More spotters

[dragoncjo]

Went back out to the pines today and found six more spotters 2 males, 4 females, and found a new spotted turtle spot were I found one female. Also saw about two dozen painters and a dozen dinner plate size redbellies. Went to the same spot were I found the spotties yesterday and before I got there I saw this, about 8 painters and redbellies basking, also to the right of these was another dozen,


I then went to my next spot and along the way all you could here and see was various turtles sliding into the water off the bank. When I got to the spot this guy crawled out after about 15 minutes


About fifteen minutes later I saw this guy about a foot in front of me, I was going to pick him up until I saw his paws wrapped around the female below him. Across the bog at the same time was another female spotter.

This little green frog jumped out of the water about six inches from my foot while I was observing the above spotters.

From this point on i saw another male who surfaced for a bit and then went under, and the female below who attempted to bask on top of the painter with little success, below is a pic of her falling back in the water.

On my way out I checked out the spot were I saw all the painters along the bank, there was more this time but this time there was also a female spotter among them. Didn't think i could top yesterday observation but I think I may have. I was a little dissappointed that I didn't see any boxies or snakes, but maybe it is still too early for them.
chris

 

[Teegate]

Turtles everywhere in that first photo! Seeing turtles is always sweet!

Guy

 

[RednekF350]

I was back out in Friendship yesterday and me and the wife saved a spotted turtle from being a saily turtle.
He was walking right down the midlle of the gravel road just north of the foundations.
Picked him up , the dog gave him a sniff and I put back along the edge of the swamp.
Probably ruined his imprinted purpose for being in the middle of the road and walking away from water but what the hell.
I felt like a PETA member after that act of kindness.
That would be People Eating Tasty Animals.

Scott

 

[Teegate]

Picked him up , the dog gave him a sniff and I put back along the edge of the swamp.

My hero

Guy

 

[dragoncjo]

Yeah I've never been out to but I want to get out there looks like a good spot for spotted turtles. I went back some dirt trail off caranza and ended up at some area with similar looking wet meadow bogs, but the day was to cold to see any reptiles. You guys see spotted turtles alot? I always thought they were hard to find due to overcollecting from the scumb bag pet traders. I'm starting to think they are fairly common, at least this time of year.

 

[Krloucks]

turtles

Spotted are the best! great find.
k

 

[woodjin]

. You guys see spotted turtles alot? I always thought they were hard to find due to overcollecting from the scumb bag pet traders. I'm starting to think they are fairly common, at least this time of year.

I rarely go out specifically looking for turtles but see them frequently when fishing, kayaking and canoeing. they are always a welcome sight. I've seen quite a few spotted turtles but far, far less than the more common redbellies and painters. I have seen many more snappers than spotters, I don't think I have ever seen more than one at one time. I don't see musk turtles too often either.

Jeff

 

[dragoncjo]

Yeah yesterday when I went out I would see about 10 painters or redbellies for every spotted. But that is what I was expecting, painters and redbellies lay more eggs per clutch, and are less prone to being attacked by raccoons because of their ability to live in deeper water than spotters. I'm glad people see them though it is nice to know.

 

[daved]

turtles

You guys have seen a lot of spotteds. I have never seen one in the wild before. I've seen painteds redbellies and stinkpots in the pines. Never seen a box; spotted or snapping turtles in the pines. I've seen box; redbellies; snapping; stinkpots; mud; some kind of map turtle but I forgot what kind; painteds and red ear sliders. I want to see a spotted turtle a bog turtle and a wood turtle. A friend of mine said he seen a bog turtle last week when it was warm so when it gets warm again I will defently check it out.

 

[bobpbx]

Daved, your friend saw a bog turtle? That is an important sighting. Do you know where he saw it?

 

[dragoncjo]

Daved before you respond please be general about the location of a bog. They are highly endangered and can fetch a big price tag in the illegal turtle trade. To my knowledge bogs have been eradicated in all southern counties except salem. Are you sure your friend saw a bog?

 

[Bobbleton]

Daved before you respond please be general about the location of a bog. They are highly endangered and can fetch a big price tag in the illegal turtle trade. To my knowledge bogs have been eradicated in all southern counties except salem. Are you sure your friend saw a bog?

Yeah it'd be best if you answered that question with a pm. Bog turtles (more than any endangered animal i can think of) have the most to lose by having their locations disclosed to the public, and these forums are HIGHLY searchable.

Also remember, bog turtles and spotteds can be easily confused. guttata tends to lose spots as it ages, and its not all that uncommon to see a male with facial markings similar to that of a bog turtle.

