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Baby Amphibians
Amphibians, like frogs, toads and
salamanders, lay eggs in the water. The eggs will hatch into tadpoles for frogs
and toads, salamander larva if salamanders. Amphibians don’t need parental
help, the parents lay the eggs and leave.
Tadpoles and larva should only be
moved if they are in a spot where they are in danger,
like on a pool cover that needs to be removed. Then, you can use a waterproof container to collect them
all and move them to a nearby pond or other place with water, near the
edge of the bank.
Baby Reptiles
Turtle and snake babies don’t need
parental care, their parents lay the eggs and leave,
and when the babies hatch, they are on their own.
Turtle eggs are usually laid in
June, and if they survive, they’ll hatch in August or early September. If you find a
turtle nest, a shallow area with white eggs loosely
covered in sand or dirt, don’t go near and don’t touch! If you go up to the nest and touch the eggs, you will do
two bad things: attract egg-eating raccoons to
the nest with your scent, and cause the eggs to not hatch if they are moved in the wrong way and will never develop
into babies.
If the nest is in an area where it
may be disturbed accidentally, like near a road or path, or if you’re worried
about raccoons getting to the eggs, you can put fencing around and over the
nest with holes that are big enough for the babies to get out, but predators
can’t come in, or watch to see when the babies hatch, and move the fence.
If you see a turtle crossing the
road, you can pull off to the side of the road and carefully move the turtle
away from the road. Be careful, some turtles, like Snapping turtles, can and
will try to bite, and they have long necks that can reach around their sides.
Baby turtles you find out in the
wild should never become pets. Not only is it illegal to possess wildlife
without the proper permits, but when you take turtles from the wild, you hurt
their already fragile population. Only Snapping turtles and Painted turtles are
doing ok in Michigan right now, with the other species not doing as well, and
we may lose some of our turtle species in as soon as 50 years.
Turtles can also carry Salmonella, bacteria that can make people very sick, and
can even be fatal for small children.
Young snakes should not be taken from
the wild either. Some snakes can be tamed down very easily, which makes them
easy prey for dogs and cats as well as natural predators. Some snakes are very
aggressive, especially at a young age, and can be vicious biters. There are
snakes in Michigan
that are facing hard times like our turtles.
If you want a reptile or amphibian
as a pet, please research the housing and feeding requirements for that species
before purchasing one at a pet store. Many need special lighting and heating,
and can live for many years.
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