Considering releasing my Eastern Long Neck turtle

[TomELN]

Hi all

I have had an eastern long neck turtle (Frankie) for about a year now, and am considering releasing him into the wild, as I am never at home and when I do come home I feel very guilty that he has been sitting in my tank all day with nothing to do.

I live in Red Hill South, Victoria (not sure if anyone knows where this is), and I have a creek running through the bottom of my property. The creek is full of mosquitoe fish and invertebrate larva, which is what I feed him anyway, so I'm sure he would have sufficient food resources. Red Hill South is a rural town and there is plenty of land and not much developed areas.

I was just wondering what everybody's thoughts were on the release; will he be able to fend for himself? will it be too cold here for him? is fox predation a major issue (as this area is home to the odd fox)?
His shell is about 13cm in diameter, which I think means he is reasonably old (even though the aquarium owner told my girlfriend that he is a baby), so does this mean he has been in captivity for too long to be able to survive the wild?

Thanks for all contributions.

 

[Vincey]

Well it isn't a puppy, it doesn't need attention like that. I'm sure if he has a nice setup and has good food that he's quite happy to chill out in his tank.

 

[JasonL]

No, it shouldn't be released, and whether or not it would survive or not has little to do with it. Any animal can carry various bacteria, protozoa and disease and releasing an animal into an area that it didn't originally come from could infect other life forms living in that area.

 

[Vincey]

No, it shouldn't be released, and whether or not it would survive or not has little to do with it. Any animal can carry various bacteria, protozoa and disease and releasing an animal into an area that it didn't originally come from could infect other life forms living in that area.

Good point. Didnt think of that

 

[ReptileRacksAust]

Hi Tom,
The idea of releasing your pet turtle into the wild so that it can have a better life is well meaning but very misplaced. Apart from it being illegal to release captive wildlife back into the wild, the ricks associated to your pet, but more importantly the wider environment is too great. Although your turtle may look healthy, it could carry diseases that could ultimately be deadly to other wildlife in your area, it is also most likely not originally from your area, so if it did survive and breed, it would alter the genetic diversity of your local Long Neck Turtle population.

Your turtle is probably less bored than you think, and you could always update your tank and give it more options for stimulation. If you're no longer wanting to keep it because you don't think you're giving it the time / care it deserves you should advertise it for sale and look for somebody you think will look after it better.

 

[Kenshin]

dont release him if he is not from there, you could quiet sufficiently set him up in something that requires low effort, the bigger the body of water you keep him with, coupled with the biggest filter you can afford/make would make him low effort

you could knock up a pond, or buy an aquaculture tub or simply buy a larger tank for him, add some cover, a basking spot and throw in some feeders (gambusa, larger tetra's ect)

you could even bring him back inside to the tank for the winter

if you dont want to goto this kind of effort im sure there will be a member on here who would be more then happy to take him for you

 

[snakehandler]

If the animal was purchased (as is legally required) then you CANNOT release it for legal reasons, if you do not want it, we are more than willing to take it off your hands and use it in our reptile shows, it will share a lovely environment in our outdoor ponds where it can live with a multitude of other long necks!

 

[Snakeluvver2]

give it to me

 

[slim6y]

give it to me

No - give it to me.... I have a tank and AWESOME turtle activities.

 

[Kristy_07]

kick it to me!!

I mean give... give it to me!

Either do what you need to do to look after him properly, you give him to someone who will.

 

[TomELN]

ok everybody thanks for the quick responses. i think i will keep him and build him a better enclosure. is it too cold to keep him outside for winter if i build him a serious set up?
sounds like a stupid question but it gets bloody cold here (below 10 degrees quite ofter over winter, even colder at night)

 

[Ramsayi]

dont release him if he is not from there

Do not release a native pet period.It has nothing to do with whether or not it is from there,native to the area etc.

 

[snakehandler]

I live just down the road, similar temps and mine live happily outdoors year round...it wont be a problem except for the cats in the area!

 

[trader]

is it too cold to keep him outside for winter if i build him a serious set up? sounds like a stupid question but it gets bloody cold here (below 10 degrees quite ofter over winter, even colder at night)

They will hibernate during the cold season. In spring they come out happy to see you and hungry. That is what ours do...and we are not too far from you either.

 

[Jay84]

As previously said, there are many long neck turtle populations down on the peninsula and the climate is suitable for them, however, do not release it as reasons stated about. As snakehandler said, give it to him, or one of my friends lives in Somerville and keeps turtles and will be more than happy with another cute face to feed.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

If your in Red Hill you can hand it over to any carer or give it to snakehandler for the show.
It's illegal to release them in your area.
While there is populations of long necks thriving on the Peninsula and in Red Hill, they are generally regarded as feral populations, not indigenous but more than likely escapees, released pets or hitchhikers.
Like trader said, you wont see him during the winter if you set him up well outside.

 

[diprotodon]

ok everybody thanks for the quick responses. i think i will keep him and build him a better enclosure. is it too cold to keep him outside for winter if i build him a serious set up?
sounds like a stupid question but it gets bloody cold here (below 10 degrees quite ofter over winter, even colder at night)

By the sounds of things you should really start reading ,researching on how to care for your animal !!! give him to someone who can look after him proper when your studied up on the husbandry requirements then buy another

 

[JAS101]

ok everybody thanks for the quick responses. i think i will keep him and build him a better enclosure. is it too cold to keep him outside for winter if i build him a serious set up?
sounds like a stupid question but it gets bloody cold here (below 10 degrees quite ofter over winter, even colder at night)

to be honest if u keep it then i wouldnt put it out now , id put it outside over summer and then leave it out permantley . i think for this winter it has been left too late , as it isnt used to the outdoor weather [ this is just my opinion] . all of my eastern long necks are out side in there ponds and enclosures and all do fine , even on the coldest days and nights .

 

[PhilK]

Isn't it completely illegal to release it?

Turtles don't need to be picked up and cuddled and talked to every day - it will be perfectly happy sitting in its tank all day, as long as you feed it etc.

If you don't want it anymore sell it or give it away, don't release it to fend for itself.

 

[rockstar_jones]

Can't be bothered reading the entire thread, but when we decided it was time to rehome my turtle (was pretty big, and the dog would constantly bark at it through the fence to its pond) we rang around and found the zoo and local wildlife sanctuaries were all very keen to take him off our hands for no cost.