Turtle

[Mak]

Anyone know where I can get a small turtle??? Not looking for the little tiny green one.. Is for a kids b-day, and he wanna a small turtle..

Thanks

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

The shop across from where you work used to sell plastic toy ones :tongue1:

Anyone know where I can get a small turtle??? Not looking for the little tiny green one.. Is for a kids b-day, and he wanna a small turtle..

Thanks

 

[Mak]

how do u know where I work wingo, you been stalking me?? I know you have couple of them, did they laid any eggs?
Seriously, you know where I can get them?? I need a small one.. Is it safe to get those in chinatown? or how about the Brazilian green turtle, I know 71st on 18th ave. they said they will be getting it two weeks from now, but then that's too late..

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Mine just recently got couple mates to choose. Don't know if they make out or not. I did not make the sand tank for them yet so I guess they won't be laying eggs.

 

[CadetMKultra]

I used to have 4 turtles, but I gave them away, in order to become a Merchant Mariner. Understand, that since the early 1970's, it has been illegal to sell or own a turtle with an under 4 inch carapace length. Also understand that most easily available turtles will grow quite large, don't like to be touched by people, and produce TONS of uneaten food an poop. Also, if well cared for, your turtle will live between 25 and 150 or so years depending on the species. That said, turtles can be wonderful. The law was meant to stop kids from getting turtles that they would want to touch, so that kids wouldn't catch salmonella from them. A preponderance of turtles carry salmonella, and since kids are lousy about washing their hands, they often catch it from cute little turtles that are fun to touch. The only ones you can get at such a small size are usually Red Eared Sliders. They are of course sold illegally on the sidewalk in Chinatown.

The upside of the illegally small turtles, is that they are bread for the pet trade. The unintended consequence of the 4 inch law is that it was no longer worth breeding turtles for the pet trade, so now all of the turtles that are sold legally are wild-caught. Thought I might help make an informed decision. Are you sure your kid couldn't be satisfied with one of those African Aquatic frogs or something?

 

[Killerdrgn]

I have a legal sized male red eared slider I kind of want to get rid of. I already have a couple and seriously threes a crowd in the tank. It does have some slight shell deformities though, should go away as it gets older and larger. It's 5 years old approxiamately.

 

[Mak]

DO you have a pic of it??? and how big is it? Thanks

 

[e.muehlbauer]

Its illegal to sell turtles under 4", but it is not illegal to own them. So if you buy a hatchling Chinatown (or Flushing) turtlet you cannot get into trouble. Many of these hatchlings have not been under the best care...I used to have a student who sold them on Canal St during the summer...he said they were really cared for terribly, and was surprised that any survived. That said, if you buy one, and it survives, you will soon find yourself with a big turtle! The nickel sized baby I bought my son 5 years ago on Main st. is now a foot long...and since its a female, its still growing...and will continue to do so. My wife bought a baby slider (not a redear...a cooter) as a kid....that turtle is still alive and well (and big!) at my mother-in-laws house...35 years and counting!

 

[nanoreefer22]

Me and my gf bought our RES's from chinatown at the end of May last year. One of them had problems eating, well she wasn't eating while the other loved eating. We were scared that it was gonna die, but i tried and tried all I could to get her to eat and she did. In a year I'm stunned at how much they grown. They've gone from the size of half dollars to shells that are 4 inches across and their probably 6 inches long. Lets hope I dont have two girls, cause thats gonna call for a much bigger tank.

All in all our $12 investment was a worthwhile one, the turtles for some reason can make us happy when we're sad. Just because they go so crazy for food when they see us. Losers I know, but it does make us happy lol.

 

[Killerdrgn]

Here's the male turtle that I have, he's probably about 5 - 6 inches.

Yeah some of these photos kinda suck