Discussions with Zharphyn

Too many people purchase those adorable baby turtles at their pet shop without any knowledge of the species. People do not seem to realize that baby turtles will grow up to be adult turtles, with a corresponding size increase. One of the more common species of pet turtles, the Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) will grow to be up to 12″ in diameter. These elegant creatures are relatively easy to care for, if you know what you are doing.

Unfortunately, too many people do no research before purchasing one, relying instead upon the knowledge of the pet store staff. Do people not realize that pet store staff are underpaid, and typically possess little knowledge beyond their own experiences. I was at a local pet store recently where I saw “Turtle Starter Kits” for sale. The kit was a ten gallon aquarium with filter and heater, and included a baby Red-Eared Slider. As I was laughing to myself about the stupidity of this package, a man and his son picked one up with the intention of purchasing for the eight year old boy to raise. I quickly asked the man what he knew about how to care for the turtle, and he implied that he assumed it was similar to a fish. When I informed him that while the ten gallon aquarium would be an adequate sized house for the turtle today, it would very quickly outgrow its environment and require a much bigger aquarium very soon. He asked how long I thought the ten gallon would be big enough, and I responded “less than a year”. I told him that the turtle requires sufficient swimming space in relation to its size, and as the turtle grows, its space requirements will increase. He wound up putting the kit back on the shelf, and suggested to his son that they find a different animal. I found the nearest salesperson, and I asked who had put together the kit. He told me that it was the store owner that had assembled the kit. I asked if he knew how big the turtles would grow, and he responded that the kit is supposed to be just to get you started, and that you would need to purchase larger capacity equipment over time.

It is attitudes like this that have led many places to change and create laws to deal with the sale of turtles. In 1975, U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of turtle eggs and turtles with a carapace length of less than 4 inches, although a loophole in the FDA regulation allows turtles under 4 inches to be sold “for bona fide scientific, educational, or exhibitional purposes, other than use as pets. The State of Maine just changed their laws to specifically ban the sale of Red-Eared Sliders. Too many people release their turtle into the wild when they outgrow their homes. Most ponds and lakes near where I live have a population of Red-Eared Sliders, and they are not an indigenous species to this area. They are becoming viewed as an invasive species. The Red-eared Slider is banned in Australia because of the threat the species poses to wildlife. Anyone that keeps or breeds Red-eared Sliders could face fines of more than $100,000 or five years’ jail.

Remember, pets are forever. You should never accept an animal that you do not know how to care for through its entire lifespan.

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