Any idea what this little guy is?

I am still a novice where Texas flora and fauna is concerned. Found this little 'fella' in the middle of the road, he'd just avoided being hit by a semi-truck.
We are located in the Panhandle of Texas, near Amarillo if that helps with locality. (please excuse the squashed bugs on the windscreen)

Looks like a box turtle to me but as far as the specific type, I'll leave that to the more advanced box turtle keepers.

Will take more detailed pictures, if my camera stops playing up. It's about 5 inches long and 3 inches wide.

Here we go;






Is it illegal to keep it? Will have to google search them.

I think its an ornate box turtle (Desert box);
The carapace is dark with many yellow lines, sometimes grouped into "starbursts" radiating downward, and the plastron is dark brown or black with a pattern similar to the carapace. There are almost always four toes on each hind foot. In older specimens of the ornate box turtle, the coloration may be more of a plain brown color.

Originally Posted by texasnewbie

Is it illegal to keep it? Will have to google search them.

It does look like an ornate.

According to the web page for the state, they aren't currently protected.

That said, doesn't that seem like the kind of question you should have known the answer to before collecting it? Along with having the inherent ability to identify it, since there are protected turtles in Texas?

I have absolutely no objections to the legal collection of wildlife. I do object to the ignorant collection of wildlife though- when you decide to snatch it, you should damn sure know what it is and damn sure know the legalities of what you're doing. Anything less is reprehensibly irresponsible.

True and point noted.
I was excited to see it, we don't have native tortoises/ etc in England, so I got a bit carried away with my excitement. I live 5minutes away from the site we found her so she can be returned. (Except she won't be returned to the exact spot to become roadkill).

It probably is a female at that.

Very excited about seeing her but sensibility overcome excitement and she was put back. Hopefully to make baby ornates, next breeding season.

Hopefully you put it back very close to where you found it. They do have a strong homing instinct and will attempt to get back to there home range. Relocating them is usually a death sentence when they are crossing unfamiliar territory.