| Turtles can be bought in pet shops or from breeders. | | | | ranched turtles will die from overcrowded conditions, |
| If someone wanted to purchase a turtle, he could go | | | | and ranchers will have to resort to making up the |
| directly to a store, visit the breeders he knows, or | | | | balance by taking even more turtles from the wild. |
| even find online sources. But have you ever asked | | | | Baby red-eared sliders are said to be the biggest |
| yourself where your pet turtles (and the rest of the | | | | number of ranched species raised for export on |
| turtles in pet shops) come from? Have you ever | | | | farms in Louisiana. |
| taken the initiative to find out? Sometimes it helps | | | | 3. Captive-bred Turtles |
| owners-whether prospective, beginning, or | | | | Captive-bred turtles, raised by pet owners or small |
| experienced-to know where the turtles come from, | | | | retailers, are animals caged for a long time, which are |
| to be able to take extra precautions against disease | | | | then mated with other captive turtles. The eggs they |
| or even illegal trading. | | | | lay are then sold through on-line dealers or pet |
| 1. Turtles From Their Original Wild Habitats | | | | stores. |
| Wild turtles are caught to be sold to the pet industry. | | | | 4. Turtle Farming |
| This can be quite an unlucky fate for these turtles. | | | | Turtle farming means that the turtles are born in |
| From the very moment they are captured and taken | | | | captivity and have had 0% exposure to the natural |
| from their natural habitats, stress and fear can cause | | | | environment. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife |
| them terrible consequences. It is not surprising then | | | | Service studies and reports, a very large percentage |
| that some of them die or are injured en route to | | | | of the total turtle importation in the US is almost |
| captivity. In their natural settings, turtles do not | | | | always of animals seized from their wild habitat. |
| follow a fixed time and schedule for their feedings | | | | If you know the source of your pet turtle, the |
| and water consumption. When captured, they may | | | | novice owner should go to his veterinarian to have |
| become lazy or listless. This process of capturing and | | | | his turtle examined. This is especially true for turtles |
| taking turtles from their original environment also | | | | that initially originate in feral locales. These turtles may |
| affects the population of the turtles in the wild, and | | | | carry very serious diseases or illnesses that can be |
| may even present damage to their natural habitat. It | | | | dangerous to you and your loved ones. Remember, |
| has been reported that the search for gopher | | | | turtle ownership should be an enjoyable endeavor for |
| tortoises had unscrupulous turtle collectors wrecking | | | | you and your family. It should never place you or |
| the natural habitats, like rock crevices and bogs, of | | | | your loved ones in danger of compromising your |
| the animals. These actions can greatly damage the | | | | health. You cannot, simply by looking at a turtle, |
| ecosystem as a whole. | | | | determine if it has an illness or is carrying a disease. |
| 2. Ranched Turtles | | | | Only your veterinarian can tell. This is why it is so |
| When wild-caught turtles are raised to a marketable | | | | important to purchase a turtle from a reputable |
| size in captivity, or their eggs or hatchlings sold, we | | | | breeder or store, and to have an independent |
| consider them to be "ranched." At least 10% of adult | | | | examination by your veterinarian. |