George has joined the family

I'd check in with the local wildlife preservation society, and find out where they all head to once they've hatched. Then you can go there for a family picnic and have a releasing ceremony.

Oh, I know - there is a pond right nearby - I have seen turtles crossing the road next to the pond. She wanted to let him out in the brook behind our house, but I let her know they prefer still water.

My daughter called me -- she proudly told me that George is still alive. I didn't know if the poor thing would survive her love. She keeps telling me how George likes it when she picks him up and tickles his belly -- his little legs move. I say under my breathe -- it is because the poor thing is terrified and he is frantically trying to get away.

I think I convinced her to release the creature once his shell hardens as then he is unlikely to get eaten by preditors. And I also mentioned he needs to be released so he can hiberate during the winter. That leaving him in the house it is too warm to hiberate and will mess him up.

So almost seven years later - I walk outside and there is a bigger snapping turtle in my drive way. My daughter is away visiting family so I "snapped" a picture of the creature and sent it to her.

She responds back "GEORGE!" He came back to see me. Well as when George was young he gets confused and did not realize she would be away. And as the confused George walks the opposite way of the pond and wetlands. I come back out and he figured out he was going the wrong way and started going in the correct direction. A bit later he is gone - hopefully made his way to the wetlands area. We are a bit of a distance for a turtle to walk to the pond - but we have lots of little streams that feed into this pond and he was headed for one - likely all the rain made these streams and other little ponds for these guys to venture around in.

Good update. I missed this thread before.