Some of my turtles

[Ryan Wunsch]

A few turtle pictures I’ve found of some of the turtles / tortoises that I keep or have kept in the past.


Male eastern box turtle





Map turtle





Wood Turtle. These turtles are native to Canada and protected. Many people think that they are the smartest of turtles, they can learn rat type mazes very quickly, and have been found climbing over chain link fences to get to the other side.





A baby sucata tortoise. I still have this one, which is now about the size of a football.




Common snapping turtle. I’m sure I have better pictures of this guy somewhere, but I can’t find them. This particular common snapper came from Alfred Vanhollen when he retired from Teaching, and the zoo collection at the Rocky Mountain House School was dispersed.






3 toed box turtles “getting-it-on”



We used to have large groups of various box turtles, with plans on producing a lot of these really cool turtles for pets. It seemed like they waited for us to leave for a show or a weekend trip to lay their eggs, and we got tired of coming home to find dug up or otherwise wrecked eggs, so we sold off the breeding groups.







Alligator snapping turtle that I also posted in another thread.

[Shawn(snakebite)]

Great piks Ryan , you had some awesome turts thats fa sure.Have you ever come across Matamatas? Those turtles sure intrigue me, but I heard they are wicked expensive if you can track one down and quite demanding.I would definately be looking for one once I get a bigger place and more permanent roots.Do you have any info on the availability of them.Oh , and does Henry Piorun still deal with the sulcatas?

[Ryan Wunsch]

Have you ever come across Matamatas?

I've ever only seen one in person that was for sale in Western Canada, and I went with Gary Dawson when he bought it from a turtle friend of mine. The only other one I've ever seen in person is the one at Reptile World in Drumheller. I've been offered them i the past, but usually for around $1000.

I can't remember if they are CITES protected, I think they might be but will have to look that up. If they are not, you can get CFIA import permits to bring a baby in from the U.S, which I've seen for sale for $200 U.S.

Oh , and does Henry Piorun still deal with the sulcatas?

I'm not sure about that, you could phone or email him because he probably knows of some available if he doesn't have any now or won't later this year.

There are a lot of them around, if you want one I'm sure you can find some free to a good home if you watch for them. In a few years, I predict we will be begging for people to take them in - the hundreds of babies sold over the last years have to be getting pretty big by now.

Ryan

[joeysgreen]

From what I understand, Piorun never actually bred sulcatta's but sold someone else's babies. I have one of these little tanks from him and it's doing great. Bought it in 2001.

Ian

[joeysgreen]

That wood turtle is neat. I found one in the field on my last trip to Wisconsin where they are currently threatened with extirpation. It was so incredible. There were also tonnes of painted turtles, and a few snappers.

I forgot to add, I think that all chelonians are CITES II but I could be mistaken and it's all tortoises.