# Red-eared slider turtles found in Surrey storm drains



## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

From the Province:

Mike Hopcraft admits he has a tough job ahead trying to find homes for 14 red-eared slider turtles that were rescued from a storm drainage reservoir in Surrey.

Hopcraft, owner of The Reptile Guy, had the 14 turtles handed over to him Friday after construction workers found them in a drain system being upgraded.

He is hoping to adopt out the turtles to people who have aquariums that are in the 150-gallon range.

The foot-long turtles are common in parts of the southern United States, and Hopcraft said they likely ended up in the drain system in Surrey after the owners let them loose.

"When people get these turtles [from a pet shop] they are an inch long as babies, and people don't realize how big they get," he said.

All the turtles in the pool at Hopcraft's home are the same size and all are females.

Hopcroft said the turtles can live for at least 30 years and he thinks the 14 he now has in a pool in his backyard could be at least 10 years old.

He points out the turtles need to be kept contained so they don't escape into the wild and create problems with the ecosystem.

"They are such an invasive species," he said, noting red-eared sliders eat almost anything they can find.

"They will eat native frogs and salamanders and bugs and fish," he said, meaning native turtles like the Western painted turtle have their food source taken away.

He said the female turtles could average 25 eggs each in a year. He noted people who let the turtles loose thinking they will survive are wrong.

"People are giving these turtles a death sentence and are causing problems for the ecosystem when they let them loose."

Hopcraft said he is seeing more and more problems throughout the Greater Vancouver area with pets like non-native turtles being released into the wild.

"It is a species that doesn't belong here," he said.

In the next two weeks Hopcraft will work to find the turtles homes.

In 2009 the Ministry of Environment amended the Wildlife Act requiring owners of exotic animals on a Controlled Alien Species List to get a permit to keep their animals. The red-eared slider turtle was not on that list.

Anyone interested in adopting a turtle can go to Hopcraft's website for more information and pictures: The Reptile Guy Rescues Reptiles, Lizards and Surrendered Reptiles.

In Texas, the red-eared slider is under threat as hundreds of thousands have been sold to China, where turtle meat is considered a delicacy.
© Copyright (c) The Province

Read more: Red-eared slider turtles found on the loose in Surrey storm drain


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

People are so irresponsible, is amazing. Poor turtles, i hope they find homes for them soon


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## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

Unfortunately, there's no appeal to adult RES (they don't fit in the palm of your hand) and a MASSIVE overflow of them with the Richmond Reptile Rescue as well as North Island Reptile Rescue Society. One of the few species I wish pet stores would stop selling. Reality is, unless someone's got a nice pond in their back yard and looking to rescue turts, they're not going anywhere for the next 20  I'm glad that Mike's still doing rescue work!


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

I saw and read the article as well, and just breaks my heart. Because when you go into the LFS you see those tiny turtles and they look so cute, but then they grow, and grow, and grow and eventually for some they get to big and that is when things go sideways for some people.

I also say to people who are interested in turtles, make sure you want to make this a life long committment, then I show them the picture of ours (well she actually is my sons turtle) and how big she is, I usually get quite a look from them.

This is her now she is 4 years old - a cooter river turtle










And this is her new home - 180 gallon pond


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

mikebike took on my friends turtles. it was really unfortunate that he had to let them go, he had them since the mid 90s and he really loved them, and unfortunately had to downsize and sell his home due to divorce. its really awesome when theres people out there who are prepared to take on turtles for others who meet bad circumstances.


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

Hello. i agree that these turtles should not be sold in pet stores. the stores should give better info when selling these, and people need to stop being so re-tarted and thinking they can just release pets into the wild. Cheers


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Wow, Kim, your son's turtle is huge! You've created a nice home for him there. But he's only 4 years old! Will he be even bigger in another 4 years?


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

Morainy said:


> Wow, Kim, your son's turtle is huge! You've created a nice home for him there. But he's only 4 years old! Will he be even bigger in another 4 years?


Yes Yurdle is her name, she is a female cooter. Yup only 4 maybe 5 can't remember, but my son got her when she was little, like those cute tiny turtles in the LFS. She will get bigger, which is why we had to upgrade her home, she was in a 135gal but needed to upgrade as she will continue to grow to aprox 18". I believe her life span could be up to 40 years. He is very committed to her and raising her properly.


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## BullDog (Apr 21, 2010)

He's got an ad running on castanet looking for homes, that's how I found about this... I would love to give one of these gals a home, but financially and space wise, I don't think I can do it right now. 
I've got 2 RES, a male and a female. The male, Ralpheal I've had since he's had his egg tooth. He'll be coming up on his 18th hatchday this summer... The female, Frankie, I rescued a few years ago. I suspect she is at least 10-15 years old. Both of them are "small". Ralph is only 7" and Frankie is about 8.5". Of course, no one believes me when I say Frankie is "small" :lol:

I really hope he can find homes for at least some of these turtles. They really have their own personalities (or turtlalites?) when you get to know them, and they're hard not to fall in love with!


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## Illbuyourcatfish (Jun 3, 2010)

I think the turtles are *either* an invasive threat *or* letting them go into the wild is a "death sentence" but I have a hard time believing its both...


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## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

Illbuyourcatfish said:


> I think the turtles are *either* an invasive threat *or* letting them go into the wild is a "death sentence" but I have a hard time believing its both...


How is it hard to believe that RES can reproduce in Burnaby Lake, Deer Lake, other lakes throughout the Province, eating and killing off our native species? Or freeze to death due to a harsh winter another year? Yes they'll brumate in the winter, but the winter of 2008 I'd imagine killed off a bunch of unwanted pet RES. I think it's fairly reasonable to assume invasive turtle population could go one way or the other with BC's climate.


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

If the ponds are over 4 foot deep and have some mud in the bottom RES/YES/Cooters will survive a cold winter.

But the nature of Turtles much like or other tank mates are oportunist feeders. 
They will eat anything they get the oportunity to get their mouth onto.


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## Illbuyourcatfish (Jun 3, 2010)

Yah...how about we just keep it to "Don't let your pets go into the wild". Does anyone know what if any fine is given to someone who is caught releasing these invasive species?


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