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Can I keep a box turtle I found?

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Can I keep a box turtle I found?

Box turtles can make great pets if cared for properly. Before bringing any pet – reptile or other – home, be sure to do research to learn about its requirements, so that you can properly care for it. Most box turtles do not get very large (unlike tortoises).

Is it illegal to catch a box turtle?

It is also important to realize that, in most states, it is illegal to take a box turtle from the wild and keep it in captivity. Wild populations are dwindling, so they are protected in most states.

Can I keep a box turtle in my yard?

Don’t move box turtles outside of their home ranges. Don’t bring a box turtle that you find in the wild home for a pet. If you already have a box turtle as a pet, don’t release it into the wild. It could introduce diseases into the wild population.

Can you take box turtles home?

It’s best never to remove a box turtle from their home unless you have a good reason. And if you return them to the wild, it must be in the exact same spot you took them from. If you want a box turtle as a pet, it is recommended that you always buy one that was bred in captivity to begin with.

What should I do if I find a box turtle?

NEVER DISTURB, PICK UP , OR MOVE A BOX TURTLE UNLESS IT HAS A VISIBLE INJURY OR IS IN IMMINENT DANGER. If you find a turtle in the road, move it to the other side in the direction it was going. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RELOCATE IT. Turtles have small home territories and should be left where they are found.

Why are pet turtles illegal?

It’s illegal to sell or distribute pet turtles with shells less than 4 inches long because they spread salmonella. Forty years ago, the U.S. outlawed the sale of small turtles as pets because they harbor salmonella, a bacterium that causes a highly unpleasant and occasionally deadly illness in humans.

What states are box turtles illegal?

Two states, North Carolina and South Dakota, ban the sale of all turtles.21.

  • establishment in North Carolina.” 22 In South Dakota, “[a] person may not buy, sell, barter, or.
  • trade any species of turtle.”

    • What to do if you find a box turtle?

    Is it OK to move a box turtle?

    How do you know if a box turtle is dying?

    Six Signs That Your Turtle Is Dying

    1. Increased Basking.
    2. Lack of Appetite.
    3. Foaming/Bubbles At The Mouth and/or Nose.
    4. Lethargy.
    5. Whistling, Coughing, or Sneezing.
    6. Lopsided Swimming.
    7. Respiratory Infection.
    8. Shell Rot.