Working with rescued animals gives a person the unique opportunity to hear from a wide range of people from the highly educated to the, well, not so much. Rescue people hear all too often, that some individuals have never bothered to learn about animal husbandry. They don’t let that stop them. They still keep animals, and in poor conditions. The best way to learn is simple -- read. There are countless websites and even more books and care sheets available to anyone who wants to take care of an animal.
The following is part of a real email that was sent to a rescue organization this week from a person who wanted to adopt or foster a box turtle. They were talking about how they kept eastern box turtles when they were a kid and wanted to keep them the same way now.
“We had a yard that abutted a large woods. My father drilled a tiny hole in the edge of the turtles (sic) shell and we tied a 50 ft. string to it and to a stake in the center of the yard. It allowed the turtle to forage and/or hide all over the yard and edge of the woods. We would take it inside during the winter. Eventually (I had 2 or 3) the string would break and the turtle would wander off.”
While this is sometimes seen in third world countries, it is NOT the way to take care of an eastern box turtle in Baltimore in the year 2012.
According to Katrina Smith, Adoptions Coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Turtle & Tortoise Society, “People don't realize that's bone in there, fused backbone and ribs for the top shell.”
In other words, drilling holes in turtles is painful. It is not recommended for people to do to their pets. Tethering a turtle on a long leash is also a terrible idea. There are many ways they can injure, or even kill themselves, by getting the rope tangled in foliage.
A better idea might be, once it warms up this spring, get your friends together for a hike. Go out in the woods and look for box turtles in their natural habitat. If you find one, spend a few moments with your camera and take some pictures of the turtle in the wild. Then leave the turtle where it belongs and go home.
Comments