Experts say wild box turtles as pets is a bad idea - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
(CNN) – As the temperatures warm up in the summer, people like to spend more time outdoors and many animals and reptiles are doing the same.
Conservationists are informing the public that if they would come across a wild box turtle, they should leave it alone and not keep it as a pet.
"We can tell who is who we all have nicknames for them all," said Joanna Prosser at the Walden's Puddle Wildlife Center.
Joanna Prosser is passionate about taking care of animals.
"I wish I could find Mr. Handsome," said Prosser.
As the animal care director of Walden's Puddle Wildlife Center, she sees people taking wild box turtles and turning them into pets.
"And they come out in the spring and summer," said Prosser. "You can't take any turtle that's less than four inches and so these are two regulations."
All the turtles in a Nashville encampment are the ones that the owners didn't want anymore.
A turtle named Kenny keeps his staff entertained and is the only one kept inside a tank.
"He isn't able to box up completely since he was raised as a pet and didn't get the proper nutrition. His shell didn't form properly," said Prosser.
Prosser also stated important information that people should not make them a pet, even though children may beg their parents to keep the one from their backyard.
"They need very specific food lighting, heating, they have specific requirements, and you don't want to take in an animal that you're not confident you can care for properly," said Prosser.
These turtles can also make people sick.
"So turtles do carry salmonella and that is contagious to humans," said Prosser.
It is not a great idea to re-release them into a new environment because of their homing instinct.
"They will spend more time just trying to find their way back home. In that process, they are more likely to be hit by cars or come across railroad tracks, things that will ultimately kill them," said Debbie Sykes, Director of Nashville Wildlife Conservation.
"Their populations are declining across the united states for reasons such as habitat destruction, fragmentation being moved around, and spreading diseases to populations that would otherwise be healthy," said Prosser.
Prosser knows that these turtles play an important role in the environment and we need to help them thrive. If we provide the help these turtles need then they could be around for some more generations.
"Appreciate wildlife, show your kids, help them appreciate it," said Sykes.
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