Before you buy that pet turtle...

Two years ago my family went to the beach on vacation and happened to come across a store selling baby water turtles (red earred sliders). The tank at the store had dozens of the cute little guys swimming about in a ten gallon tank or basking in the artifical sunlight of a lightbulb on a floating dock. These babies were no bigger than a quarter and cute as could be. My son and I were instantly charmed. We got two (because they'd want a friend- right?).

So Calvin and Hobbes, as we named them, made the 500 mile journey home with us and we set them up in a fish bowl.  But after a while we decided they needed more room to swim so we bought a ten gallon tank and set up a desk lamp to be their heat source to bask in. Then Calvin started acting sick, and we read up on the internet about turtle illnesses and realized they were probably still too cold. We bought a heater stick and floating dock for their tank, but it was too late for Calvin.

I mourned the loss of our reptile friend, but Hobbes continued to thrive. And why wouldn't he? After reading so much about turtles trying to save Calvin, we learned all the stuff we'd missed earlier.  We pimped Hobbes crib but good. He had the floating dock, the heater stick, a themometer, a water filtration system, a special UV light bulb, about four different water conditioner drops, and an endless supply of turtle food sticks. Hobbes began to grow. And grow. And grow!

By the end of the first year he'd almost tripled in size.  Did we get a clue about this exponential growth or did we get another baby turtle the next summer when we went to the beach? You guessed it.  So Hobbes now had a little friend.  Little friend thrived as well and as Hobbes continued to grow, and grow, and grow, so did the new baby.

Hobbes's shell is now about 7 inches long and 5 1/2 inches wide.  He has a huge appetite we try to supplement with fruit and worms and greenery.  But his ten gallon tank is kinda crowded. And by now my son has grown weary of the tank cleaning and feeding and extra work a turtle means.

"Let him go in a nearby pond," my husband says.

What? I know he's just a turtle, but he's MY turtle.  I've grown attached to the guy!  Let him go? Sob!

So I began hunting around for a larger tank for my turtle and found one I thought was affordable at Walmart yesterday. Still, when I think of the investment we've put into that $10 baby turtle we found at the beach, I cringe.

The least I can do is give other beach-goers fair warning.  Turtles, when maintained properly, can get expensive. And the grow... really fast. And you will get attached to them, especially when they swim right up to you, eat out of your hand, and splash around as if happy to see you at feeding time. Sure I know it is his dinner, not me, that he's happy about, but...he's so cute.

You have been warned.  Turtle buyers beware!

Beth Cornelison- www.bethcornelison.com
DUTY TO PROTECT- Silhouette Romantic Suspense- July 2008
RANCHER'S REDEMPTION- Silhouette Romantic Suspense- Oct 2008