ROSEBURG, Ore. – When the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was released in 1990, it caused a massive spike in turtle sales. Hundreds of thousands of live turtles were purchased as pets, many of which died because of improper care or were illegally released into the wild.
Susan Barnes is hoping the latest ninja turtle movie won’t cause a a repeat disaster in Oregon.
Barnes is a conservation biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. She says turtles don’t always make the best pets.
“Turtles require a lot of care and have special diet and habitat needs to keep them healthy,” Barnes says. “Turtles also carry salmonella which can make people, particularly children, very sick.”
Several species, including the snapping turtle, are not native to Oregon and are often illegally bought and sold in the state.
“These are the most common turtles we see as pets, but they’re illegal in Oregon because they are invasive species,” Barnes said.
“If they get out into the wild, they are harmful to our native turtles which we are very concerned about.”
Kids often lose interest quickly in their pet turtles, which can’t slice, dice and fight like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Please consider the health risks and responsibilities before adopting a turtle, many of which can live 40 to 100 years and grow to be very large. Be sure it’s a species legal to have in Oregon or better yet, buy an action figure instead.
For more information on turtles in Oregon, visit the ODFW website.
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