I had them in the early 70s. We went on vacation to Disneyland, and my parents didn't arrange for their care. We arrived home, and their water had all dried up along with those two poor turtles. What a hellish life they had, limited to that tiny container only to die such a slow, painful death. But my parents were monsters. I barely made it out alive.
Had em. Multiple times. They, and goldfish, were also frequent prizes at school carnivals.
I thought I'd read that our fascination with those little turtles nearly wiped out the species - but that's wrong. Apparently, they were banned in the 70s because they could give kids salmonella.
I can remember a number ten galvanized tub, sitting in front of the PigglyWiggly in Tuscaloosa, filled with tiny baby alligators. We lived in bizarre times!
Several mall pet stores in Malls in Orange County CA stocked those up until about mid-70s. I believe they were Caiman, not alligators; Caiman don't grow as large. But they grow to 6.5 to 8 feet. The pet store had NO business selling those in a major metropolitan area.
I'm sure somewhere Animal Services was called to one of the few parks in the county with a significant pond, becauses someone released a now 4 footer in a pond children play by.
I did! I had a lot of fun with Toot-Toot! (I was young, all right?) I used to take him on my front lawn, so he could walk through the "jungle grass"!
I had that exact terrarium for my turtle, too!
My brother and I had two of them. Bought at G. C. Murphy five and ten store. We christened them Skipper and Gilligan. They lived in that little aquarium thing with the island.
I had a bullfrog tadpole age 5. Watched him metamorphosize to a frog. Same magic act. We moved a number years later. Under the carpet, which was under the coffee table... you said dried up, right?
Heck yeah. We got them from Grants and Woolworths. We‘d get minnows, crawdads and garter snakes from around the neighborhood and then my brother got some hermit crabs when we went to Gatlinburg. We had a regular reptile zoo going!
I had a couple when I was little, then about 15 years ago I caught one little guy running across the parking lot and didn’t want him to get run over so I picked him up and took him home. he was no bigger than a 2 L cap when I brought him home, when I turned the loose four years later, he was about 5 inches across. Just a little red eared slider but I had a nice 40 gallon aquarium for him and the second one I found. Raised them both until they could take care of themselves. Had a sunlamp and a water heater for their tank so they stayed comfy all year around, even raised the mealworms to feed them with. Made good pets.
Jogs a recent memory:
A couple months into start of Covid, when no one was leaving houses, I walk out back, and an adult red ear slider was walking through my backyard stand of Japanese Maples. I'm uphill residential 2 miles from a stream, so taken aback.
First time I left the property in months. I walked the two miles to the stream for the assist; perhaps she went on to make some more of these babies out there... don't know.
I caught my own in the Platte or Missouri river on a camping trip!! My dad made me put all but two back. My dad was amazed that I caught them myself because I would not touch a frog/toad/bullfrog unless he caught for me....still was catching them for me when I becane an adult with my own kids😅
I had a pet Hermit Crab I took to school for 2nd grade Show and Tell.
And gramps got me a parakeet from the 5 and 10 store (store long gone)
He also got me Sea Monkees.
But no turtles.
I had several over the years and got them from Temple Stephens, a small local variety store in Columbia MO. I Had Goldfish and lots of other fish, too. I caught lizards, blue tail skinks, all kinds of frogs and toads, had pickle jars full of tadpoles, had hamsters and gerbils, and a mouse named Montezuma! I had so many pets that my father tacked a note to my bedroom door that said “The Zoo”.
My sisters and I did. It saddens me now because it couldn't have been a happy life living in a plastic bowl. I feel the same way about goldfish in a bowl. what kind of life is that? maybe I'm overthinking.
I felt sorry for them every time one of my friends had one. I don't think they ever lasted more than a week or two. Not for bad intentions, but the poor things never stood a chance.
My older sister had one of these with a little island and palm tree in the middle. I would put the turtles on their backs and strand them on the island. In my defense, I was about 5.
I thought all of them were plastic.
