[lbo-talk] Setting the turtle free...

[John Thornton]

I released a Box turtle in my yard that I saw 
several years later still in the yard. I have no 
idea where the turtle was between the times I saw 
it. It must have been nearby. Anyway I know of one 
released turtle that survived for at least 5 years 
after being released. I have a fish pond in my 
yard so water is available. Any wooded park with 
water should work fine if a Russian turtle is 
anything like a Box turtle.

Unless you live somewhere really warm I wouldn't 
release it right before winter however since it 
may not find a place to overwinter in time and 
then freeze. They can freeze to death with the 
temp still above freezing. They generally dig a 
hole that extends below the freeze line on 
southern facing slopes but much depends on the 
weather and terrain in your area.

They also need to vary their diet the last several 
weeks before they go into hibernation to survive. 
They need a very low protein diet extremely high 
in vitamin A in order to maintain the proper 
thyroid activity for hibernation.

John Thornton

joanna wrote:
> Since we've been talking about animal rights.....
> 
> Six years ago, my daughter wanted a pet snake. We returned from the pet 
> store with Morticia, the snake substitute, a small (5" diameter) Russian 
> turtle.
> 
> She had my daughter's attention for all of 20 minutes, after which, she 
> has led a fairly uneventful life in her terrarium, subsisting on various 
> kinds of lettuce and celery. Needless to say, I'm the one stuck with the 
> terrarium cleaning, feeding, etc.
> 
> I would really like to set Morticia free. I can't imagine that living in 
> a glass box is much fun. Question is where to let her go? Given her very 
> modest needs, it seems like if I let her go in a wooded, grassy area 
> with a nearby stream, she should be OK.
> 
> If anybody knows anything about this, please write back.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Joanna