I just wanted to comment to anyone considering getting a turtle.
Some herpetological societies and many reptile rescues get in turtles. Unwanted turtles can come in at any time of the year, in all varieties and sizes. Some rescues might have hatchlings. Although the majority of rescues are those animals that are "overpopulated" in the pet trade, such as red-eared sliders, some might have things you'd never dream of. I was once asked to place four-eyed Asians. It doesn't hurt to put in applications at any time of the year to see if a rescue has or might receive something in which you'd be interested.
Some rescues will work with first-time owners to creat a proper set-up. Some do fostering if you'd like to get your feet wet without a long-term commitment. Some will ship and some will not. Information on herp societies and rescues can be found on Kingsnake, or at www.anapsid.org. Petfinder.com also has reptiles available for adoption. Even try an Internet word search for "turtle" or "reptile" with the words "adoption" or "rescue" and the name of your state and see what comes up.
Consider the adoption option. You might be surprised.
Katrina
