HELP A TURTLE HATCHLING

I FOUND A TURTLE HATCHLING

"It’s always exciting to find a turtle hatchling—or even a few! Here are a few things to know, just for interest’s sake and to help give them the best possible start on their journey."

Turtle hatchlings most often emerge from their nests from mid-August to mid-October, with September being the busiest time for nest hatching. Some hatchlings will exit their egg but remain in the nest chamber. This is called overwintering. These hatchlings will leave the nest in the spring when the ground thaws and warms us. 

If you find one, look around and check on the area if you can where there is one hatchling. There could be more, and not necessarily on the same day. For example, painted turtles generally lay 7 to 13 eggs, while snapping turtles lay 1 to 100 on average, with 25 to 35 being the average.

Assisting a hatchling from the nest to its intended body of water is allowed and helpful. This will enable hatchlings to bypass a vast array of predators they could encounter on the route and increase their chances of survival. From the nest to the water, hatchlings could face predators from the air and on land. This could include crows, mink, skunks, foxes, seagulls, raccoons, herons, egrets, hawks, owls, fishers, bullfrogs, snakes, and even dogs and cats. Once in the water, large fish, otters, even giant snapping turtles, and other aquatic inhabitants could be waiting to snack on hatchlings.

HELP HATCHLINGS TO WATER

If you find a hatchling, take it to the nearest slow-moving body of water. When you get to the water, scout out a shallow spot with vegetation or leafy debris that will serve as a protective covering and offer resting sites for the hatchlings. 'DO NOT' release hatchings into open water (e.g., lake shoreline), water beside a busy road, boat launches, water with a strong current, public beaches, or storm management ponds (no matter how naturalized they appear they are dredged every few years). There will be predators lying in wait, most assuredly. Hatchlings will spend much of their early years hiding until they have gained some size and girth and are not so vulnerable to predators. Place the hatchling at the shallow entry point, where it can enter the water at its own pace. Should a hatchling be released into the water that is too deep and has no vegetation, it could contribute to drowning. 

Should there be multiple hatchlings to release, spread them around the body of water, preferably 10 feet apart. This procedure will reduce the chances of predators locating clusters of turtles and increase the number of hatchlings that survive.

Note: Handle turtle hatchlings as little as possible and carefully, as their shells are soft and pliable. Wearing gloves is recommended when handling turtles.

If you have a question or concern about helping a hatchling, please don't hesitate to call or text Think Turtle at 647-606-9537. For more information, visit thinkturtle.ca or find us on Facebook.

Thank you for helping hatchlings get the best possible start on their journey to adulthood.