I found a small turtle about the size of a softball w/ a brown dome like shell w/ yellowish beige spots on it.

Question

This turtle has a flat nose also.

Answer 1

snapping trutle

Answer 2

It sounds like a young box turtle. They are getting rarer in the wild. You really should put it back.

Answer 3

put the turtle back thats all the answer you need.

Answer 4

You don't mention where you live, so I'm going to answer as if you live in either Florida or southern Georgia. Brownish beige "spots" isn't too descriptive, but it ~could~ be a young gopher tortoise, (or if you're out west, desert tortoise... either way) in which case, it's an endangered species and needs to be put right back where it was found (assuming it was on a road it needs to go to the side it was trying to get to).

young gopher tortoises:

http://www.dreamsbeginhere.org/sandalwoo...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1369/1297...

young desert tortoises:

http://www.genehanson.com/photos/critter...

http://www.duneguide.com/images/DesertTo...

If you want a turtle/tortoise as a pet, first do some research on what is legal to keep in your state, then do research on how to take care of it properly, then get your enclosure set up, THEN get a captive bred specimen so you don't put more pressure on native species that are having a hard enough time already.

Answer 5

you mean you took a turtle out of its home.  I hope you are going to return it where you found it.  wild-caught turtles do not make good pets. it sounds like a box turtle.  please return it.

Answer 6

http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?guide=T...    try this