Dmmetler Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 He was found in a pool filter. He's maybe the size of a quarter. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 So cute! Is he OK from the pool water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 He seems to be. Reptiles usually tolerate chlorine pretty well, compared to amphibians. Poor little fella. I'm not sure if even the things designed to let frogs out of the pool would work for a turtle since they're so much more ungainly on land. Hoping he's the only hatchling that went in that direction and that the others headed for more natural water. His chance of survival regardless is pretty low, but at least he's now in a place where he has a better chance of surviving than a pool filter! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I love him. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 He'll eventually get to about dinner plate size :). Hard to believe they start out so small! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 He's a cutie. I hope he does well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Forgive my ignorance, will you release him our raise him yourselves for a while? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 DD's mentor has the permits to head start and release water turtles, so he's got a place to go to grow up a bit before he goes back into the wild, which will let DD be actively involved with him. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 LOVE! When I was a kid I had a turtle like that. I named him Touche Turtle and as an adult I always wondered why. This thread made me look it up... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch%C3%A9_Turtle_and_Dum_Dum He also prompted my love for science...after he died we buried him in the yard, and I was compelled a month later to dig him up and investigate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 They used to be really common in the pet trade, but the Ninja Turtles craze led to restrictions on keeping turtles with a shell diameter below 4" in captivity. Small turtles are not only a salmonella risk, but apparently some kids even managed to put them in their mouths and choke on them, so they're considered a choking hazard as well. Which was something I thought only happened in "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing", where Fudge swallows Peter's pet turtle. So you now cannot keep baby turtles unless you're an educational or scientific institution, with appropriate documentation. Although occasionally you still see them sold, illegally. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 They used to be really common in the pet trade, but the Ninja Turtles craze led to restrictions on keeping turtles with a shell diameter below 4" in captivity. Small turtles are not only a salmonella risk, but apparently some kids even managed to put them in their mouths and choke on them, so they're considered a choking hazard as well. Which was something I thought only happened in "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing", where Fudge swallows Peter's pet turtle. So you now cannot keep baby turtles unless you're an educational or scientific institution, with appropriate documentation. Although occasionally you still see them sold, illegally. So, are only smaller turtles a risk for salmonella? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 No, larger ones are as well. Salmonella is in their digestive system naturally (this is the case for other reptiles and amphibians), too-it's simply that larger turtles are usually not kept as indoor pets, especially by young children who are likely to be touching the animal and then putting fingers in their mouths. It also drastically increased the cost of pet turtles and tortoises because now someone who wants to legally sell them has to raise them for about a year to get to that size (and by that size they need about a 40 gallon enclosure each) and that's a lot more expensive than selling babies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakeside Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Interesting! Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 He is so cute! Turtles are my very mostest favorite animal ever!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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