 

[daved]

location of bog turtle

As far as the location it was seen at I do know where it is and its in southern jersey not in salem county. Did he see a bog or a spotted with no spots I don't know. He is knowledgeable on turtles but he said he just saw it he didn't catch it for a close up look at it. So it could be either or. I will be checking it out with him when it gets warmer and it is private property. Weather it is a bog or a spotted I will consider it a great find as I have never seen either in the wild. I will post later when I go and let you know what I come up with if anything at all. If you do research on bog turtles you can find an article that lists which towns they were found in but in what year I have no clue. I have found a spot in northern jersey where bog turtles are a definite through research but I haven't had a chance to check out. You have to a lot of research as the web is very vague. Well have fun on your search.

 

[dragoncjo]

I know exactly what website your talking about. The towns listed on that website are of historic records, and are exactly that historic. It has audubon, camden county listed on there and I can assure you there are none in audubon, same with cherry hill, and voorhees. At one time these towns had them but most areas were extirpated of them in the last decade due to the recent developments sprouting up everywhere. Did your friend find it on a farm, or meadow like farm area. Please if you do find anything report it to the endangered and nongame species program. Good luck, I'm envious.
Chris

 

[daved]

bog turtles

I don't think that was a website I seen that info on but it could be I do know that I found a research paper from rutgers I believe that listed what towns and water drainages that various turtles were found in. If I read correctly an article on the web from the philadelphia inquire that a place in vorhees had bog turtles on it and a developement was being planned and the township and camden county were trying to acquire the land through the green acres program. If they are there I hope the land was saved from devlopment and I would like to check it out. I do know the name of the place where they are but I don't know if I should post on here. If somebody is determined enough to find a bog turtle they can do enough research to find a few spots where they are known to be and hopefully will see one and not take it. On kingsnake.com a website that sells reptiles last year somebody was selling a pair of bog turtles that they said were legal in the state of florida only for 2500 dollars a piece. Spotteds go for around 125 to 250 depending on quality and gender. Easternt box turtles are like 40 to 50 dollars.

 

[dragoncjo]

Yeah I've exhausted the internet on bog turtle research I think. I know the courier post article about kresson golf course. I've played golf on that course and I would say that there is a about a 10% chance of a bog being there. The habitat is pine barrens like and if they were there they would also be in the pines. I think writer of that article and person quoted in that article where trying to arouse support to prevent development. Anti sprawl groups have been know to place bog turtles on areas to prevent development. As for the kingsnake.com, I use to go on there quite frequently but became turned off when seeing the ever increasing amount of boxies, woods, blandings and spotteds for sale on there. There was one scum bag in particular who was from s. carolina who would wipe out whole areas of box turtles and then sell them on turtletimes.com for like 40 a piece. I know one of the guys selling a pair of boggies last year is a notorious cheat and there are numerous complaints about him.

 

[Bobbleton]

I've also been down that path of internet research on bogs . . . it has yet to bear fruit, but i also haven't dug in really deep in a year or two. I've seen the info you're talking about . . . it goes as specific as municipalities but no more, and I'm certain alot of those historic populations are now extirpated.

 

[RednekF350]

I had no idea that an industry existed for the sale of turtles.
I thought that was banned when I was a little kid in the 60's.
Back then you could buy those little green turtles at Woolworths for $0.50.
You placed them in a fish bowl and gave them some bogus turtle food that they sold you and they were usually dead in a month.
I did keep boxers for short periods every summer when I was a kid in an outside pen.
The town that I grew up in (Gibbsboro) hosted turtle races every summer at the Fourth of July festivities.
All of the turtles were placed in the center of a 30' dia. circle and released. The first turtle to exit the circle won.
I always had boxers which would stay in their shell most of the time and the kids with painters or snappers won every time.
No cruelty other than temporarily displacing them from their homes.
Everyone released their turtles back to where they caught them when it was over.
Life was simple then.
Scott

 

[dragoncjo]

Yeah selling turtles is only illegal in New Jersey to my knowledge. However if you have a proper permit you can posses turtles in new jersey and most states. You can basically buy any turtle you want online, some people believe it or not attempt to make a living by doing this. I know my dad as a kid use to go to woolworth's and buy a red ear slider and one of those "death bowls" with the palm tree. Alot of those dime store turtles ended up in ponds and lakes throughout this area.

 

[Bobbleton]

Yeah selling turtles is only illegal in New Jersey to my knowledge. However if you have a proper permit you can posses turtles in new jersey and most states. You can basically buy any turtle you want online, some people believe it or not attempt to make a living by doing this. I know my dad as a kid use to go to woolworth's and buy a red ear slider and one of those "death bowls" with the palm tree. Alot of those dime store turtles ended up in ponds and lakes throughout this area.

thus making the red-eared slider one of the most widely introduced species in the world. a nice picture from 2005 in NJ:

in case anyone was questioning it . . . no, they're not native here.