What to do with baby painted turtle..

[Seejai]

So I made a mistake and I need help fixing it.

Yesterday I was looking at a house to buy and my parents were there for their input and there was a baby painted turtle just randomly at the side of the house. My step dad talked me into taking it home, as there was no water around and it was near the street.

Now I feel terrible for stealing it from the wild and want to let it go. I told my step dad this (I swear, he's a turtle pusher) and he said it may die since it's disorientated (it finally calmed down, but was initially going nuts in its tank) from the change. I don't know what to do. If I release it, I want to be sure it won't die from my interference. I have other turtles, so it's not like I couldn't take care of it. There is a small fishing pond in town that I think has turtles that I want to release it to. I'd go back where I got it, but that's over an hour away, and in a residential neighborhood. It's only been a day, so I'm fairly certain it hasn't been too long. Please help, I feel horrible..

 

[Seejai]

And by baby it isn't like newly hatched. Maybe 2-2.5 inches big, however old that would be ( a year or so?)

 

[Yvonne G]

It may have been a baby that hatched near a homeowner's back yard pond. Are Painted turtles native to your area? I wouldn't release it, but rather advertise by placing fliers on utility poles in the neighborhood where it was found. Then, if you can't find the owner, set it up in either a pond or an aquarium, and keep it.

As an added thought, it may be illegal to release the turtle.

 

[Seejai]

They are native to my area, and there are a lot of wet lands and ponds in eastern Montana (where I was) so it easily could have been from about a mile out of town or something. I just didn't see anywhere it could hibernate with winter coming! It already has been reaching freezing some nights up here.

 

[Seejai]

I think it's also illegal to kidnap them! I never would if it wasn't indigenous.

 

[Jabuticaba]

If they're native to your area, is there a possibility it can be returned to that area and put back by the nearest pond/late?


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[Seejai]

That's what I prefer to do, since it was wild as of yesterday. I just don't want to shock it by bringing it in a tank, and then putting it in a new pond all within 2 days, as it's small. Do you think it would be ok? I'm finding 4 turtles to be a bit much in my 1 bedroom apartment

 

[Jabuticaba]

That's what I prefer to do, since it was wild as of yesterday. I just don't want to shock it by bringing it in a tank, and then putting it in a new pond all within 2 days, as it's small. Do you think it would be ok? I'm finding 4 turtles to be a bit much in my 1 bedroom apartment

It won't be shocking. They're resilient little things. It'll be just fine.


May
THBs: Darwin & Merlin
Aussies: Dax, Vegas, & Cricket
IG: @AUSSOMEAUSSIES

 

[Seejai]

I'm not 100% sure if there are other turtles in this pond, but probably because there are fish and bugs and ducks. He's adorable, but this is probably best for me and him.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

He'll be okay if he goes back out He IS a wild turtle, and belongs in the pond. If there is a steady food source there, he should be very happy...