Jamie Richards- Baby Turtles (Topic of choice #4)

Although this is not particularly relevant to nature as a sacred place, it is to do with wildlife, and it is unfortunately something I am forced to deal with more and more nowadays. It is that time of year, again. As we transition into the warmer months, baby turtles are beginning to hatch, and these little hatchlings are showing up increasingly more frequently in the hands of young children. Working in a pet supply retail environment, numerous customers are walking through the doors exclaiming that they have found a cute baby turtle, clueless to the heavy commitment inherent with each of these critters. Routinely, I always initially suggest placing wildlife back where it was initially discovered. "But it's so cute and we want to keep it!" most individuals will attempt to reason. Next, I will explain that these turtles are extremely high maintenance and that their care entails a considerable financial investment. "Well, I will just get the basic supplies right now and will come back for the rest later," most will proclaim. "Just food, right?" As a final point of persuasion, I will explain that baby turtles are extremely fragile-- if they do not receive adequate UVB lighting exposure and the necessary nutrients, they will not develop properly. Their shell may misform or even go soft, ruining the turtle potentially for life. "Is that something you want on your shoulders?" I tend to ask. Usually, it is only the truly ignorant individuals that will persist past this point. As a last resort, I will explain that it is actually illegal to keep these critters in captivity. The vast majority of turtles found in this area are Red Eared Sliders, an indigenous and therefore illegal species. In addition to this, all turtles and terrapins under 4 inches in shell diameter are illegal to keep, and this is a federal law. There are multiple justifications backing these laws and they serve as a reminder that baby turtles should stay in the wild!