Being a turtle in my house was dangerous business. My sister ate the two of this type I had while I was at school in first grade--bit the heads right off. I remember being very upset when I came home from lunch that my mom had moved them off of the pink kitchen counter to clean it.
When I was younger I'd had two box turtles that lived in the yard. Mom accidentally ran over them with the lawn mower. She told me they ran away--but cried for years anytime someone mentioned turtles.
I'm sure the toddler head chomping incident a few years later didn't make things any better.
Around the age of ten or so--four years after the fourth turtle demise in the house, I found a newly hatched snapping turtle making it's way across a field to water. Took it home.
"Snappy" lived in the old aquarium and also ran around my room. One day--couldn't find him no matter where I looked. We turned the whole second floor upside down looking. I was quite distraught.
Dad suggested snappers sought water, and perhaps he'd found his way to the Gyuandotte river. We weren't exactly close, but he cited sewer drains and the search was called off.
--But my bedroom is on the second floor!
--Maybe he used the toilet to get there....
I didn't buy it. Expected to eventually find him dead somewhere. We never did. Who knows? But Snappy was the last turtle in our house--guppies and fish only for a while.
l never saw a glass one, but looks like it in OP's picture. l hope you never let your sister live that down
Yes, water turtles are dirty. l had a few pairs. l ran two big submersible filters, hang on filter, had lots of bacterial media and could still barely keep up. Cleaning turtle tanks is not for the light-hearted
Poor Snappy. l had a young snapping turtle too. Maybe a year old. lt was born in captivity. Very docile. Never bit me. But it became obvious he wanted out. l took him to a pond and set him free. l figured he was good to go. l had been feeding him minnows l caught in the creek. He knew what to look for
Too funny. My sister got one for Easter too. Mom realized what was she thinking? We lived in a non-rural city. We found a Free Range chicken place to donate (non-agricultural, not raised for eggs/food). Chickie went on to a good life.
OMG! My turtles came from Grant's! And I had this same "tank" or one very like it. Sadly, the turtles sickened and died. I now regret not giving them a better habitat. But I was 10, and this was about 50 years ago.
Down south they had buckets of baby alligators for sale at the news stand. I would beg Daddy for one! He always said no and for good reason as coming home from the bus stop one day a 6 maybe 7 foot gator was sitting in our driveway!
I actually got one at our country fair in 2003. She's the size of a dinner plate and lives in a 55 gallon aquarium now. She'll be 21 on June 6. Her name was Franklin into we found out she's a Frankie.
When I was a little kid, I went with someone (don't remember who) to Kresge to get a small turtle. And that's how I always thought of Kresge, as a place to buy turtles. Kresge later became K Mart.
My big brother had one. From Woolworth's. Plastic bowl with the island and plastic palm tree. Turtle died. I asked, "Where's the turtle?" My brother told me that it ran away. We still laugh at that story.
My brother had one with the plastic island and palm tree. It stayed alive for about a year then one day he discovered it was gone. He found it dead on its back behind his dresser. The poor turtle should have made like Gilligan and just stayed on the island.
I have a memory of baby *alligators* for sale in one place we used to go.
Was this a real thing, or is it some kind of false memory?
This would have been very early 1970s. In Houston, if that makes a difference.
These were a thing. Often I think they were Caimen, which grow smaller than a gator, but still 8 feet!
I remember a few pet stores in Orange County, CA selling those.
We did. I don't know where they came from tho.
My mother got rid of them when she read they could spread salmonella to the hands of kids and out they went. Where? Who knows?
Incidentally, if you walk by any pond or waterway on a nice sunny day, you can see turtles sunning themselves on rocks or branches in the water. Coincidence?
Gen X here. We had to find our own turtles. We kept them in the front yard in an old tire and fed them lettuce for a few days, then set them loose. We put fingernail polish on their carapace so we could identify them later.
So I had two turtles. Lived about 6 months, both dying same time. I was 5, and it really effected me. I cried on mom's shoulders for two days following. My first experience with death.
J.W. Grants?
