Why You Should Not Relocate Turtles
Turtles are often found in ponds and warmer climates, and it is common for humans to take them out of the environment they’re used to and relocate them somewhere else, thinking that they’re helping them by giving them a bigger, better home. Unfortunately, it’s often not the best thing to do.
They Instinctively Know Where to Go
Turtles are often very territorial and for a variety of reasons, including their diet, mates, nesting areas, basking sites, and so on, they may prefer to be in one area rather than another. Even if the new area is “better”, it may not suit the turtle’s needs. Plus, being territorial animals, they already instinctively know where to go and what to do in their home environment.
Can Be Fatal During Transitions
Another major reason for not relocating turtles is the danger it puts them in. Turtles, not just any reptiles, need warmth and adequate food sources. Moving to a cooler temperature or harsher environment can be fatal, especially if the turtle is not acclimated to the new environment, or if the new environment is drastically different from the original environment.
Relocation Can Alter Mating Habits
Relocating turtles can also affect their mating habits and disrupt their breeding cycles. Turtles have specific sites where they usually mate, and if they’re moved away from their original mating sites, it can be difficult, if not impossible, for them to get back to those sites in order to reproduce.
They Need Their Natural Environment to Survive
Finally, turtles need their natural environment in order to survive. Moving to a new environment can reduce the availability of the necessary resources, like food, basking spots, and nesting places, that turtles need to thrive. Relocating them could also introduce them to different predators or diseases that would make their new environment unsafe.
In conclusion, it is always best to leave turtles in their natural habitats, so they can live normally, in the places they’re used to. Relocating them not only disrupts their natural habits and behaviors, but it can also be fatal. Therefore, it is always best to not relocate turtles.
