General Care Discussion :: ILLEGAL

[Love of Animals]

I hope you don't see any turtles either. I know what you mean about people not listening. Even on forums they ask for advice and when given they get snippy. Have a happy vacation.

[sflemin2]

Thats true. Well I will keep an eye out and ATTEMPT to report them.. I am sure it wont do anything but its worth a shot.

[Miss Tee]

sflemin2--I feel ya. My route goes by these pinheads every day, and I have to look the other way.

[sswbeanie]

I just adopted a turtle 12 days ago from the shelter I volunteer at. Someone called and said they "found a turtle in the park" and wanted to turn it over to the shelter. Considering that when I picked it up at the shelter it was in it's little rectangular tank with a handful of colorful pebbles and barely enough water to submerge in, i suspect that the real story is that he was an illegal chinatown turtle, and his person got bored of him when they realized they needed to clean his tank. He was about 1 1/4 inches. The water was also incredibly disgusting.

I have him in a set up that is better for now, but still not ideal. He has two bricks stacked as his basking platform, with a third brick as an under water resting spot. He likes to sleep there, in the corner where the lower brick, side of the basking brick, and the wall meet, with just his nose above water. His water is about 4 inches deep. The first time he got in and realized he had room to swim, he seemed genuinely happy! Considering his habitat is sub-optimum, that he has eaten for me since day 1 and if I am quiet enough he will sometimes even let me watch him bask, and it's only been 12 days, I think he is satisfied for now.

He has a lamp on his basking spot for heat. I still need to get UVB lighting, but since my plan is to get a 20 gallon tank for him next month, I was thinking of waiting to get one appropriate for that set up. My other option, which I'm really considering, is setting up a better system for him as cheaply as possible, potentially in a 10 gallon and then when I get my bonus in the winter, getting him set up really nicely with a 40 gallon that should last at least a few years.

[steve]

You can find storage containers between 40-60 gallons, so that might be the cheapest way to house him. They can't be completely filled with water, but he'll have plenty of room until you can be certain of his gender and pick out a "final" tank to upgrade to.

[Miss Tee]

getting him set up really nicely with a 40 gallon that should last at least a few years.

HA!!! try 6 months if it turns out to be a girl!!

[sflemin2]

Back from the beach! I only saw turtles at one beach shop. They were mostly selling the little frogs :/

[steve]

Saw a snake in a deathbowl for sell in Chinatown

[Trevor's_Mom]

Steve- "deathbowl"?

Sswbeanie- aw, thanks for sharing your pics. I look at my Trevor now and can't believe he was ever that small. It's nice to be reminded- i really wish I took more pics of him as he was growing up those first few months/years.

[steve]

Those are small containers with very little water.

[Zova Dot]

Its not like it would help. I cant even get people who already have turtles to listen. They think "look at this big 10 gallon tank I got her! She even as a rock to sit on!" ..urrggg. I am really hoping I dont see any turtles this year

Wait.. A ten gallon tank is too small??

[sflemin2]

Its better than the last turtle abuse thread about how they sell turtles in little plastic bags on keychains in china

[steve]

Ugh, I forgot about that. Though I do remember there was some outrage in China about it too, hopefully people came to their senses.

[sflemin2]

Oh good.. I hope that you are right. That picture haunts me . Ignorance is bliss.

[redforman]

So so sad. A little bit off topic here but not so much.. I went to a Chinese Restaurant last week, and they have always had a turtle that lives in this fountain. I was getting ready to leave and I was talking to the turtle which I believe was a yellow bellied slider about 7 or 8 inches.. and he started swimming towards me and I would've petted him but I was a little iffy about losing a finger lol but I noticed he was missing his right paw and he had absolutly no place to get out of the water and dry or bask at all. They had nothing for this poor turtle. Made me so so sad, I think he was trying to tell me to take him home with him and if I could've snatched him and hid him in my purse I would've. Why are some people so mean and just ignorant to want to look up and actually take care of the animal that they have. Poor poor turtle