Turtle Adoption Day Date in the current year: November 27, 2024

Turtles are reptiles that make up the order Testudines. Their characteristic feature is a shell that develops mainly from their ribs and is made mostly of bone. Found on most continents except Antarctica, turtles have appeared in folktales and myths since antiquity. In many cultures, turtles are associated with wisdom. However, positive associations with turtles haven’t prevented humans from killing them for their meat and shells. In addition, some small freshwater and terrestrial turtle species, particularly red-eared sliders, are kept as pets.

The earliest mention of Turtle Adoption Day is dated 2011. A woman named Christine Shaw submitted a blog post titled “November 27th is Turtle Adoption Day!” to foundanimals.org. The main goal of her post was to educate readers about common misconceptions about keeping turtles as pets and to encourage people to adopt turtles responsibly.

What exactly are these common misconceptions? For example, a lot of people think that there are “mini-turtles” you can adopt. In reality, however, these “mini-turtles” are just baby turtles. Many people purchase baby turtles because they’re cute and get rid of them once they grow larger than their owners expected. In the best possible scenario, these turtles are re-homed or end up in shelters; in the worst case, they are released in the wild and die from the cold and starvation.

So, if you want to adopt a turtle, you need to realize that it will grow, and you will need to upgrade the tank and the rest of the equipment as your pet grows. You also should know that turtles have a long lifespan, so adopting one is a long-term commitment you need to be ready for.

How can you celebrate Turtle Adoption Day? The best way to observe is, of course, to adopt a turtle through a reptile rescue organization or at your local animal shelter. Of course, you should do your research first and make sure you can provide your pet with the best possible care. Although turtles are relatively low-maintenance as long as you’ve created a suitable environment for your pet, having a pet turtle can be quite costly, and it may be hard to find a vet that works with reptiles, especially if you live in a small town.

If you’re not ready to adopt a turtle, you can observe the holiday by donating to a pet shelter that rescues turtles or to a reptile rescue organization, helping to educate others about responsible turtle adoption, and spreading the word with the hashtag #TurtleAdoptionDay. If you’re already a proud turtle owner, buy your beloved pet a treat and share photos and videos of your turtle on social media.

Turtle Adoption Day should not be confused with World Turtle Day, which is celebrated annually on May 23. The latter is meant to raise awareness about the plight of turtles in general, while the former focuses on pet turtles that have been abandoned by their owners and need to find a new loving home.