Tag Archives: turtle

What to feed a hatchling chicken turtle?

Posted on May 5, 2012 by admin| 2 Comments

I am doing a snake survey in a wildflower preserve on campus at my college and while walking out I found a tiny turtle on the path. I am in herpetology so i took him home to bring to claas tuesday. I kind of want to keep him for a while to grow and then introduce him to the closest pond in the preserve. He hasnt eaten much, if anyting and i was wondering if abyone knew what/how to go about feeding him. I read hatchlings are mainly carnivorus so what are some suggestions for food??
We are allowed to take animals off of campus. It is not state property and we have permission. I am scared that putting him in the pond now will not give him a good chance of survival because he is so small. I know what is nature but I would like to give him a better chance at surviving maybe by letting him get a little bigger first.

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Can I let my snapping turtle go or have I gotten myself into a life-long commitment?

Posted on February 24, 2012 by admin| 4 Comments

Now before I get ripped on for taking him out of his natural habitat, I rescued him from a beyond disgusting trailer filled with beyond disgusting lice-ridden alcoholics with other neglected pets. I mean these people got their water shut off and their poor dogs had to drink pee out of the toilet. I had to use their bathroom (thankfully I made it out without contracting any diseases) and next to the sink was a tiny cereal bowl full of multi-colored slime. I looked closer and saw a little turtle head poking out of the slime and looking up at me. I was horrified and decided to take him. A week later one of their cats crawled out from under the bed and just died so they figured that it swallowed the turtle and died from it. It was already freezing outside so I figured he wouldn’t have a chance if I let him go. He was only the size of a quarter.

So I’ve had him for a little more than two years now. He’s getting bigger and bigger and I’m wondering if he would live if I let him go back into the wild. I really don’t want to give him to anyone because I won’t know how he’s being taken care of. And the nearest zoo (1 hour away) can’t even affort to pay its workers. They aren’t going to take my snapping turtle. It’s not a problem keeping him here right now but pretty soon I am going to have a pool in my kitchen and my Dad isn’t going to like that. So would he be able to live in the wild? I’m thinking not, because he doesn’t have basic survival skills. If he was born with they’ve been pampered right out of him. Am I right or would he be just fine like everyone is telling me?
If he won’t be able to survive then I am for sure keeping him, don’t worry about that. I’ll just have to figure things out as far as what to keep him in as he grows.

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Releasing a box turtle?

Posted on January 21, 2012 by admin| 6 Comments

I rescued a box turtle 12 years ago and I still have him. I want to release him back to the wild in a nice park near my house. He had 2 surgeries of rectal prolapse and recently the vet said it is because he is in captivity so it’s time for him to go back to nature. My question is this, after all this time of ME providing his food, will he be able to survive in the wild? I know they are born with survival skills but I’m wondering if he will be okay? Thank you for your answers in advance.
In the past week he is showing signs of minimal prolapse again but it’s not all the way out like before.
I called the Mesker Zoo in Evansville Indiana to see if they will take Dakota. I have not heard back yet. After reading the posts, I won’t turn him out on his own as he would be lost by himself. Right now he’s walking around the house (he’s small) and getting in to things like a little kid, lol.The backyard structure for him is a good idea.

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Do aquatic turtles eat algae?

Posted on August 4, 2011 by admin| 2 Comments

My turtle spends alot of time scouring away at the bottom of his tank between the meal schedule that I have for him. The only thing down there (to my knowledge) is algae and that’s for the bottom feeders! Since he’s (suppose to be) hibernating I feed him less so that he can get his sleep, but lately, scavenging has become a big hobby. I dont want to over feed him. I dont know what to conclude from this. Am I not feeding him enough. Is there extra food in the tank that I dont know about? Can someone explain what may be going on to me?

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Is it OK to keep a pet turtle?

Posted on June 22, 2011 by admin| 8 Comments

My friend said it’s keeping an animal in captivity in a cage and it’s wrong.

He was telling me that I’m its jail warden.

I said that it’s keeping my turtle safe and fed.

What am I to think?

He told me to set it off free and that it has natural instincts.

From what I’ve read/heard, a domesticated turtle can’t be set free because it doesn’t have the same survival skills of a wild turtle.

What should I do?
My turtle is a red-eared slider. I keep him in a container of water. I would really let him live on a pond, if it was possible.

I got him from those illegal sellers in Chinatown when I was 12.. I didn’t know back then that it was illegal and wrong. I’ve kept him for about 6 years now.

Now my friend is saying that I should set him free because it’s sick that I keep him. He said that if I bring my turtle with me to his place, he would set it free on the creek.

I just feel horrible and the way he said things, I’m pretty much feeling guilty.

He’s the only person who would make me feel bad…..

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