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New Wild Red Bellied Turtle

22 16:17:37

Question
Kids just found a little (nickel sized) turtle out at the pond.  What do I do first?  What should I feed him since he's so little?  Do I need a big tank right away?  Do I need a heat lamp like tonight?  Help!!  Oh, he's a red bellied cooter.

Answer
What you do is take it back in my honest opinion. I speak for the welfare of the animal, not personal whims to keep wildlife. I am a reptile rescuer, and dead set against kids taking things from the wild in order to kill them. That is usually what happens in 90% of the cases. Most captured baby turtles don't make it the first year in inexperienced hands. However, in the wild this turtle may live 20 or more years. That is another thing to consider. Reptiles require some amount of skill and at least a couple hundred dollars in initial setup costs.

Yes, you will need stuff tonight, including not only a basking lamp and an aquarium of 30 gallon or larger ( just to start ), but a UVB lamp which is going to cost you about $40 right there. He will also need filtration rated for about twice the size of the tank, because aquatic turtles produce a lot of waste and the water will stay dirty and smelly all the time without a nice power filter. It will also breed fungi and bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella unless kept clean. Expect about $30 or more there. In addition, a tank heater will be in order to keep the water temp up too, not to mention any tank decor, rocks or other material to make him a dry basking area that he will need to dry off, food, and water treatment/dechlorinator products. Most people are unwilling to spend this kind of money and instead, go cheap. If you are cheap with this turtle and don't buy the proper stuff, you will kill him or cause him to grow up with metabolic related deformities that may eventually kill him. That's another reason why I say its best to let him go where he knows how best to take care of himself from instinct. His chances are very slim with children in captivity.

The things you need to consider first are: ( 1 ) are you willing to spend about $200 right now ( yes, much of it tonight ); and ( 2 ) are you ready to commit to 20-30 years or more with this animal, including future vet fees at an exotic animal veterinarian? Respiratory illness and parasites from wild turtles are common, so a vet trip is probably going to be in order sooner or later.

These turtles also grow rapidly in their first few years, and he will eventually grow to the size of a dinner plate. When he gets that big, he is going to need an outdoor pond enclosure or a very large indoor aquarium. You can't keep an aquatic turtle that big in a small tank. Release is not going to be an option later either, after you have held him in captivity long term, and you can't hardly pay people money to take a big grown aquatic turtle. I know, I deal with this everyday.   

See my rescue website below for more information about keeping wild reptiles, then get back to me with your decision. If you are unmoved by reason and still want you children to keep something from the wild when it will probably die, then get back to me and I will do what I can. But, I am first for teaching children respect for the wildlife by leaving them be, and THEN teaching them to find a captive raised or rescued animal that needs a home instead - AFTER doing some responsible research on the animal and buying what it needs FIRST.   

http://www.freewebs.com/wichitafallsreptilerescue/reptilesaspets.htm