother called all turtles mud turtles but I’ve never seen an acrual mud turtle.