My Cat Just Found A Turtle In My Back Yard! How Should I Take Care Of It?
Posted on 23. Nov, 2009 by in Q&A
Don’t worry, my cat didn’t hurt it or anything – She just wanted to know what the heck it was lol. Now, I kind of would like to know the answer to that too.
First off, how do I tell the gender of a turtle?
What type of turtle is it? I can’t tell if it’s a baby or just small, but it’s about the size of credit card, just more round and less flat. He/she also has some orange markings on it’s neck (when it pokes up out of it’s shell). It also has bright and dark green patterns on the rest of it’s skin (legs, face, and neck). I don’t really see anything unique about it’s shell though.
Most importantly, how do I take care of it? I assumed since it was near water that it could swim, so right now it’s in a serving dish with about a half inch of water and a rock so it has a dry spot too. What do I feed it??? Do they eat small bugs, or can I just cut up some apple or lettuce like with my own turtle? (I have a desert tortis, but this new one is very different from him)
Thank you!
w5van
Nov 23rd, 2009
If you love it, let it go free!
R.I.P Barney
Nov 23rd, 2009
to me it sounds like a red eared slider they live in water but need a dry spot so they don’t get soft shell you can buy food at wal-mart infact i just got some for my slider about 2 hours ago lol its called wardley reptile premium sticks they can live in an aquarium but need a big rock or something that floats and that they can climb on too mine seems to like eating goldfish lol but the sticks work goodi never found one in the wild i bought mine at the beach lol
marie
Nov 24th, 2009
Put it back outside, he can take care of him(her)self!!
Bekki W
Nov 24th, 2009
I’ve got 2 turtles so i know a fair bit about them. You’ve done the right thing with the water and the dry area, but they like lots of water, so try to find a tank, a fish tank should be fine until you find something larger. I don’t know what sort of turtle it is, it sounds like a baby and it could get very big!!! I’m talking like 40cm across the shell!! A garden pond is best for them, but without plants or other animals. Like a paddling pool, it doesn’t have to be really deep, but so they can swim along the surface and they need their dry area, if they’re outside they’ll probably need a heat lamp too. A tank inside would also need a heat lamp.
For now you can get turtle and terrapin sticks from a pet shop, they might also be able to help you with what you need to look after them if they’re experienced. It’s always best to do a bit of research on the internet, and if you decide not to keep it, see if your local pet shop will take it.
Hope it helps!
Just me.
Nov 24th, 2009
They will stink up the place with their big smelly turds .
Find a lake and let it go free.
Mt. Everest
Nov 24th, 2009
heres what to do: it’s a male) Also male turtles ahve red or orange eyes.
great job with the habitat
feed it crickets
its a baby
look on the bottom of the shell to see the gender (if the shell is convex >goes out< it's a female...if its concave
boliou
Nov 24th, 2009
turtles can carry sominilla, and you should always wash your hands. i would release it in a river or creek somewhere. OR YOU CAN TAKE IT TO THE NEAREST PET STORE.
phoenix web design
Nov 24th, 2009
You can buy turtle food at Wal-Mart or any pet store. They also eat worms and as they get larger will eat fish, tadpoles, etc. It sounds like a slider. Ours really liked duck weed. It grows in water.
Smartphone Software
Nov 24th, 2009
Go here: http://www.turtlecare.net/babycare.htm
it tells you all you need to know about taking care of a turtle!