Two Bates College students unknowingly brought dangerous and illegal turtles into Maine over the weekend and as it turns out, the adorable-looking creatures carry far more potential consequences than you may believe.

Shared on Facebook by Mr. Drew's Exotic Rescue and Education Center, these tiny little turtles are known as red ear sliders. To the average individual, they may look like an adorable little pet, but in reality, they are a dangerous and invasive species of turtle that could have tantamount consequences to ecosystems, including the fragile one that exists in Maine.

Two Bates students who were not identified by name in the Facebook post purchased these turtles for $25 in Chinatown while visiting Boston. After returning to their dorm with the creatures, they visited the local PetCo to see how to care for the turtles and found that not only would the care be expensive and extensive, but the particular species of turtle was illegal to own in Maine. They promptly contacted Mr. Drew's for help with the turtles.

The point of Mr. Drew's post isn't to condemn the students for their mistake, but instead to serve as a very important reminder that before you impulse buy a potentially exotic pet, you should contact education professionals and ask if it's even legal to do so.

 

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