Hello! New to the turtle world here - my herpetology class set some turtle traps in Michigan and we caught a RES. They aren't quite native, but they are "naturalized" in many areas. She's 6 inches, definitely female, and I am trying to figure out if she should stay in the wild or if she was possibly a dumped pet.
She doesn't seem beat up, like no nicks in her shell, she is eating turtle pellets, but she panics every time she sees me walk by the tank. I can pick her up and she tucks into her shell and just hangs out, but she definitely opens her mouth when she sees my fingers near her face. No active snapping, but I haven't been dumb enough to poke her in a place she can reach me.
I am trying to absorb as much info as I can, but it seems everything on YouTube, etc is baby turtles - how the heck do adult turtles act? Is it normal for pet turtles to be so shy and open their mouths when being picked up? Is it possible she was actually born in the wild and she should go back where we found her? I want to do right by her, any thoughts are much appreciated..