A Christchurch woman who runs a turtle rescue is calling for more regulation of the invasive reptile.
Donna Moot from Christchurch Turtle Rescue is bracing herself for an influx of abandoned pet turtles, which normally happens during summer.
You'll be hard-pressed to find one of these guys for sale in a pet store.
Turtles aren't native to New Zealand, they're one of the most invasive species - but that hasn't stopped online breeders.
"They're popped in the post and posted all over the country and then people get hold of me six, 12, 18 months later," Moot said.
That's when people realise their mistake - thinking a turtle would be a cute, small and low-maintenance pet.
"People don't realise that tiny little baby turtle is going to grow really large, weigh 3kg, 30cm shell length, [get] too big for tank and get out," Moot said.
Moot has been rescuing turtles for 18 years. She's urging people to do their homework before reaching for the reptile, and is bracing herself for an influx of abandoned pets.
"It's still early in the season usually around Christmas, New Year's I get quite a few turtles in," she said.
"It's because people are out in the waterways and they're finding them."
Toodles is one of just 47 turtles currently rescued, but there can be as many as 120 at any one time. And most arrive in terrible condition.
"They might have a respiratory infection, pneumonia," Moot said.
"Little warrior princess who's out in the pond there came in with a traumatic leg amputation."
Last year, Auckland Council banned breeding and selling red-eared slider turtles.
Moot is calling for the rest of the country to be regulated, too.
"In Australia... you have to have a certificate, you have to have a licence to have them, I think they should be doing that here," she said.
To minimise the damage they're capable of.
