Turtles for Sale on a Cold Day

How many times have you seen someone standing by the side of the road holding up a sign that says “BABY TURTLES FOR SALE”?  Did you know that the roadside sale of turtles or any other animal is illegal per Arizona Revised Statues under title 44 section 1799.71?  Did you know there is an animal abuse hotline (602) 876-1681 to report these vendors?

Why Are We Involved?

Many of our patients are baby red-eared sliders, map turtles, or other aquatic turtles that were acquired from roadside vendors.  The majority of these infant turtles are suffering from malnutrition and infections even as the vendor is selling them!  This happens because the turtles are often hatched under unsanitary conditions and immediately put into shipping boxes.  These boxes are moved around the country and the living turtles are deprived of proper homes with a good diet, clean water, warmth, and the right kind of light.  The vendors often continue the poor care of the turtles and may leave them in the shipping boxes for days to weeks.  We have seen turtles for sale on very cold days without any supplemental heat source (as illustrated above.  Notice that the vendor is cold enough to have on a long-sleeved shirt!).  On hot days the turtles are suffering from heat stroke.  Due to this inappropriate care, the turtles often are very sick at the time of purchase and do not do well for their new owners even though their new homes may be set-up correctly.  A sick baby turtle may blow bubbles out its nose and eyes, have swollen eyes, float abnormally, or simply not move around.  Most of these baby turtles are barely alive by the time they are brought to us for veterinary care.

Baby turtles for sale without water or warmth on a 50°F day.

We believe these roadside vendors are treating baby turtles inhumanely.  We believe these roadside vendors are taking advantage of people and selling them pets that do not have a good chance of being healthy.  We encourage you to call your local police department or the animal abuse hotline (602) 876-1681 to report anybody selling animals OF ANY SORT from the side of the road. You can cite the Arizona Revised Statues, title 44 section 1799.71, if the police dispatcher doesn't think what you are reporting is illegal.  If you are able to get a good description of the vendor or take a picture it will help the investigators track down the person.

A sick baby red-eared slider with a swollen eye bought from a vendor two days earlier.

If you have purchased a baby turtle from a roadside vendor, please have it examined by a veterinarian right away even if it appears to be healthy.