Turtles
| Life | Turtles will bask during the day on logs or rocks, very close to water as an escape in case of danger. Most turtles hibernate during the winter. |
| Home | Depending on the species, from fully aquatic to semi-terrestrial. Ponds, marshes, lake sides, streams, fields. |
| Food | Insects, fruit, small fish, various plants, flowers. |
| Young | All 8 of Ontario’s turtle species deposit their eggs in the ground between May and early July. The young hatch after 2 to 3 months of incubation, and dig their way up through the soil before finding their way to suitable habitat. Hatchlings of some species, like the Painted Turtles, need to spend the winter in the nest before emerging the following spring. |
Aside from birds, turtles are the animals most often brought into the Centre for rehabilitation. They acquire injuries mostly from vehicle collisions and other wild animals. If you find a turtle, first determine whether or not he is injured. Any signs such as not pulling into his shell, having a cracked shell, or bleeding means he is probably injured. Bring him to a vet or wildlife rehabilitator immediately. In the meantime, put him in a cardboard box, close the lid to create a dark environment, and leave in a quiet area until you are able to transport him.
If you find an uninjured turtle, but in a dangerous location (such as next to a road)
Put him in the closest safe location in the direction he was heading (i.e., safely on the other side of the road). In this case there is no need to take the turtle to a rehabilitator or to relocate him. Most turtles have a homing instinct and will try to return to the area from which they came. If you move a turtle away from the location where he was found, it may result in death while trying to return home.
Do not pick up snapping turtles as they bite and can cause serious injury. Use a large stick or shovel to carefully nudge snapping turtles across the road by gently pressing against the animal’s shell.
Please check out this video from the Toronto Zoo on How To Help A Snapping Turtle Cross The Road
Please help prevent turtles being hit-by-cars and move them across the road in the direction they are facing!
