Help! I’ve Found an Injured Animal!
Turtles
There is no such thing as an orphaned turtle. Mother turtles lay their eggs in late spring/early summer. Approximately 60 days later, the eggs hatch. The babies are totally self-sufficient and should be left alone.
If you encounter a turtle that has been hit by a car, a lawnmower, or attacked by a dog, it will need medical assistance.
While it is important to remember that any turtle can bite, most turtles found on Long Island can easily be contained in a box. However, snapping turtles can be dangerous; the best way to pick up a snapping turtle is with a shovel. Place the turtle in a box with air-holes and close the box, then contact us for further assistance.
If you encounter an Eastern Box Turtle that is uninjured, please leave it where it is. Box turtles live in small area (about 1 mile)—that is their home range and they know it instinctively. Removing a box turtle to relocate to what you perceive to be a “safer” place is only putting it in harm’s way, as it will spend its time trying to find its home again, which often means crossing highways that it would normally not have to encounter.
If you encounter any kind of turtle crossing the road, it is okay to help it along. However, please carry it to the side of the road in the direction it is heading. By putting it back on the side it is crossing from, it will start crossing the road all over again.
Click here to learn more about Eastern Box Turtles' natural history.
Diamond Back Terrapin
Eastern Box Turtle
Snapping Turtle