# Baby Turtle! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 22, 2002, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058 "2002-08-22T11:53:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/1 "2002-08-22T11:53:16Z")
So Lady Chance has the day off to decompress. She’s out before 7 driving around and hiking and looking for rocks to paint. I stay home screwing around on the SD. Suddenly, the door flies open! “I’ve got something for you!”, she cries. She’s carrying a top to a box of copy paper…you know the sort. And inside is a **baby box turtle**! She was driving through Purcellville and he was trying to walk across Main Street, a not-so-healthy habit even for adult turtles. I’ve got him here on my desk right now! He’s about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and I’ve fed him some blueberries. Munch, munch, munch! We’ll kick him loose later due to the salmonella risk. But I’m going to make sure that Baby Kate gets to see him first! He’s so _damn_ cute! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/2 "2002-08-22T11:56:35Z")
Lettuce, too! They loves lettuce! (I didn’t know box turtles carried salmonella.) ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/3 "2002-08-22T11:57:05Z")
Where’s the baby pics? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/4 "2002-08-22T12:03:23Z")
We’ll put some up, never you worry! Just gotta fire up the camera and FTP program. Give me time. Aww…he’s fallen asleep. **dan** , all small turtles are potential salmonella carriers. That’s why you don’t see them in pet stores much anymore. I think the size limit is ‘less than 4 inches in diameter’ or something like that. At least that was the rule in Iowa when I was teaching (grad school) there. The pet shops could carry small turtles but it required a ‘Teacher ID’ to purchase them. And they could only be bought for classroom use. I don’t claim to understand how they grow out of it. Look! He yawned! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/5 "2002-08-22T12:05:07Z")
Well, I’ll be damned. All those times I found box turtles in the Pine Barrens … The more important question is whether the little guy is turtley enough for the Turtle Club. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/6 "2002-08-22T12:48:25Z")
Turtle turtle! Boy, Spanky the Wonder Turtle sure didn’t like the dogs barking! BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES! ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/7 "2002-08-22T12:58:52Z")
I love little baby animals… Got a special treat this past weekend - lots of time with an eight-week-old female beagle puppy named **Piper**. She still has puppy breath and the cutest little howl! I’m all mooshy inside now. ---
**Author:** ![ratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ccd318/32.png) [@ratty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratty)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/8 "2002-08-22T13:39:19Z")
Awww! I demand pictures! {b]Jonathan Chance\*\*, you and your wife are wonderful people to help out a turtle in need. About the salmonella risk…all reptiles are potential carriers of salmonella, regardless of size or age. It is standard operating equipment for your basic reptile to have some salmonella as gut flora. There’s about 8000 (I think) different strains, and only a few are dangerous to humans, the most lethal being _Salmonella typhi_, which reptiles almost never carry. Think of it this way: we mammals carry around _e. coli_, the herps have got salmonella. The reason I was given by a dept. of fish and wildlife member was that, no kidding, turtles 4-inches or under are no longer sold in pet stores because _little kids were putting the turtles in their mouths and contracting salmonella._ Now this is just hearsay, mind you, but it does give one pause. Always wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap after handling a reptile, its bedding or cage furnishing; never allow a reptile near your food, cooking utensils, counter surfaces, etc., and don’t let children handle reptiles unsupervised. Actually, this is good advice for any animal, regardless of species. Those most at risk for contracting salmonella are the very young or old, or those with a compromised immune system. Healthy adults stand almost no risk whatsoever of contracting the disease via reptile contact. Salmonella infection usually manifests with symptoms of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. You are far more likely to contract a salmonella infection from eating improperly cooked poultry or dairy products. Check out the CDC website for more information. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/9 "2002-08-22T14:40:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ratty \* > \*\*The reason I was given by a dept. of fish and wildlife member was that, no kidding, turtles 4-inches or under are no longer sold in pet stores because _little kids were putting the turtles in their mouths and contracting salmonella._ Now this is just hearsay, mind you, but it does give one pause. \*\* Anyone else flashing on _Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing_, by Judy Blume here? I sure am. ---
**Author:** ![Skerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Skerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skerri)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/10 "2002-08-22T16:46:17Z")
Awwww…baby turtle! I remember when I was about 13 or 14, our two dachshunds were making an _awful_ racket out in the back yard at about 7AM. I went out there to see what all the fuss was about, and was accosted by a rather LARGE turtle. I have no clue how he got in the yard, as everything is fenced in, but he was up on all fours, hissing at the dogs. He was too big to put in a shoebox, (and definitely too big to fit in my mouth :D) so we ended up putting him in a milk crate and carted him back to the woods. (My mother put her foot down about keeping him, as we already had 2 dogs, 3 cats, 4 fish, and a parakeet.) We set him free a little ways away from a pond, where I’m assuming he went on to live a happy life. Have fun with him while you can! ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/11 "2002-08-22T16:55:19Z")
We’ve found giant red-bellied terrapins in our neck of the woods. Wayyyyyy cool. And I do mean giant. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/12 "2002-08-22T17:11:32Z")
He’s sitting here on my desk as I play CivIII. How much cooler does it get? And… [http://www.wooleysark.com/pictures/turtle.jpg](http://www.wooleysark.com/pictures/turtle.jpg) He really is small. Is that cute or what? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/13 "2002-08-22T17:37:37Z")
Sure is a tiny little thing. Are you sure it’s a box, though? Looks like a paint from here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/14 "2002-08-22T18:35:13Z")
No, it’s definitely a tortoise. It’s just still got that flattened baby shell. He’s indefatigable. Just keeps going and going and going… ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/15 "2002-08-22T18:42:53Z")
But painted turtles have those rounded shells… hmm m mm ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/16 "2002-08-22T20:37:52Z")
Cute turtle! There’s a pub in Marina Del Rey, CA called Brennan’s that has turtle races. I think they’re box turtles. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/17 "2002-08-23T05:04:13Z")
**Ratty** is right about reptiles and salmonella, and I have also heard the same reasoning for the 4-inch rule. The only aversion I have to turtles is that their poop is REALLY stinky, which is why we no longer have one in the house. If you decide to keep him, change his water several times a day, get a heat lamp for over the aquarium and make sure he has shelter so he can get away from the heat if he wants. IME, turtles very much like strawberries and spinach. I live next to a wooded area with a creek, and frequently Momma turtles lay eggs in our yard. Every spring, we’re out there walking ahead of the lawn mower and scooping up the babies in styrofoam cups. We don’t mess with them, we just give them a faster trip to the creek. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/18 "2002-08-23T05:07:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\* > The more important question is whether the little guy is turtley enough for the Turtle Club. \*\* I missed that, my first read through. If you ask MHO, I would say “you bet your sweet ass he is!” ---
**Author:** ![TheOnlySaneOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@TheOnlySaneOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheOnlySaneOne)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/19 "2002-08-23T07:32:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*Turtle turtle! > > Boy, Spanky the Wonder Turtle sure didn’t like the dogs barking! > > BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES! \*\* _gasp_ You don’t mean to tell me that you didn’t name it one of the only four appropriate turtle names? Leonardo , Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo ! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058/20 "2002-08-23T11:27:00Z")
There are many proper turtle names. Many views of the true ‘turtle-ness’ of the great all. We released Spanky into the woods behind the Chance Estate last night after Baby Kate got a chance to see him. She was upset that we let him go. But now he’s got about 5 acres of woods, a year-round stream and the farms that border it to play in. Let’s all wish him well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-turtle/125058.md?page=2)