Little Then Large... Whilst we primarily rescue wildlife, poultry and waterfowl, we occasionally get asked to help with other animals. We always aim to help or put the person in touch with another rescue that can help. However on Friday evening we were called by a lady desperate to rehome two terrapins. Her son had taken them on just over a week earlier after they were offered free to a good home but they quickly realised how hard they can be to look after and just how much they smell! The lady had called every other rescue she could so we decided to help with these two as no one else could. Both were in good condition however one had a missing tail. This was most likely bitten off by the larger terrapin who is quite aggressive and tried to bite us on several occasions. Terrapins are regularly purchased cheaply for as little as ten pounds at the size of a 50p piece. Usually sold as turtles, they rapidly grow and will outgrow the tanks they are in with some owners throwing the now unwanted pets into local lakes and ponds which causes an un-natural balance. Many of our terrapins have come to us after being caught by fisherman in ponds, with one having to have a hook removed from his mouth after he ate the bait intended for carp. Our seven resident red eared terrapins currently live in our large pond with a total depth of 6ft at the deepest point, They can regularly be seen basking in the sun and come to us for food. In the winter they retreat to the bottom of the pond and hibernate. These terrapins are acclimatised to the weather of the UK and many of them are the size of dinner plates. We also have a small Musk turtle in our care however she is housed in an indoor tank with a heater and filter.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 21:49:21 +0000
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