Comments on: The spotted turtle and the effects of the pet trade http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/ my so-called life. Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:00:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: michele http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/#comment-439 michele Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:21:12 +0000 http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/?p=1601#comment-439 hi - Thanks for the comments. I do not know where Spot came from. I will keep him as long as he'll have me. Thanks - Michele hi – Thanks for the comments. I do not know where Spot came from. I will keep him as long as he’ll have me.
Thanks –
Michele

]]> By: Cheryl http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/#comment-437 Cheryl Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:31:07 +0000 http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/?p=1601#comment-437 hi again, michele i got an answer from my conservation professor and he also forwarded the question to a turtle expert at the university of ottawa here are their responses: "I am certainly no expert on turtles, but I would suspect that "Spot" would indeed do fine if he was released close to where he was originally found. I would not recommend releasing Spot anywhere else for two reasons: Spotted Turtles seem to require fairly specialized habitat (as you know), and you want to be sure that Spot will join members of the same population (especially if these turtles have local adaptations)." "If you are not sure of the exact location I would keep spot or give him to a educational organism if you no longer can take care of him." hope that helps! hi again, michele
i got an answer from my conservation professor and he also forwarded the question to a turtle expert at the university of ottawa
here are their responses:

“I am certainly no expert on turtles, but I would suspect that “Spot” would indeed do fine if he was released close to where he was originally found. I would not recommend releasing Spot anywhere else for two reasons: Spotted Turtles seem to require fairly specialized habitat (as you know), and you want to be sure that Spot will join members of the same population (especially if these turtles have local adaptations).”

“If you are not sure of the exact location I
would keep spot or give him to a educational organism if you no longer can
take care of him.”

hope that helps!

]]> By: Cheryl http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/#comment-436 Cheryl Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:26:39 +0000 http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/?p=1601#comment-436 hey michele! sorry it took me so long to reply to this but at this point, i'm not sure if direct release into the wild is such a great idea as you said, it has been living domestically for a long time, so it may not know how to survive when alone what i would do is try to contact some conservation groups or specialists in your area, maybe they could give you a more informed answer i hope that helps! hey michele!
sorry it took me so long to reply to this
but at this point, i’m not sure if direct release into the wild is such a great idea
as you said, it has been living domestically for a long time, so it may not know how to survive when alone
what i would do is try to contact some conservation groups or specialists in your area, maybe they could give you a more informed answer
i hope that helps!

]]> By: Michele http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/#comment-431 Michele Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:01:04 +0000 http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/?p=1601#comment-431 I have a spotted turtle - for about 8 years now. Was given to me by someone, who said they found it on the road and took it home. They had it for a few years. I love having it, but have been increasingly wondering if I should release "Spot". My brother lives in a protected marshland. Would he survive now after all time in capativity? He will eat polywogs if we throw some in the tank. I have a spotted turtle – for about 8 years now. Was given to me by someone, who said they found it on the road and took it home. They had it for a few years. I love having it, but have been increasingly wondering if I should release “Spot”. My brother lives in a protected marshland. Would he survive now after all time in capativity? He will eat polywogs if we throw some in the tank.

]]> By: Cheryl http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/#comment-316 Cheryl Sat, 21 Mar 2009 07:35:03 +0000 http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/?p=1601#comment-316 i'm not sure if there is inbreeding right now you have to keep in mind that one "turtle generation" is very long, and there really haven't been that many since their decline i mean, i'm sure that there will be in the future the populations really vary in size like i think i mentioned <i>"a majority of those that are left are too small to sustain themselves"</i> that is kind of what i meant - the populations are just too small for your problem - there might be a chance to save them if we could introduce more genetic diversity, for example, bringing in turtles from different populations so i guess the answer is that it may not be as simple as just increasing the population i’m not sure if there is inbreeding right now
you have to keep in mind that one “turtle generation” is very long, and there really haven’t been that many since their decline
i mean, i’m sure that there will be in the future

the populations really vary in size
like i think i mentioned
“a majority of those that are left are too small to sustain themselves”
that is kind of what i meant – the populations are just too small
for your problem –
there might be a chance to save them if we could introduce more genetic diversity, for example, bringing in turtles from different populations
so i guess the answer is that it may not be as simple as just increasing the population

]]> By: Joanna http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/#comment-313 Joanna Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:48:13 +0000 http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/?p=1601#comment-313 With such a small population, is it possible that the spotted turtle is undergoing inbreeding? If they are undergoing successive generations of inbreeding, would it permanently decrease genetic diversity leading to a "collection" of deterimental alleles in the population? I'm asking because I'm curious as to whether such an endangered species can be saved just by trying to increasing the population. P.S. Even I had a red-eared slider as a kid. Two of them. Needless to say, I witnessed to turtle casualties. =( With such a small population, is it possible that the spotted turtle is undergoing inbreeding? If they are undergoing successive generations of inbreeding, would it permanently decrease genetic diversity leading to a “collection” of deterimental alleles in the population? I’m asking because I’m curious as to whether such an endangered species can be saved just by trying to increasing the population.

P.S. Even I had a red-eared slider as a kid. Two of them. Needless to say, I witnessed to turtle casualties. =(

]]> By: D http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/the-spotted-turtle-and-the-effects-of-the-pet-trade/#comment-307 D Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:35:57 +0000 http://thegreatromance.wordpress.com/?p=1601#comment-307 So sad! I never knew. Thanks Cheryl. So sad! I never knew. Thanks Cheryl.

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