Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My neighbors' kids found a baby eastern painted turtle earlier in the summer near their grandmother's house north of Boston. They have been keeping and feeding it over the summer and just today they asked my wife to ask me whether it is too late to release it back to the wild.

I am not an expert on these guys at all, so I wanted to post this question to the experts. The little guy is still tiny (not even 2 inches I believe) and doesn't seem to have grown much over the summer as far as we can tell, and I don't know how much he should have grown in a few months under healthy circumstances.

I DO know of places right in my town (south of Boston) where I've seen eastern painted turtles of varying sizes, so my question is two-fold:

1) Is it too late in the season to release the baby or should I try to help them find him an expert home to make it over the winter because he might be past being able to make it on his own?

2) I would think the answer to this one is: "preferably right where he was found" but how bad would releasing him in a known eastern painted turtle environment somewhere else (like in the cranberry bogs of our town) be?

Thanks for any suggestions!

You should take it and find a good home for the winter. It
is very crucial at this point that it gets exposed to heat
light and UVB bulb like Reptisun 5.0. It needs a basking
area that reaches about 85 degrees. Reptomin is a good staple
food for it.

Why don't you take it in I bet you would give it a good
home. No offense against children but once they get tired
of their pet, it is left to fend for itself and more times than
not, do not survive after the 1st year. I would be interested
in it, but I am not into shipping especially this time of year.

Linda

You wouldn't happen to live in eastern Massachusetts would you so you could pick up the little guy/girl? I do feel badly for it, and trust me, I've considered taking it in. My family already has to put up with my adoption of two captive born baby garter snakes and my rekindled childhood fascination with herps in general. Although it seems generally easier to win the hearts of non-herpophiles for turtles than it is for any other species of small critters...

Unfortunately, I live in Illinois so if I took him it would
mean shipping him. I am not wild about that especially with
the weather turning so much cooler.

Keep trying, maybe you will find someone in your area.
There should be some rescue groups that could take in
a little one.

Dear Herp Lover, I do indeed think it is a bit to late to release the little guy. I live in the Boston area more specifically the Norwood area. I would be happy to give him a good home for the winter. E-mail me if you haven't made arrangements yet. Sincerely , gopey21@msn.com