About Chelsey Expertise I can answer questions on specifically Anoles, Iguanas, and Red Eared Sliders. I also know about tree frogs, but only feeding and keeping them healthy, not breeding or sexing. I can answer questions on most turtles/tortoises, lizards, frogs, and fish(in the fish section, please!) I don't know much about snakes, but I can give some questions a good shot. I know about sexing and breeding with the species I specified before, but probably not with others. I can, however, give good tips on feeding, housing, and caring for most reptiles.
Experience I have been around reptiles since I was very little and know how to take care of them. I know all about the certain types of lighting and calcium needed to prevent bone deformities, and the correct diet for reptiles(and frogs!) I can give good tips on breeding with some species, and help differenciate males from females, and how to take care of the young and the eggs. I also know about certain hibernation needs.
Education/Credentials I am still in school, but don't let that fool you. I am very confident and experienced with reptiles, and know the answers to most questions. I don't just impulse buy pets, I research them and get their home set up before hand. I raise my pets so they live happily and healthy their whole lives, and don't hesitate on spending money for them. I think I can help many people with their questions, and help them raise their pets successfully.
**PLEASE!!** I love answering people's questions, but it really is aggrevating when I spend a long time typing up an answer to someone's question and they never read the response. If you aren't going to check for an answer, please don't waste my time. If you will read the answer, then feel completely free to ask!!!!
Reptiles - Releasing a painted turtle back into the wild.
Expert: Chelsey - 9/21/2006
Question
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I accidentally sent this the old question without asking a follow-up, sorry.
One last question - If we decide to keep Murray, should we get a 2nd turtle of the same type from the pet store to give him some companionship? They are little guys the size of a siver dollar. Or am I being ridiculous, and turtles don't really need "friends" to be happy. If we keep him I don't want him to be lonely. Thanks again!
Followup To
Question -
My question: Is it safe to release a painted turtle into our community's lake after having it for 4 months (it was originally obtained from a drained pond in the wild - it was saved because no water existed nearby).
We obtained the painted turtle from a friend whose retention pond was drained by the builder after it was no longer needed. We set up an aquarium with all the right equipment (a basking light, a light to keep his shell hard, water, basking rocks, etc.) He's seems to be happy and healthy, but feel he should be in the wild since that's where he came from.
Although we've been feeding him purchased food (food sticks, krill, mini dried shrimp,and aquatic grasses),he's also had a supply of 3 dozen feeder guppies on a weely basis which he quickly chases and gobbles down. I've also kept in the tank a tablet which fights common fungus and bacteria. I believe "Murray" is quite healthy.
The size of the community lake is approximatley 30 acres with water quality periodically monitored to ensure its healthy for fish and vegetation. I've seen a few painted turtles in the past.
"Murray" is approximately 3 to 3 1/2 inches long and appears to be a young adult as he has red squiggly lines on the side of his neck. I understand that juveniles do not have the red lines.
We live in a part of Pennsylvania which borders on Delaware and Maryland, so our climate is not harsh. Current temps are around 73 degrees.
Is it okay to release him at this point? Or has he become too domesticated in these past 4 months to ensure his survival in the wild?
Thanks!!
Answer -
Hey Candy (love the name!),
Cool, another pennsylvanian! (I'm in upper bucks.)
You can definatly release the little guy, especially if you have seen other painted turtles in the same lake. It might take some adjusting, but believe me it can be done.
The first thing you need to do is slowly lessen the amount of store bought food until you don't give him any (if he isn't fed that much of it you could just stop feeding it to him altogether, but you probably want to get rid of some of the food before releaseing him just so you don't have to waste it in the garbage).
Replace it all with live fish, like guppies, and another good idea is to try to get some minnows for him, and even some larger fish that are closer to his size. He will need to be a very good hunter when you release him into the wild, or he won't catch any food. You can get the minnows either from a bait shop, pet store (if they sell them), or you can catch them.
A good way to catch some is to get an old window screen and put it under water. Then, drop really small bread crumbs on the surface above the screen under water. Once the minnows are swimming above the screen, simply pull up the screen. Put all of the minnows into a bucket with water. This works better in more shallow water because that is where minnows live and because it is easier to pull up the screen with out them swimming away first.
You will also have to try to let him see less and less of you as you feed him and try to get him to not see humans as a food source. Once you get him to the water, put him on the bank next to the water and let him swim in on his own. He will check out his surroundings, and eventually almost sprint into the water. They know that they are wild once they check out everything. I had to do something similar with a turtle I found in the middle of the road, and he competely remembered everything after I kept him for around a year (I wanted to wait until he was bigger, he was pretty young.)
If you want to keep him, feel free to! He won't be happier in either place really, the only two differences are:
1. In your tank he can't breed, which is pretty good for turtles because it is part of their lifestyle. But it's not that big of a deal.
2. In the wild, you can't be sure he will get enough food and that he will hibernate, but he probably will, especially since he was originally from the wild.
Honestly, if you wanted to keep him he would have a happy life, especially since you bought all of the right stuff already. It's really up to you, if you want to release him but want a pet turtle, you could always buy another type at a store or rescue one from a shelter or rescue center. You could probably find free ones online that people can't keep anymore.
Also, www.turtlesale.com has a great turtle selection, from anything cheap (red eared sliders, around maybe $15 each, but cheaper if you get more than one) to really expensive (two headed turtles, river cooters, african turtles, huge snappers ((I don't reccomend these monsters!!)) and all kinds of other stuff. Some turtles are in the thousands!!!) it's a cool website though, check it out even if you don't want to buy one!
Good luck with everything! Send me another message telling me how everything went! Feel free to ask any more questions!
Best wishes, Chelsey
Answer Hey Candy
Haha, yeah I read the message you accidentally sent and I was thinking to myself, "Is there anything new about this??" It's okay, I've done it quite a few times!
It's up to you if you want to get him a friend, but if you do you will want to get another one in the near future, otherwise he will be too big compared to the ones you can get at the store. Right now, they would be close enough in size that it wouldn't matter. But, for example, if you waited until he was six inches long, the size difference would be so big that the little one wouldn't get as much food and might get bullied. They also most likely won't be friendly to each other because of the age difference.
If you get one now, they will probably be really close. My turtles always swim together, sleep together and hunt fish together. I got two one summer, and then two more the next summer. So, buying another turtle will give him a buddy, but you don't need to buy another one to make him happy, he would be just as happy alone. If you or the kids want another turtle, then feel free to get one. They won't fight and should get along fine, but if you don't want one you don't need one. Another one will make your tank messier.
You weren't being ridicuous at all!! One of my mottos are that there are no stupid questions... the way I see it is not asking questions limits your knowledge about things you want to know about. Feel free to ask me any questions you have in the future!
