Frick and Frack are two red-eared sliders looking for a forever home under the California sun. A red-eared slider is a type of turtle - more specifically, a terrapin - who lives a semi-aquatic charmed kind of life. Currently under the care of the good people at American Tortoise Rescue in Malibu, Calif., Frick and Frack are both 2-year-old males who can't wait for May when it is warm enough for a nice outdoor (private and secure) pond!
Pets Happy Zone spoke to Susan Tellum, co-founder of the 25-year-old nonprofit, American Tortoise Rescue, who gave us here in the Zone some information on these two buddies who were only the size of a dime when they were rescued!
"[Frick and Frack] were purchased illegally in an area of Los Angeles called Santee Alley where counterfeit goods and illegal animals are sold every day," Tellum told Pets Happy Zone. "They are both super-friendly, having been raised by me to their size now which is about 'hand size.'"
According to Tellum, most turtle types are "careful but interested in humans." They need private ponds, secured from any predators, and not much healthcare, but you still need to know what you are getting into before committing to a reptile.
"There are thousands of red-eared sliders coming into the rescues around the country because pet stores sell them, people tire of their care, they are sold by the millions as tiny turtles that die at the rate of 90 percent before adulthood," Tellum explained. "We need private pond homes for them across the U.S. Raccoons kill turtles, so they need to be predator-proof ponds. Ours has an electric fence around it."
Tellum also noted: "Water turtles should never be in tanks except when they are too small to be outside in a pond. We raise them by an open window when they come in so they always have sun."
You might already have a terrapin in your home on your Phil Lesh T-shirt, but if you think you're ready for the real deal, read up on advice and care tips on turtles, tortoises and those in-between from American Tortoise Rescue. For more information on Frick and Frack, email info@tortoise.com or check out the rescue's Facebook page. You could be spending World Turtle Day with your very own terrapin pals, Frick and Frack!
Take a tour of the turtle yard at American Tortoise Rescue:
If you fall in love with Frick and Frack or another HNGN-featured rescue pet, be sure to tell us your story! Send photos and anecdotes to k.aquilina@hngn.com. We love happy endings, and you and your pet could be featured on Headlines and Global News' Pets Happy Zone!
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