Speak Up Against Turtle Poaching!

A typical Eastern box turtle will have only two surviving young in its fifty-year-long life. In many parts of their range, their numbers have fallen by 30-60% in recent decades. If their populations continue declining at this rate, they will become extinct quickly. Box turtles aren’t our only native turtle facing possible extinction. Bog turtlesContinue reading “Speak Up Against Turtle Poaching!”

Snapping Turtles Aren’t Dangerous

Lots of people are terrified of snapping turtles. We get calls throughout the summer from people who want snapping turtles relocated, or even killed, because they’re afraid that these peaceful dinosaurs will eat their kids or pets. But a snapping turtle in your yard isn’t anything to worry about! Snapping turtles don’t eat kids orContinue reading “Snapping Turtles Aren’t Dangerous”

Trees Don’t Litter

If you’d ever seen how quickly our raccoon patients can devour twenty pounds of acorns or forage through six inches of fallen leaves for bugs, you’d understand exactly why there’s no need to “clean up” the gifts trees leave us in autumn! Many native animals in our area cannot survive winter without the bounty ofContinue reading “Trees Don’t Litter”

Reptiles Feel Pain, Even If They Don’t Show It

Unless someone is a total sicko, they’ll almost always rush to the vet as soon as they can if they find an injured puppy. Our brains are full of specialized cells, called mirror neurons, that create empathy when we see an animal that expresses pain the way we do. So if a puppy is crying,Continue reading “Reptiles Feel Pain, Even If They Don’t Show It”

Don’t Move a Box Turtle Somewhere “Better”

Have you ever seen a box turtle in a busy or barren area and decided to move it elsewhere? You’re not alone. Many box turtles get moved by well-meaning people who want to help them find a better place to live than a suburban lawn near a heavily trafficked road. The problem is that turtlesContinue reading “Don’t Move a Box Turtle Somewhere “Better””