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Newcastle, Ontario
Found this wee fellow in the grass at our daughter's house, today - hardly bigger than a quarter, and still has the "egg tooth" that he used to free himself from the egg. I took it home to save it from the neighbourhood kiddies but wasn't sure what to do with it - seemed late in the year for baby turtles to hatch. After some research and some advice from Melanie, we will let it go tomorrow at a local creek. Seems baby snappers hatch in September and even into October! I toyed with keeping it for the winter but can't bring myself to buy live gold fish for it to eat 
Sorry, little fella but you are on your own - you will have to fend for yourself - sure are cute, though.
PennsylvaniaIt's too young to tell if it's a boy turtle or a girl turtle. 
Honestly, you can't tell the sex of a turtle until it gets bigger. 5 or 6 inches long, at least.
That's a snapping turtle. He might be cute when he is small but little snapping turtles grow up into BIG snapping turtles. Big snapping turtles are nothing to trifle with! I've seen snappers that are bigger than the hubcaps on your car! One bite from him and they'll be calling you "Lefty" for the rest of your life! A big turtle like that can snap your finger like a dry twig!
(Okay, I'm dramatizing a bit, here, but I think you get my point. )
If you want to feed him something try giving him an earthworm. Snappers will eat almost anything.
Anyhow, it's just fine for him to come to your house for a visit but he needs to go back to his pond when he's had a chance to say "hello" to you and all your Bear friends. He's cute now but he needs to go back to his own home so he can grow up.
Clean a spot on the back of his shell, back near the tail and apply a spot of waterproof paint then take a picture of him with his new decoration before you put him back. Then, next summer, you can go see if you can find him again. You can use his picture to see how much he's grown up.
Keep track of him and, if you can do it safely, renew his markings every year. (Make a turtle trap.)
Snapping turtles can live in excess of 50 years and they have been known to live as long as 75 to 100 years or more.
Want to learn more about snappers? http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/snappers.htm
Newcastle, OntarioI don't know if it's a boy or girl, but he's "ruggedly handsome" so I think he's a boy 
We had a lot of snappers where we last lived, so I'm familiar with them and that's why this one is going back to the creek tomorrow. We used to have the females come up to our lawn and lay eggs every summer but we never found any babies. That's why I was so surprised to find this one in the grass today. I just didn't want the kids playing with him and hurting him, even by accident. I've seen many huge snappers and I respect their powerful jaws. The creek where I will release him is a very large creek, so I don't think we will ever see him again, but that's fine. It was nice to see him for a day. 
PennsylvaniaIf you've ever heard of Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA. I live about 2 miles from there.
You can see all kinds of turtles, from your generic pond turtle all the way up to the alligator snapping turtle. Those babies can get up to 2 feet across and can live for more than 100 years.
Turtles aren't nearly as aggressive as people think they are but still, once they latch on to something, they don't let go very easily.
I've seen a few of the big alligator snappers crossing the road out on Presque Isle. Cars will stop and people will get out and look at them. They are a sight.
Take some nail polish and paint the back of your turtle's shell. If he can make it to about 4 inches in diameter, he'll have virtually no natural predators. If he lives through the winter, you might see him again. Who knows?
A spot of paint or nail polish won't hurt him.
He's as cute as he can be, Brenda! Sooo tiny! Good for you saving him from the kiddies! I'm sure he'll love living in the local creek!
Hugs,
Janice
Past Time BearsWhat a cute little feller! I have a flock (herd, clan, group?) of box turtles (multi-generations represented) that live in my yard. I leave food for them every morning in a place outside the back door. I've sometimes been a little late and find them crawling up to the door, ready to knock big-time to see what the hold-up is. Love 'em.
Newcastle, OntarioWell this fella is going to have to fend for himself - I'm not up for buying live food for him. 
What food do you leave for the turtles, SueAnn? They aren't stupid are they - I guess anything getting free food is a little anxious when it doesn't appear on time
PennsylvaniaYou could probably go out in the garden and dig up some earthworms. If he's hungry, he'll probably eat them.
Snapping turtles are omnivorous scavengers. They'll eat almost anything. Plants, fish, frogs, carrion and various other dead things. They aren't picky.
Past Time BearsMy box turtles aren't really picky. They do love grapes, but what they get most of the time is wet dog/cat food left from the day before. And they like dry cat food if the pieces are small. Not very fond of broccoli and cauliflower. They have to make do with whatever leftovers we have, so I'm not buying anything especially for them and they seem to survive nicely.
Newcastle, OntarioSue Ann,
That is so cute - I can just see them marching to your door, when you are late with brekkie LOL! We released our little fellow into the local creek last night. He seemed to get more and more excited, the closer we got to the water. He almost jumped out of my hand - he was very hard to hang on to at that point. Our grandson carried him carefully to the shore of the creek and he could not get into the water fast enough. I didn't know a turtle could move that fast. Corson was worried the water would be too deep for him, but he literally ran directly into the water and started swimming. It was quite funny to see such a wee turtle in that big creek but it made me realize it was the right decision, when we saw how thrilled he was to be free. It was a treat to enjoy him for a day but we all deserve a chance to live our lives the way we are supposed to.
Past Time Bears. . . . . but we all deserve a chance to live our lives the way we are supposed to.
Love that idea, Brenda!
Newcastle, OntarioMe too, Sue Ann!
