What to do if you see baby turtles being sold

Baltimore MD

Description

Avoid the baby turtle! It's a scam. If you see street vendors or vacation beachware stores selling little green turtles about the size of a quarter, please remember these turtles DO NOT stay small; they can grow to be 6-12" when full grown and may need more than a 75 gallon aquarium when full grown. It's illegal in all states to sell baby red-eared sliders or use them as carnival prizes. In Maryland, if you see street vendors selling green baby turtles in little plastic cases, please report it to the DNR NRP 24/7 hotline at . You can also call your local animal control and county health department. If you're on vacation (such as in Florida or NYC), call the regional FDA office and the state health department, as well as animal control.