Q&A for How to Catch a Turtle

A duck pond or any public pond will work.

You can try. Provide food for it, but if it doesn't eat within 24 hours, you should probably just let it go.

Block off any plants you don't want it to eat, or trap it and release it into a nearby pond from which it might have escaped.

Painted turtles are east to tell apart from others. They have skinny necks and are usually a dark color, with yellow, orange and/or blue colored stripes on their limbs. Don't get this mixed up with a box turtle though, box turtles have black/orange shells too.

Go to a lake or pond to find turtles.

Turtles and many other reptiles may harbor salmonella in addition to the bacteria found in the water it was in, so be safe when handling them and wash your hands after.

Try looking near or in mossy areas or along the shore, or anywhere the water is shallow.

You can go to the pet store or find a breeder.

You can usually catch turtles by the Changi Airport and at the riverbank near Marina Bay Sands.

Summer or late spring, when it's warm.

Look near a lake or wet area; you may see a turtle crawling around on the road. Or you could visit your local pet store.

Most lakes have turtles. If you watch carefully and in the right places, you can see them pop their heads up for air. It also has to be warm enough for them.

Virginia is a big state! Turtles live in ponds, rivers, swamps, and lakes. Look near bodies of water.

You'd remove it the same way you would with a fish, but their skin is more delicate so more care should be taken.

You can likely catch a turtle in the lakes, rivers, and ponds. Just be careful not to hurt yourself, and not to injure the environment where you are catching the turtle.

It needs help from a doctor. Take it to the nearest vet immediately.

You don't. You only need to catch a wild turtle if it is in danger or ill. Otherwise, just leave it in it's natural habitat where it's healthier and happier.

Yes, you can, as long as the temperature outside is not too cold. Make sure that you give your turtle plenty of food and water. Make sure that no wild animals can get to your turtle. Make sure that your turtle cannot get out of the enclosure.

They will be easier to find outside basking on sunny days above 80°F. You can very easily find them on roads during their nesting season.

Box turtles are protected in some areas, so make sure you know its state of conservation for your area. They prefer undisturbed, wooded areas. They sometimes live in fields or marshes if these environments are bordering a wooded area.

It depends on what kind of turtle you are keeping. Land turtles are not very good at swimming. The sides of the enclosure should be five inches tall, or tall enough for them not to climb out. I recommend putting small logs in the enclosure and dig a two inch deep little pond for wading (turtles love to wade). And If possible, plant edible plants like cilantro and other herbs. If your turtle is not eating try tempting it with strawberries or meal worms.

Yes.

It's ok if you temporarily keep it if it looks unhealthy or hurt; I have done this. But don't remove a healthy turtle from its home it may die of stress. Also, some may carry salmonella, a dangerous illness.

You can check different ponds or streams to see if you can find one.

People trap turtles professionally to sell them or breed them.

There are two native freshwater turtles in the Pacific Northwest. One is very common, the other quite uncommon. The common one is the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), found all over the interior of the region south to northern Oregon and locally in western Washington and the Willamette Valley.