All Turtles Message Board

ocean · Guest Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1

I bought a turtle in Chinatown (N.Y.C.) today at a food market. He was trying so hard to get out of the large bucket. He obviously knew he was doomed to be turned into turtle soup. I took a taxi down to Battery Park and let him go in the Hudson River. He looked like a softshell turtle because he had one of those snorkle snouts. Did I do the right thing? Will he survive? Did I upset the natural ecosystem of the Hudson River? I considered bringing him home, but I know nothing about turtles. The little guy just got under my skin. He was fearless, and utterly unafraid of humans, and tried to crawl on my shoe before I threw him into the river. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

dixieee · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 4:07 am Post subject:

welcome to the board Smile

hmm i can't say u did the right thing or not by setting that little guy free bcz there are many threats in the wild too especially for a young turtle who probably knows nothing about living there. i don't wanna make u feel bad cz i know what was ur intention from doing so Smile

turtles are great pets btw Wink

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Wed 10/27/2004 is the worst day..i lost my best friend Leo

so now i have a female RES, Green, and a cute stupid male YBS, Mint

5/4/2006 RIP Lemon, u were my first rescue and i'm so proud of u. will never 4get u

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 11:46 am Post subject:

I don't know how well the turtles get treated before they get to market, but I am sure that the market doesn't treat them all that well either, personally, I would've done the same if I had not had the means to take care of it, I would prefer to have a wild animal eat the turtle than have it end up in a soup, at least it will have a chance to survive in the wild, in the market, it would have no chance at all. Sad

I wouldn't do it too often though, they could put a strain on the native turtles by competing for food and the native turtles would have trouble stabalizing if the introduced turtle would thrive.
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contact444 · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:53 pm Post subject:

Well they say it's bad to buy them to set them free because the market is still making it's money off of them either way eat em or free em. It's easy to say that when your not looking at a cute little turtle doomed to becoming soup. Sad

At least you gave it a fair chance. Neutral

BROOKLYN · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:21 pm Post subject:

Hi Ocean. I'm new to the forum as well. When you meant the market, did you mean a pet store, a fish market, or the stores that sell everything that attracts tourist? Although I am not sure exactly what kind of turtle you are talking about, in Chinatown, there are many stores where they sell illegal baby RES (hatchlings). They put it out in the open and you see many of them in either plastic buckets or in really small gallon tanks. I knew that there was a law against this long ago and finally realize why after reading this site about the 4inch law and the salmonella problem. However, in NYC (since I am a New Yorker myself), the police don't do much about this. I guess that's because Chinatown has been a tourist attraction for years and the city is always in need of money. Back then, they charged about $2 for one and if you wanted a small tank and turtle food, it was like another $5. From what I heard, I think that they are selling the baby RES for about $5 now although I'm not really sure.

STRAYKINGFISHER · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 12:25 pm Post subject:

I don't remember too well but I am almost sure that I didn't read about the baby turtles being illegal to sell as food, they are only illegal to sell as pets, that may be one of the loop holes that people take advantage of. Confused

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Robin_Luver13 · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:26 pm Post subject:

my friend ( not the one with 3 turtles in the critter keeper ) got her turtles in Chinatown.... her whole family is vegetarian and wanted to save them too, but took them in as pets instead.... before i heard about this site i always went to her for tips... they grew from the size of quarters to the size of dishplates!
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I'm back! Hope I can help...

I love my baby, Robin, an Eastern Painted Turtle

BROOKLYN · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:29 pm Post subject:

turtlelover86 · Level 1 Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 8

Hudson River wasnt a right choice! It had many diseases or bateria stuff because it was contaminated!
Hopefully it would survive!!!

Selling baby turtles or turtles for food really pissed ppl off!

Brian Thomer · Level 1 Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 22

I've been wondering what I could do if I ever had to get rid of my RES. I'm in southeastern PA and that's a bit too north for them, so I don't think releasing him is an option (unless I drive down to Virginia to do it).

I've thought about just trying to donate it to a pet store. Don't know if that would work, but it'd be one of the first things I tried.

Anyone else have any ideas?
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Robin_Luver13 · Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:45 pm Post subject:

i dont know what i would do if i had to get rid of my turtle, probably give it to a friend.....

also i went into ny yesterday and as we drove along/near the hudson all i could think about was that turtle and wondering if it was still alive and how it was doing.....
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I'm back! Hope I can help...

I love my baby, Robin, an Eastern Painted Turtle

jacey · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 10:23 pm Post subject: .......

I am saddened by that Sad

J
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We are the voice for the ones who cannot speak.