yellow-bellied slider

Question
Hello,  

I live in North Carolina, in a subdevelopment with a pond and open field at its center. Two weeks ago, my kids and I found a two-inch long turtle in the gutter of our street, moving away from the pond. It was lethargic and looked dried out. It has a yellow belly and yellow markings, and we've been told it's a yellow-bellied slider. We created an outdoor habitat, filling a large plastic container (4" * 2") with water, rocks, and algae from the pond. We put pieces of earthworm, romaine lettuce, and tiny bits of fruit in the enclosure. We've also bought commercial turtle food. The turtle is very active now. This week, the same thing happened: we found an identical turtle, also in the gutter of our street. We put this one in the enclosure as well.It has been eating and moving around. My questions are:

1) Is it a risk to put these two turtles together (would baby turtles get aggressive?)
2) My daughter is enthusiastically learning about these turtles - doing research, checking books out from the library, etc. Do you think it is a problem to keep them in this enclosure for a few weeks, and then release them?
3) Any ideas about where we should release them?
4) Any care tips?

OK that's four questions - not one. I'd be interested to hear any feedback you can offer.

Thanks.

Krista

Answer
Hello Krista, the most likely thing that happened, is they have hatched and the mother and obviously a father too, are already residing in the pond. The babies must fend for themselves and if there is not enough room for all of them then the youngsters must leave.

I will go backwards and answer your last question first.

4) Care tips? The care of a Yellow Belly Slider is very similar if nto identicle to that of the Red Ear Slider and this site is the best for that information:
http://redearslider.com

3) As for releasing him I suggest you find an animal control or something similar and contact them about it. You are not supposed to keep wild caught turtles or release captive turtles. But they do need to be safely relocated. An animal control or wildlife conservation should be able to help you with this. And find an area where its safe for them

2) I don't beleive any body should take turtles or any animal out of the wild for their own interest, unless the animal was in danger, ill, or injured. But for a short while and because you have such a large area, it should be OK for now, as long as they can leave if they want too.

1) Baby turtles are for the most part not aggressive, but there is a chance they will fight over food or territory, but because you have such a large area for them I don't think there should be a problem until they are older (but you say you are planning to release them) so as long as they can leave if they want they should be fine

I suggest removing any algea, it may be in their environment before and commonly found for them in the wild but it can also be dangerous if there is any not so good bacteria.

I hope that covers everything,
good luck
Yexalen