Yet another new RES rescue

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Shelly

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I read in a post in the Adoption forum that Craig's list is a good place to find free turts. So on a whim I checked it out, and sure enough.... This family was selling a 9 year old Slider with his little 5 gallon aquarium for $10.
I emailed and told him I would take the turt for free, and he could keep the aquarium. Happily, he agreed. They lived just 2 miles away so 10 minutes later I was picking up my new buddy.

Meet "Tito".
tito.jpg


His shell is a little funky and his skin complexion is so light green, probably from never being in the sun ever. My other Sliders skin is almost black.
When I threw him in the pond he IMMEDIATELY (literally, within 4-5 seconds) starting tearing up the plants. I thought that was amazing, because he had been fed nothing but reptomin his entire life, I don't know how he even recognized the plants as a food source so instantaneously.
Anyhow, he's great, and has a really nice disposition. He's definitely a male, which is cool because he may be my only one out of the 6 Sliders in the pond. I only had babies once, and that was about 8 years ago.when I got a female that was already pregnant. I would love to get another clutch.
 
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Maggie Cummings

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I appreciate the fact that you indeed saved this little slider, but I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that RES are like feral cats in that they breed and breed and for instance they have so taken over the habitat of the Western Pond turtle that the pond turtle is now a threatened species. Then the next thing is you didn't quarantine this new turtle you didn't run a fecal on him. If he's carrying certain pathogens or parasites he's now giving them to your resident colony.You should always quarantine a new animal for at least 6 months. And the first thing you should have done was run a fecal. RES are so over bred that the turtle rescues are full of them and most won't take a slider in anymore...ownership of them is against the law in several states Oregon being just one of them. I know that watching a turtle make a nest and hatching out the babies is just plain fun, but it is irresponsible when we are talking about RES.
I don't mean any disrespect and I don't mean to take the fun out of getting that turtle, but now you know what is happening to them and I am hoping that you will do the responsible thing and smash any eggs laid by your females. Or separate male and female.
Think about this... one female RES can have 3 to 5 clutches a year, each clutch will have 10 to 15 eggs in it. So worst case senerio 50 little RES will hatch out a year from only one turtle. Now multiply that by all the female RES around and the number of hatchlings is astronomical. As they grow they will be mistreated and many end up homeless...This is just something for you to think about.
Any responsible turtle keeper will not allow RES to breed, and if you were to smash the eggs within 48 hours of laying they are not little turtles yet, they are still just yolk...I just want you to be informed so now you know...:) I am NOT trying to be mean, just informative.
 

Shelly

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I don't have the facilities to quarantine him for 6 months, that just isn't practical. If I could find a Vet in my area that charged less than $100 just to walk in the front door, I would consider the tests, but once again, not very practical.
 

bettinge

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It will be fun to see if his colors change after a month or two in the sun, and more wild setting! Please post an update later!
 

terryo

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I also just rescued a 9 year old RES. Only difference is that mine is the size of a 50 cent piece. She was never fed and was in a 1 gal. plastic tank with 1/2 in. of dirty water...no light...nothing. They used to go on vacation for two weeks and just leave it in a dark house. Disgusting! They bought it for $5 in China Town NY. The poor thing never grew and her shell is deformed. So if you do have babies, please find responsible homes for them and give them a care sheet along with their hatchling.
MY poor little girl could hardly walk her little legs were so skinny...she wobbled. She still cannot swim.
Could you believe this baby is 9 years old???? Compare with your RES.
007-11.jpg
 

bettinge

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OMG Terry, that is so sad! Odd how one tort will survive years of negelct and another will die in a palace because it wont eat.
 

dreadyA

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Glad to hear you saved him but yes, when I bought my baby sliders they came with RI and infected the one i already had,and I had a hard time dealing with them. One died and the others are clear or infection.
But not even a week later, my mother brought home an adult male that was in a 1 gallon BUCKET. my gf was kind enough to take him in and hes as happy as can be. Good luck. Btw males love to harass the females until they give in
 

Shelly

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So far he's doing just great. Very shy at first, it took him a few weeks before he was even brave enough to bask. Now that he is starting to figure out that I am "The food God' as Yvonne puts it, he is becoming a little braver when I am around. He is starting to shed his scutes as well, so he is starting to look a bit nicer too.
I gave him a good checking over when I got him. It was obvious that he was pretty healthy. I had no concerns about putting him in with the others.
 

dmmj

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I told you craiglist was a great place to find unwanted turtles and tortoises. I rescue RES all the time from craiglist but I do not let mine breed they lay the eggs in the water and then they eat them. The little 50 cent size ones are kept in horrible conditions here in chinatown, and every so often the humane society confiscates them and then contacts the C.T.T.C to find homes for them the problem is that they usually give us like 500 to 1000 at a time. So they often arrive to us very very sick.unfortunatly the survival rate once we get the sick ones are usually below 50%.
 
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