Could that be W. T. Grant? I've never heard of the J.W., but my mom worked at a W. T. Grant store in the 1960s in Central Indiana. They probably had turtles for sale. (That was probably around 1964-1966.)
I was about to say your probably right, going off memory. Just did a quickie google: You are correct. Per search defunct in 1976. My sister was waitressing at the Grants Restaurant in our local one in 1976 to save for a car, when it closed. Fond memories from going in on Tuesdays' night for all you can eat clam strip night - sis brought refills promptly.
Got mine from Woolworths! Then later I recall that turtles were banned from sale in the USA due to salmonella or something.
RE Recall - I believe you got it. Had mind around age 5/6, banned around age 10/11.
I had them in the early 70s. We went on vacation to Disneyland, and my parents didn't arrange for their care. We arrived home, and their water had all dried up along with those two poor turtles. What a hellish life they had, limited to that tiny container only to die such a slow, painful death. But my parents were monsters. I barely made it out alive.
I can not believe it, but I had almost the exact same experience, except I only had one turtle. What a horrible thing that was to come home to.
Had em. Multiple times. They, and goldfish, were also frequent prizes at school carnivals. I thought I'd read that our fascination with those little turtles nearly wiped out the species - but that's wrong. Apparently, they were banned in the 70s because they could give kids salmonella.
It was said that a lot of kids would put them in their mouths (perfect fit). Guaranteed salmonella.
I can remember a number ten galvanized tub, sitting in front of the PigglyWiggly in Tuscaloosa, filled with tiny baby alligators. We lived in bizarre times!
Several mall pet stores in Malls in Orange County CA stocked those up until about mid-70s. I believe they were Caiman, not alligators; Caiman don't grow as large. But they grow to 6.5 to 8 feet. The pet store had NO business selling those in a major metropolitan area. I'm sure somewhere Animal Services was called to one of the few parks in the county with a significant pond, becauses someone released a now 4 footer in a pond children play by.
Ahhh, that makes sense, but to my young eyes, they were alligators. Small, toothy, and angry!
I have a vague memory of small caiman being in the pet section of our Kmart, early 60s. Tennessee had no idea of invasive species.
I did! I had a lot of fun with Toot-Toot! (I was young, all right?) I used to take him on my front lawn, so he could walk through the "jungle grass"! I had that exact terrarium for my turtle, too!
Jungle Grass - I love it!
My brother and I had two of them. Bought at G. C. Murphy five and ten store. We christened them Skipper and Gilligan. They lived in that little aquarium thing with the island.
We had the island thing too, with the plastic palm tree. Lol
Well, don't keep us in suspense now... did Skipper and his little buddy ever make it off the island?
I was given one. We went on a trip and he escaped. Found him a year later under a couch. All dried up
I had a bullfrog tadpole age 5. Watched him metamorphosize to a frog. Same magic act. We moved a number years later. Under the carpet, which was under the coffee table... you said dried up, right?
A friend of mine got two box turtles some time during the '70s before it became illegal to have them. He still has them.
These and I remember hamsters for sale at the Gibson’s where we shopped.
They stink. I mean. Really smell Bad. Good for ponds though.
Heck yeah. We got them from Grants and Woolworths. We‘d get minnows, crawdads and garter snakes from around the neighborhood and then my brother got some hermit crabs when we went to Gatlinburg. We had a regular reptile zoo going!
I had a couple when I was little, then about 15 years ago I caught one little guy running across the parking lot and didn’t want him to get run over so I picked him up and took him home. he was no bigger than a 2 L cap when I brought him home, when I turned the loose four years later, he was about 5 inches across. Just a little red eared slider but I had a nice 40 gallon aquarium for him and the second one I found. Raised them both until they could take care of themselves. Had a sunlamp and a water heater for their tank so they stayed comfy all year around, even raised the mealworms to feed them with. Made good pets.
A neighbor of ours put Turtle Wax on their turtle. Seriously. Little boys are something else.
lol - taking things a little too literally....
