AG found another backyard critter

Are you surprised?!? This is my child we are talking about! The one who will only wear dresses and LOVES princesses and Barbies...also LOVES to find frogs, pick up caterpillars, hold bugs, find butterflies, catch lizards...and her latest...a turtle! And in case you are wondering, yes, we have had the "snake" talk with AG. We have told her that if she ever finds a snake in the backyard that she is NOT to touch it and bring it to us. She is to leave it, and quickly run and let us know where it is.So, her latest find is a turtle.

Sage and I went to my parents house this past weekend to visit my mom. She had a knee replacement two weeks ago. We went to help my dad out, visit and spread some cheer. AG and Walker came with us. My mom and AG were sitting on the screened porch watching the birds when AG exclaimed, "Nana! I see a turtle!" My mom said she didn't see it at first and when she did see it, she was surprised AG had spotted it. AG has quite an eye for yard critters. I think she is always looking and hoping to find one.
She ran in the house yelling, "I found a turtle mommy!"

I walked into the backyard with her and this is what we found. I know...I can't believe she saw it. It was very well camouflaged. You can kind of see his face. He quickly retreated to his shell when he was aware of our presence.


Aunt Sage tried to show AG how to hold the turtle.
AG didn't realize the turtle may not like to be held upside down.


We brought him back up to the porch so Nana could meet him too. AG didn't understand why this scared to death box turtle wouldn't come out of his shell. She thought maybe a friend would help him come out. The friend is a metal turtle on my parent's porch.


Maybe if we take him on a ride in a dump truck he will come out?!? Where is he and why won't he come out? Should we feed him? What should we do?


After many attempts at trying to get the turtle to come out (including feeding him lettuce, letting him rock in the rocking chair and him falling off onto the ground on his shell) with none being successful, we freed the turtle back in the yard.
He was probably so relieved. We later snuck back up on him to check on him and he was walking around the yard - as happy as he could be. Until we came up again....