Your top 3 most neglected turtle/tortoise in the hobby?

kgepford

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Agree 100% — I think for Sulcatas the size is the issue. People have no clue how big those cute little hatchlings will grow – the lack of knowledge always astonishes me. It just points back to irresponsibility on the part of whoever's selling.
 

Jan A

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Agree 100% — I think for Sulcatas the size is the issue. People have no clue how big those cute little hatchlings will grow – the lack of knowledge always astonishes me. It just points back to irresponsibility on the part of whoever's selling.
This irresponsibility doesn't stop with torts & turtles in the animal world unfortunately. But the cure is not more laws, regulations & rules.
 

kgepford

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This irresponsibility doesn't stop with torts & turtles in the animal world unfortunately. But the cure is not more laws, regulations & rules.
I'm also a gardener, and I see it with Home Depot, for example, which stocks plants that are inappropriate for a region… yet they shamelessly sell these guaranteed-to-die plants to unwitting customers.
 

Noelluene

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I work at a local reptile shelter in China. We receive a ton of abandoned red ear sliders, Chinese stripe-necked turtles and yellow pond turtles.
 

DoubleD1996!

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I work at a local reptile shelter in China. We receive a ton of abandoned red ear sliders, Chinese stripe-necked turtles and yellow pond turtles.
Sad. At least they have a place to go, but I'm sure there's only so many they can take.
 

Noelluene

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Sad. At least they have a place to go, but I'm sure there's only so many they can take.
Normally when they come in they have injuries on their tails and legs. Extremely deformed shells are way to common among them. A lot of them are also either really aggressive or constantly nervous. It's honestly really sad to see them in such a state.
 

DoubleD1996!

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Normally when they come in they have injuries on their tails and legs. Extremely deformed shells are way to common among them. A lot of them are also either really aggressive or constantly nervous. It's honestly really sad to see them in such a state.
Its a shame. Even though they're some of the most common turtles, you can't deny their beauty and natural variations. People are only interested in them for a moment and then lose interest as if they're supposed to get up and do backflips through the house.
 

Noelluene

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There's this practice that is popular in Asia called "mercy release" where people release animals into the wild because they think it will bring them good fortune. Turtles are some of the most popular animals for this purpose because of how cheap they are. Unfortunately they are not native and lack any survival instinct.

People dump them into ponds in parks. Ponds that are not equipped for turtles, almost always filthy brown water, no source of food and extremely overcrowded. But that the worst thing that can happen to them. People have released freshwater turtles into the ocean because they don't understand the difference between sea turtles and freshwater turtles.
 

DoubleD1996!

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There's this practice that is popular in Asia called "mercy release" where people release animals into the wild because they think it will bring them good fortune. Turtles are some of the most popular animals for this purpose because of how cheap they are. Unfortunately they are not native and lack any survival instinct.

People dump them into ponds in parks. Ponds that are not equipped for turtles, almost always filthy brown water, no source of food and extremely overcrowded. But that the worst thing that can happen to them. People have released freshwater turtles into the ocean because they don't understand the difference between sea turtles and freshwater turtles.
That's terrible, but a lot of our elders still cling to their old/misinformed teachings, and unfortunately pass them down to their children. I saw a story on Instagram of someone tossing a sulcata they found into a lake because they thought it was aquatic.
 

Maggie3fan

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I've been following this thread, I think it very interesting, I know Sulcata are like feral cats...and mostly free on the West Coast because I did some years of rescuing and my sister has been involved in rescue for 30 years or so...but how sad that is...look at pyramiding, MBD, homeless...etc and it's all Sulcata...but what species is the most personable? Sulcata...
the most hardy? Sulcata
the easiest care? Sulcata
the best eaters? Sulcata
eat anything? Sulcata
the most fun? Sulcata
most destructive? sulcata (shhh)
 

Noelluene

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Hi. What happens to the turtles that you take into the shelter?
The ones that are successfully rehabilitated are put up for adoption, and luckily most animals are rehabilitated. We make sure that they will not be released again as we will request pictures of them every now and then to see how they are doing.

As for the few that are not suitable for adoption for whatever reason, they will either be used as educational pieces at the center or be sent to a local wildlife/animal sanctuary.
 

DoubleD1996!

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The ones that are successfully rehabilitated are put up for adoption, and luckily most animals are rehabilitated. We make sure that they will not be released again as we will request pictures of them every now and then to see how they are doing.

As for the few that are not suitable for adoption for whatever reason, they will either be used as educational pieces at the center or be sent to a local wildlife/animal sanctuary.
Great work
 

ZEROPILOT

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Sulcata and Redfoot.
In a Sulcata, new keepers have unrealistic expectations about keeping a 100 plus pound bulldozer. For most people It is a horrible casual purchase pet.
I case of a Redfoot, keeping up the humidity 24/7 is very challenging. A lot of new keepers get a Redfoot without truly understanding their needs. Then spend hundreds or more on meeting them.
 
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