Found a turtle, now what?

[Birds Away]

Oh my aching #$%%@

 

[Trigger Time]

Yeah don't sell it or a conservation team will kick in your door and shoot all your deer

 

[bocefus78]

A 10 or 20 gallon aquarium with light and the cheapest filter possible is all it'll nneed.i had one as a kid in exactly that setup. Keep the water level down a few inches and use driftwood so he can climb up outta the water.

I bet the whole setup is less than $50. It's for the kids right? What's $50?

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I took in a red ear slider that had gotten a crack in the shell playing in traffic, and nursed it back to health. You think of turtles as slow, but I'd put a batch of minnows in there, and it was like a piranha frenzy; within less than a minute there would be a couple of heads and tails floating in the water. For a pet, I'd go for a box tortoise. Never had a slider bite me, but the tortoise is all safe and cute and all. This little guy might benefit from an overwinter in the house. You can find instructions online for a hibernation box, and you won't even have to mess with him.

I hibernated a big Red-eared slider and a Painted turtle in a bucket of water in my garage on the floor. The garage is heated, but mostly stays just above freezing in the corner farthest from the heater. They did fine. Years ago, I would hibernate a bunch of king and corn snakes in my bedroom closet each winter.

I'm usually at a bit of a disadvantage talking with the real gun guys on INGO, but I can talk reptiles with the best of them.

 

[hoosierdoc]

It's illegal to sell it.

DNR: Turtles as Pets

You need to "donate" it for educational purposes.

I figured it would be. I recall the Texas guy getting nailed for selling frozen bluegill.

 

[Leadeye]

Not the best tempered animals in my experience, taught my kids to leave them alone as they will snack on fingers like 1911ly said.

 

[88GT]

Not the best tempered animals in my experience, taught my kids to leave them alone as they will snack on fingers like 1911ly said.

No, they are not. And they can get big. The only two I've ever seen in the wild were significantly larger than dinner plates.

If I were you doc, I'd re-home him to a more natural locale. I've been known to drop a red-eared slider at Eagle Creek park, but that snapper will need something bigger than Lily Lake.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I figured it would be. I recall the Texas guy getting nailed for selling frozen bluegill.

They are property of the State of Indiana.

In before the "property rye-eets" wing of INGO!

 

[CindyE]

That's why am selling it. It talked about having water filtration as a must.

I wonder why? They sure don't live in great conditions in the wild. When we kept them, they weren't difficult at all, we had a 10 gallon tank with a power filter. I just don't think they make great pets. When I was a kid, I kept a painted turtle in a big bucket in the garage, with a rock to climb on. We finally let him loose in a lake, but we had him for several years.

 

[hoosierdoc]

The turtle has been liberated. My son brought him to the bus stop to show off and then I picked him up and dropped him at the edge of the pond. Lots of mud and cattails. Godspeed little turtle.

 

[hoosierdoc]

They are property of the State of Indiana.

I found that out when I tried to get it notarized. She told me no way in shell was she going to stamp it since I didn't own it. I showed it to her in my hand and said look, it's mine, I have it right here. She said it scute, but her rules do not allow her to. I said fine, would you at least help me put my turtle in some mud? She slapped me, called the police, and I wasted my one form of communication on this post.

So I had to go before the sheriff. Snappy and I thought there was only two things that could happen at the sheriff. He could yell at us and tell us never to mess with turtles in his county again, or he could pin a medal on us for having such a strong cross-species bond in these tumultuous times. But when we got to the police station, there was a third possibility we had not even considered. We was both immediately arrested. And so on.

 

[Lebowski]

Didn't read the entire thread. Did you release it yet? If not, grow it, then eat it.

Turtle soup isn't bad. My grandfather used to catch snapping turtles, clean and eat them. I've not had turtle since both grandparents have passed, but it's pretty good.

 

[Rhoadmar]

That's why am selling it. It talked about having water filtration as a must.

Just a shallow bowl for it's water and change it every day or three. Have you seen the swamps they live in? Very far from filtered water.

 

[One Shot One Kill]

Just a shallow bowl for it's water and change it every day or three. Have you seen the swamps they live in? Very far from filtered water.

Actually swamps/wetlands are pretty much natures filter.. They are diverse habitats in which the system of organisms (from bacterium to plants) essentially break down/utilise many of the organic wastes that can be harmful to higher organisms (people/fish). Thats why people preach about local water quality when they try to explain the aspects of wetlands.
I applaud the OP for letting it go because not being able to properly house it. As an aquarist I am always appalled at the level of care some people give animals, which is often borderline abusive.

 

[CindyE]

Actually swamps/wetlands are pretty much natures filter.. They are diverse habitats in which the system of organisms (from bacterium to plants) essentially break down/utilise many of the organic wastes that can be harmful to higher organisms (people/fish). Thats why people preach about local water quality when they try to explain the aspects of wetlands.
I applaud the OP for letting it go because not being able to properly house it. As an aquarist I am always appalled at the level of care some people give animals, which is often borderline abusive.

I agree. Not so sure about the turtles that live in some of the polluted rivers, though.

 

[Birds Away]

I love turtles.

 

[Ricnzak]

The turtle has been liberated. My son brought him to the bus stop to show off and then I picked him up and dropped him at the edge of the pond. Lots of mud and cattails. Godspeed little turtle.

That is the smartest decision you have ever made! For us, keeping the tank clean even with a filter was such a PITA. Then with all the nasties they carry you can't do much overall with them. That was a happy day for me when our turtle "escaped" while on a ride with me in the jeep. The ONLY plus side was like Mr. Evilwrench said, it is a blast to watch them hunt minnows.

 

[24Carat]

I found that out when I tried to get it notarized. She told me no way in shell was she going to stamp it since I didn't own it. I showed it to her in my hand and said look, it's mine, I have it right here. She said it scute, but her rules do not allow her to. I said fine, would you at least help me put my turtle in some mud? She slapped me, called the police, and I wasted my one form of communication on this post.

So I had to go before the sheriff. Snappy and I thought there was only two things that could happen at the sheriff. He could yell at us and tell us never to mess with turtles in his county again, or he could pin a medal on us for having such a strong cross-species bond in these tumultuous times. But when we got to the police station, there was a third possibility we had not even considered. We was both immediately arrested. And so on.

Also, that turtle wasn't big enough for the circles and arrows and the description on the back of the scene of the crime.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

This was a alligator snapping turtle, but we caught her down in Mississippi when I was younger:

 

[Slawburger]

Also, that turtle wasn't big enough for the circles and arrows and the description on the back of the scene of the crime.

We found your name on a turtle under about a half a ton of mud.