Where can I find a box turtle?

tracylou · #1 (**permalink**) 09-07-2004, 03:12 PM

My daughter and her teacher have been scheeming to get a class pet. It is really great... her teacher as already identified Madyline's learning style and gave her a project to help her wholistic approach to engage her. (I love my kids' school.) Anyway... Madyline will be in charge of researching, aquiring, taking care of and educating the class about the species, habitat and husbandry of the new pet... which they decided should be a turtle.

We have been doing a lot of library and online research and decided to either go with an RES or a box turtle. Each has it's pros and cons (space being the biggest con for both species... classrooms never have much to spare). But a box turtle would be my first choice as we will be taking it home to live with us at the end of the school year. I would love to get a young one... to help with the space delima.. but then we'd have to be super careful to not let the kids handle the turtles very much and to teach them how fragile they truly are. Problem is... I can't find local sources for box turtles (I know that wild easterns are protected here in MI). And what we've found online...honestly, I dont' mind paying for a box turtle to make sure that it is not wild caught... but find it silly to pay $60 by the time I pay for the turtle and shipping. RESs are easy to find as adults, but I don't know where to look locally for young.

Does anyone know of another place to find a turtle close to Michigan? Any one have any suggestions or things I haven't thought of on turtle husbandry? A turtle isnt' exactly my first choice for a class pet because I know the tempation will be there for the kids to want to hold it and carry it around and that is not what is best for the turtle... any ideas on how to thwart that (above and beyond educating the kids)?

Thanks for being a friendly community that I can ask questions of and pick your brains... I don't know too many herpers out here and it is so nice to have this board.

John_White · #2 (**permalink**) 09-07-2004, 03:28 PM

Turtles in general make poor classroom pets. They require a fairly large enclosure, varied food items, UV lighting etc and live a long, long time if properly maintained. Who is going to care for the turtle when school is not in session (winter break, spring break)?

I would suggest a leopard gecko as a classroom pet.

tracylou · #3 (**permalink**) 09-07-2004, 10:03 PM

Yeah, I tend to agree with you. I've struggled with this a little, but know that a turtle would be well taken care of since we would be in charge of the care durring the school year and would be taking it home during breaks and at the end of the year. That is why I would want a young box turtle... so it wouldn't need as much room in the beginning ( Planning on a huge rubbermaid tub)... and because I would rather have a box turtle living at our house for the next 50 years than an RES. We do keep snakes so I am aware of the full spectrum lighting requirements and I'm in the classroom at least twice a week (and at the school every day). Maybe I"m just trying to talk myself into it since I have the same hesitations that you do... I'll bring up my qualms and the possibility of a leopard gecko when I talk to her teacher. We babysat one for the summer but I have to tell you... it wasn't my favorite animal. Any other suggestions?

NocturnalCreations · #4 (**permalink**) 09-07-2004, 10:16 PM

My wife found one in my front yard this weekend. I took a couple pictures and let it crawl away.

Thanks, Tim Rash

collector24u · #5 (**permalink**) 11-05-2004, 05:50 AM

TRACYLOU,
I KEEP AND BREED A FEW SPEICIES OF TURTLES ,I USED TO BREED STRIPED MUDS
I SOLD THE BREEDERS BUT KEPT A COUPLE OF THE YOUNG AROUND FOR AWILE,I HAVE 1 LEFT SHE IS 1 1/2 YRS OLD 2 INCHES IN SHELL LENGTH , IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE SHIPPING YOUR DAUGHTERS CLASS COULD HAVE HER.
RON IF INTERESTED E-MAIL COLLECTOR24U@AOL.COM
IM LOCATED IN HOUSTON,TX

JuliusSqueezer · #6 (**permalink**) 11-05-2004, 05:55 AM

Come rake my front yard. I have a little natural island out front. There is or was a female box turtle living in there last seen burrowing under one of my azaleas...but if you get caught leaving Georgia with her, you might land yourself some jail time lol.

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