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About two weeks ago, one of my dogs brought me a tiny RES he'd found. We put him in a plastic container with a well-lit basking rock and he is eating well and moving around quite a bit. He has really endeared himself to us with his blend of shyness and curiosity! Here is my dilemma: I've read many, many articles about the needs of these fellows as they grow and I'm really concerned that I won't be able to provide that down the road when he is much larger. It's like the old Easter Bunny syndrome and I just don't want to do that to him or to us. Is he young enough that I can release him back into the wild? If so, does he need to be released where he was found? Is it too late in the year (I'm in Dallas, Texas and our evenings are really cooling off)?

I'd sure appreciate feedback from some experts! We want to do the right thing for him.

was it in the wild when u found it?

well, it depends

my mom found mine in her pool and she gave it to me.... I've had it for a;most 7months and i love it.
you can get a few things from the pet short to start building the habitat.
is totally up to you if you want to release or not.... let me know if you need help and advice on what to buy prior to going to the pet shop...

If RES are a native species were you live, you should release it, if not try to keep it or donete it to someone who will take good care of it.

Yes, he was in the wild, but he was some distance from the creek that runs behind my store and I wonder if a bird may have dropped him because there was another baby turtle carcass in the area. I'd like to release him in another creek that is more accessible ... is there a good/bad time of day? Should I be concerned about the weather? I'd love to keep him but, as I said, I don't have room for even a 50 gallon tank and my yard is the size of a postage stamp so an outdoor pond is out of the question.

if I were you, I would take him back to the place where you thought he came from. So he is just a little baby? Hmmm. I think maybe I would donate him instead so that you know he will survive.

Where would I donate him?

You could overwinter him (I don't know how harsh your winters are) and release him in the spring. Just don't let him get use to you (give him a lot of attention) and keep handling to a minimum. You can feed some pellets (like Reptomin Baby), but concentrate also on foods he'd be more likely to find in the wild (worms, crickets, etc.). It's up to you.

I'm in Dallas, Texas. I would say our winters are mild though we do get ice and snow occasionally. Our evenings right now are in the mid to low sixties and still in the 80's most afternoons. I was concerned that if he hibernates, it might be too late for him to get settled. I don't think he is used to us but certainly he must be growing dependent on a steady source of food. What would YOU do?? If I release him now, are his chances slim?

It's a tough call. If you are certain that you can't take care of it and the place where you want to release it supports wild RES, then I'd let it go.

steve wrote:It's a tough call. If you are certain that you can't take care of it and the place where you want to release it supports wild RES, then I'd let it go.

I second this.

If you can care for him, then I'd overwinter him.

Certainly in the short term I can take of him. Actually, it's the point where he gets to be 6 or 7 inches that I'm worried about. I have a 30 gallon tank to put him in but it sounds like at maturity the best option is an outdoor pool. I wouldn't mind at all keeping him to that point if I thought it would be easy to find a home but it doesn't seem likely. Correct me if I'm wrong! I'm actually relieved you advise overwintering him because he is doing so well and I hate putting him outside when the weather is so dicey. Btw, when you say worms, do you mean earthworms? As in fish bait?

Overwinter means to keep him over the winter and let him go in the spring when the weather is better and food source is more plentiful. If he's tiny now, he won't be anywhere near 6 or 7 inches by spring. But don't get attached to him--- keeping reminding yourself about how you won't be able to provide for him when he's bigger. Don't even think about an outdoor pool, he's going back into the wild. Keep him isolated from people. (When I overwintered two hatchlings a few years ago, I even kept the side of the tank facing the door covered so that they wouldn't get used to seeing me enter the room.) You can feed some pellets, but think about food he would eat in the wild (yes, earthworms are good---since he's small, you may have to cut them into pieces).

Make sure he's got a UVB light as well as a basking light, clean water that's kept at about 78F. You want to release him healthy. You may have to put some money into providing him with a good temporary habitat.

Think about a good place to release him in the spring, one that you know has other RES.

I vote release. He is from the wild and that is where he belongs, it is his place in this world. Nature will sort him out, which is what happens to us all. There are many captive bred turtles who aren't accustomed to living in the wild who need homes, if you want a pet turtle. Just my two cents.

-Spike