Why Are Turtles Illegal to Own as Pets in Tennessee?

In 1975 the Federal Food and Drug Administration made it illegal to sell or distribute turtle eggs or young turtles with shells smaller than 4 inches. This law covers all creatures commonly known as turtles, including tortoises and terrapins. Tennessee law is tighter. In Tennessee it is illegal to keep any size or type of turtle as a pet.

  1. Health Risk

    • Once popular in classrooms, turtles are a source of salmonella infection.

      Turtles carry bacteria harmless to themselves, but potentially hazardous to humans. This is a particular concern when they are handled by young children. Once common classroom pets, all turtles were removed from Tennessee classrooms after a turtle was implicated in a salmonella outbreak at an Anderson County school. The Federal 4-inch law was instituted because of fear that small children might put small turtles into their mouths, exacerbating the salmonella risk.

    Risk to Other Wildlife

    • Turtles are long-lived. They require a lot of cleaning as they rapidly soil their tanks. Often, people tire of their pet turtles, or the turtles grow too large. Unable to find new homes for their pets, people may be tempted to release them into the wild. Pet turtles released like this can transmit disease or parasites to the wild turtle population. A turtle long kept in captivity is ill-equipped for life in the wild. According to the "Animal Planet" Reptile Guide, released turtles are particularly vulnerable because they attempt to return home and may be hit by road traffic. If turtles are non-native species, release into the wild has potential for detrimental impact on the local ecosystem. The red-eared slider, a popular pet species, is among the world's worst invasive species if released into an area with no natural predators. Knoxville Zoo's curator of herpetology, Phil Colclough told the "Knoxville News Sentinel" that these animals are "the kudzu of turtles."

    Conservation Concerns

    • The box turtle, Tennessee's state reptile, is a species at risk.

      While red-eared sliders are common, this is not true of all turtles. Turtle numbers have been seriously depleted by capture of wild turtles for pets and by habitat destruction. Turtles are particularly vulnerable to over-harvesting because they reproduce late in life and in low numbers. Box turtles are endangered in several states. They are protected by the 1994 CITES Treaty, which forbids their trade. According to Rachel Singer of Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation, box turtles are a "species of concern" in Tennessee. Alligator snapping turtles are likewise listed as a species "in need of management." Bog turtles are one of the state's most endangered species, threatened by both poachers and predators due to their small size and slow speed. Knoxville Zoo hatches and releases these turtles in an attempt to ensure their survival.

    Wildlife Law

    • In addition to the specific legislation related to turtles, a blanket Tennesse Law covering all wildlife applies. In Tennessee it is illegal to take any animal from the wild and keep it as a pet. This means it is illegal even to take tadpoles and illegal to raise orphaned animals of any type. If any wild creature is found orphaned or injured, Tennessee residents must inform the Wildlife Resources Agency. The agency has trained rehabilitators who will care for the animal and release it back into the wild.