Buying baby turtles in the WINTER ?????

Question

Does Chinatown sell turtles IN THE WINTER??

I'm talking about in California.

Answer 1

all yr ..even petco sells them

I have had 2 sliders for 36 yrs now plus a 8 yr old and a 5 yr old. This is how I have taken care of them for 36 yrs. Great pets.

I have had them in a stand alone 150gal pond from sears..for about 6 yrs now..

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Answer 2

DO NOT get turtles from ChinaTown.

They are probably all red ear sliders that come from breeding grounds and all have diseases.

RI (respitory infection) is a big disease that kills the baby turtle.

So if you want to spend over 100 bucks on vet bills, dont get a turtle from there.

Try to find a good reptile breeder online or somewhere near you.

And i should warn you, baby turtles are very expensive with their housing. My turtles have cost me over 500 bucks just to make sure they are living in a good home and a healthy one too.

Even though the turtle may seem cheap, in the end they are VERY expensive.

And if you REALLY want to get a turtle, yes they do sell them in the winter.

Read through this- http://redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic....

Its about a baby turtle from Chinatown.

You should also register on that forum and ask questions before you get a turtle if you are going to get one.

Answer 3

*Amendment: I did not mean to type 'hatchling.'  Turtles must be 4" or over, to be legally sold.

Sorry, I was discussing hatchling with a 'new proud parent owner,' and don't multitask well. :">

Answer 4

As long as there is a market, they will sell the poor things.

You say your two are doing well, and that is great, but something like 94% of the turtles caught to sell in these markets do not survive long enough to live a couple months. Most are killed in the trapping and shipping process, a few die in the display tanks, the rest are killed by buyers who do not know what they are doing.

Even if your turtles are great, you helped someone make money for torturing animals. This is why it is a bad idea to pay full price to 'rescue' an animal from a pet shop as well.

Remember- there is a FEDERAL REGULATION that ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITS selling turtles under 4" for pets* in a commercial way. The people you are buying from get around this by claiming they sell them for food. Right.

(* FYI- some places, including on-line sites, sometimes make you sign a paper saying that the turtle is for educational or display purposes, but this is a.) lying on an official record, and b.) still not allowed under the regulation.)

Besides- of all of the turtles in North America, the Red-ear Slider is one of the worst! It is large, aggressive, and rapidly looses its baby-ish charm. Try a Painted Turtle next time, and get it from a reliable breeder.