Editor’s Note: The peninsula cooter is part of the CROW CAW (Case A Week) series, which tells the stories of the patients at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel Island, the dangers they face, and how we can help protect all of our wildlife. Read previous cases here.
A tiny turtle hatchling was moments away from becoming a bird’s lunch when a Cape Coral resident happened by. As she watched, the bird repeatedly pecked at the quarter-sized turtle. Concerned for its safety, she rescued the hatchling and brought it to the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW).
At CROW, veterinarians identified the turtle as a peninsula cooter, a common freshwater species found in Florida’s lakes, rivers, and marshes. The hatchling (patient 26-2470) had suffered some trauma to its eyes, causing swelling and discharge that made it difficult for veterinarians to see the extent of the injury.
The turtle was started on antibiotics and topical treatments to help aid recovery. While at CROW, the hatchling was kept in a shallow aquarium with basking spots and hiding places to minimize stress during recovery.
After a week of treatment, the swelling had gone down, and the discharge around the eyes had cleared. With its eyes healed and vision restored, the hatchling was medically cleared for release and returned to a pond near where it was originally found.
Hatchling turtles are fully independent, meaning they don’t need mom or dad to care for them. However, they are still vulnerable — they’re tiny, slow, and soft. Hatchlings make easy bite-sized meals for all kinds of predators, including birds, fish, raccoons, and even other turtles. In fact, only a small percentage reach adulthood.
That being said, if you find a hatchling, the best thing you can do is leave it be. They are fully equipped to find food and shelter on their own. Unless the turtle is injured or in a dangerous location, like a road, then it likely doesn’t need your help.
It can also be difficult to identify a hatchling’s species, so never place them in water. You may have found a non-aquatic species, such as a box turtle or a gopher tortoise.
Contact a wildlife rehabilitator if you suspect a hatchling is in need of help. Common scenarios that require a rehabilitator’s expertise include unearthed nests, pet attacks, or sickness and injury. Don’t take it upon yourself to care for a hatchling — it is illegal in Florida to possess wildlife without proper permits, and reptiles have very rigorous care requirements.
Thanks to a vigilant rescuer and prompt veterinary care, this tiny peninsula cooter was given a second chance and is now back where it belongs, thriving in the wild.
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