Tokapeli wrote:well i hope you catch and release, i dont think its very cool to take a happy little turtle from his natural environment and life of freedom just to put him in a glass box in the living room for your own entertainment. If you want a hatchling, why dont you rescue a captive hatchling from its horrible living conditions? we all know theres thousands of hatchlings out there that are alreadly captive with horrible living conditions, and they are probably cheaper than a net.
Totally agree, cant stand it when people think its ok to take a happy turtle thats in the wild, and turn it into a show piece (put in a small glass tank), I'm sure the new owner would think its fine, prolly would catch more to let the turtles have more friends, but when the owner and turtles get older, the owner will be looking to spend $50. to get everything, but it will actually cost more than $500. for the bottom end stuff (used tank, decent filter, basking lights, not to mention the food). What alot of new turtles owners dont understand is, that alot of turtles do not get along with other turtles, yea, sure, while there young, there cute and so harmless, but when they get older, you will see the damage they can do to there life long friends. Not sure what the laws are in your state or city, but I think it should be illegal to take a healthy turtle out of the wild, even if you were to move it to your pond.
Also, what alot of people still dont understand is, if you take something (a wild turtle) from the wild, and keep it as a pet, you cant bring it back when your done with it, thats like cutting the fins off a fish in the ocean, cant be even near 20% chance the the turtle will survive, even for a month in the wild.
Not trying to come off a d***/mean.
The way I look at most wild life, is that if you wouldnt want somebody to catch you and make you a pet (and possibly thrown away because your owner doesnt want you anymore), then dont do it to a wild animal/reptile, a