Keep Our Turtles Wild

Remember that wild turtles are not pets, and raising a wild animal in captivity is illegal unless you have a state permit. Wild turtles brought into captivity are also at increased risk of being exposed to diseases and captivity might disrupt their natural cycles. If you release a captive wild turtle, be sure to release it in the same area it was taken from.

Box turtles are especially accustomed to a specific home range, and moving these turtles to a habitat you think might be more suitable could result in population loss.

Spread the word about keeping turtles wild by sharing this post! You can also print and share this poster, and other posters and publications about protecting young wildlife at wildohio.gov/staywild (See the Resources and Additional Information section)