08/31/2026
We know turtles are cute, but please let wild turtles be wild. Every year thousands and thousands of turtles are poached for the pet trade, which is among the top factors contributing to declining wild populations. And you might think that just taking one little turtle home with you isn't poaching and isn't a big deal, but it is both. And it's illegal in New York, where all native wildlife is protected. Yes, even turtles.
What's more, captive turtles need the right food, a big tank with clean water, and lighting that imitates the sunlight they bask under in the wild. Often, those turtles found "for free" in the wild are not provided with what they need to thrive. Turtles are survivors, but their bodies can only do so much.
Olive is a perfect example. We don't know her whole story, just that she was rescued from a bad situation before coming to us. Painted turtle shells should be smooth and just slightly domed, but Olive's is deeply grooved, peaked, and curled up at the edges. This is the result of what is generally called metabolic bone disease, a painful condition due to lack of calcium, vitamin D, and other important nutrients combined with the lack of UV light needed to turn those nutrients into bone, which is what a turtle's shell is.
Shell deformities like Olive's are not reversible. All we can do is give her the proper food and lighting she needs going forward to stop the disease from advancing further. And lots of spa days, because the wrinkles in her shell prevent the shedding scutes from popping off like they should and she had several layers stuck in place. Olive will be a long term rehabilitation patient and, because we don't know where she came from, her shell deformity will negatively impact her ability to protect herself from predators, and her body doesn't have the resources to safely produce eggs, we will eventually find her permanent placement with a licensed education program. Maybe ours.
