New baby wild turtle

by Samantha Krause
(NY)

Who is this?

Who is this?

First off... its a baby obviously...my dad had found it yesterday on the road and brought it home to me. supposedly there were tons of them the other day due to rain in a marshy area at a family friends house.. I believe its a Midland Painted Turtle (not entirely sure if you know please tell me)... i put it in a at least a foot 1/2 by foot plastic food container (not the one in the picture) i put rocks for sitting on some grass some mud so he couldn't fall in between the rocks and a turtle food dish (and my dad bought me natural box turtle zoo med food hasn't eaten any yet.)? i also put little bits of fish in there. i put water on the bottom also at least a half inch. i don't have a 'lamp' yet the water gets kinda chilly. nor do i have a filter or tank yet. do i need a filter and lamp? i put him next to the window for some light. i sometimes take out the water with a baster thing and put warmer water in....i have noticed that he hasn't eaten anything yet, or at least i didn't see...and he likes the scratch at the side like he wants to get out.....I'm kinda nervous because i don't know what exactly to do with him...i know I'm not putting him back in the wild only because hes way to tiny hes like the size of a quarter a tad bigger. and i will probably end up getting attached to him and not releasing him. but yes i gave as much as i could pick out......please write back and please tell me what else i should do and everything detail in between thank you! :)

Comments for New baby wild turtle

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May 24, 2012
 dude
by: Anonymous

you should have left it there i have a rescued painted turtle you should feed him or her meal worms on reptomin for babies and you need to keep the water at least 85 degrees and you need a basking light and and basking dock and you should get a 20 gallon or larger tank with some minnows that are smaller thin the turtle in there just in case you for get to feed him/her and you should also get a in tank heater and you should keep that water and 5 to 8 inches untill he gits at least 1 and a half inches and just to let you know keeping turtles are realy espinsive a bout 100-200 dollers the first month an then 20 dollers here and there for filter cartridges and new basking buld you shou,ld not use floresent bulbs they donot amet heat so they will git sick and die because they nooe the heat to digest properly sorry i an realy bad at spelling on computers a try to type fast but it screws me up
Apr 26, 2012
 to answer :
by: Anonymous

Its an eastern painted.
Feb 07, 2012
 Baby wild turtles should stay wild
by: Anonymous

You should have returned this baby to the wild it has a better chance for survival there. They are designed to be able to fend for themselves. You don't know better than mother nature. It is also usually illegal to take home a wild animal. It's probably too late for this baby since it was probably fed improper diet and insufficient lighting can kill it too.
Jun 02, 2011
 found turtles
by: Anonymous

In most places, you are not allowed to capture wild animals and keep them. For that reason alone, it's a good idea to put it back where you found it.

You would also want to do that because you don't know exactly what you have, so you don't know how to treat it. If it's a turtle, it may need meat or fish, for example.

Please put it back so it can be happy. You can enjoy it in the wild.
May 28, 2011
 New Turtle
by: Dee

I was walking this morning and almost stepped on a turtle. I brought him home put him in a plastic container put a little grass, lettuce and water but he hasn't eaten any of it. I am not sure why his mouth look locked shut. This is my first turtle what should I do.
May 22, 2011
 baby turtle
by: sue

i had 2 baby turtles that size but they were snappers. i fed them a little turtle food in their water so it floats,make sure u have a big enough dish for him to move around and about an inch of water in it. he will eat and drink. they like to swim and soak besides being in dirt.make sure the dish isn't to high so he can get out on his own. in the water u can put a stone in it so he can climb on it,and also in the dirt. go to the pet store and get some meal worms and wax worms and see if he will eat them,i know he will when he gets older.u won't be able to put him back in the wild because he will get used to u and wouldn't be able to take care of himself. if u ever deside u want to find him a home,there are rescue centers around that would keep him. good luck and let me know how it's going.

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