Where Can I Take My Unwanted Turtle? [Adoption & Rescue] - NatureDiscovery (2024)

Having a pet turtle can sound like a great way to teach your children responsibility, or to have a little friend to share the home with. However, sometimes children can shirk their responsibilities, or become bored of their new pet.

Turtles need a lot of care and attention. Their tanks need cleaning frequently and take a lot of feeding. Sometimes, this is not for everyone, and you may be thinking about giving away your pet.

All pet owners can reach a point where looking after another cane becomes too much of a responsibility, and it is often a hard choice to make. Unfortunately, getting rid of a turtle is a lot more difficult than rehoming a dog, or a cat, as these unique animals are not to everyone’s tastes.

You may find it difficult to find a place that will rescue or adopt your turtle, but luckily, we have some helpful resources that you can use.

Turtle Adoption

You can reach a point where you can no longer give your turtle the care and affection that it needs, so you should find a new home that can help the animal thrive. If this is the case, you can ask friends or family members if they are up to the challenge of caring for a new addition to their home.

This can sometimes be the best option because you can trust your judgment, and leave your pet with someone who will do their best to care for it. It is always important that you rehome your turtle with someone you trust or someone that will take advice and tips on the best ways to care for a turtle.

In addition, you may also be able to visit your old turtle whenever it suits, and during its acclimatization process so that it can adapt to its new environment positively and properly.

If you think adoption is the best way to go, then you can try to find a new home for your beloved pet turtle. To do this, you can post on turtle forums, pet sites (for example, turtleforum.com), or websites like Craigslist to search for anyone looking to adopt a turtle.

You can also post flyers in your local area or put up ads online for anyone who may want a pet turtle and can take yours off your hands. Just be cautious and careful, and ensure that your turtle is going to a loving home.

In addition, some pet stores can often offer to rehome and rehabilitate your unwanted pet turtle and will find a new family to keep it safe and cared for.

Turtle Rescue

If you reach a point where you simply cannot keep your turtle any longer due to any circ*mstances, then there is an option for you. The American Tortoise Rescue can care for your turtle. Their motto is to protect all turtles and tortoises, and they are a safe organization to rescue your turtle.

The American Tortoise Rescue can be reached at: https://www.tortoise.com/need-a-rescue.html

However, they offer a service where they provide help and details of turtle rescue centers within the United States. All you have to do is find your local state, and you can locate your nearest turtle rescue shelter!

You may also be able to find a local pet adoption center equipped with a trained staff that knows exactly how to care for your pet turtle. This way, you will know that they are looked after when you part ways.

Finally, you can also ask if a nearby zoo or wildlife center will rescue your turtle and keep them safe and healthy.

Many zoos are comfortable donating your pet turtle if they already have them in their care, which makes donating your turtle to a zoo a great option if you have exhausted all of your other efforts.

You must find a suitable home for your turtle if you wish to say goodbye and thoroughly vet options before parting ways.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Give My Turtle to Petco?

You should definitely visit your local Petco and see whether they’d want to take your unwanted turtle off your hands. If they can’t take your turtle themselves, Petco has a pet adoption program that connects people who want to adopt with people who want to get rid of their pets. Visit petcolove.org for more information.

Can I Give My Turtle to Petsmart?

Petsmart has an adoption tool on their site. However, at the time of writing this article (May 2022), it only works with Cats and Dogs. With this being said, it’s always worth calling or visiting your local Petsmart store for more information. If they can’t adopt your turtle themselves, most likely, they’ll be able to put you in touch with a local rescue shelter.