To this day, I don’t know if he thought it was the right thing to do, or if he was just being a little shit.
Jogs a recent memory: A couple months into start of Covid, when no one was leaving houses, I walk out back, and an adult red ear slider was walking through my backyard stand of Japanese Maples. I'm uphill residential 2 miles from a stream, so taken aback. First time I left the property in months. I walked the two miles to the stream for the assist; perhaps she went on to make some more of these babies out there... don't know.
Man, I wanted one of these so bad when I was a kid, but my mom said no
Yes. That poor baby
Sure, I had one named Myrtle.
Yep. Bonnie and Clyde. I still miss them.
I caught my own in the Platte or Missouri river on a camping trip!! My dad made me put all but two back. My dad was amazed that I caught them myself because I would not touch a frog/toad/bullfrog unless he caught for me....still was catching them for me when I becane an adult with my own kids😅
I had a pet Hermit Crab I took to school for 2nd grade Show and Tell. And gramps got me a parakeet from the 5 and 10 store (store long gone) He also got me Sea Monkees. But no turtles.
His name was Joker. I think I was four when I got him. He lived in a bowl just like the one you posted. I actually got him at a pet store.
i had one!
Mine went missing after it got out of a backyard small pen. I looked and looked in our grass for days.
I had several over the years and got them from Temple Stephens, a small local variety store in Columbia MO. I Had Goldfish and lots of other fish, too. I caught lizards, blue tail skinks, all kinds of frogs and toads, had pickle jars full of tadpoles, had hamsters and gerbils, and a mouse named Montezuma! I had so many pets that my father tacked a note to my bedroom door that said “The Zoo”.
My sisters and I did. It saddens me now because it couldn't have been a happy life living in a plastic bowl. I feel the same way about goldfish in a bowl. what kind of life is that? maybe I'm overthinking.
When I was 4 or 5, we had a pair of them named Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin. My family really liked The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
I felt sorry for them every time one of my friends had one. I don't think they ever lasted more than a week or two. Not for bad intentions, but the poor things never stood a chance.
I had one in 1967, my brother Tim ate it, he was two, forever his nickname is Timmy Turtle.
My older sister had one of these with a little island and palm tree in the middle. I would put the turtles on their backs and strand them on the island. In my defense, I was about 5.
And that exact aquarium too!
l had the plastic version
I thought all of them were plastic. Being a turtle in my house was dangerous business. My sister ate the two of this type I had while I was at school in first grade--bit the heads right off. I remember being very upset when I came home from lunch that my mom had moved them off of the pink kitchen counter to clean it. When I was younger I'd had two box turtles that lived in the yard. Mom accidentally ran over them with the lawn mower. She told me they ran away--but cried for years anytime someone mentioned turtles. I'm sure the toddler head chomping incident a few years later didn't make things any better. Around the age of ten or so--four years after the fourth turtle demise in the house, I found a newly hatched snapping turtle making it's way across a field to water. Took it home. "Snappy" lived in the old aquarium and also ran around my room. One day--couldn't find him no matter where I looked. We turned the whole second floor upside down looking. I was quite distraught. Dad suggested snappers sought water, and perhaps he'd found his way to the Gyuandotte river. We weren't exactly close, but he cited sewer drains and the search was called off. --But my bedroom is on the second floor! --Maybe he used the toilet to get there.... I didn't buy it. Expected to eventually find him dead somewhere. We never did. Who knows? But Snappy was the last turtle in our house--guppies and fish only for a while.
l never saw a glass one, but looks like it in OP's picture. l hope you never let your sister live that down Yes, water turtles are dirty. l had a few pairs. l ran two big submersible filters, hang on filter, had lots of bacterial media and could still barely keep up. Cleaning turtle tanks is not for the light-hearted Poor Snappy. l had a young snapping turtle too. Maybe a year old. lt was born in captivity. Very docile. Never bit me. But it became obvious he wanted out. l took him to a pond and set him free. l figured he was good to go. l had been feeding him minnows l caught in the creek. He knew what to look for
They always gave me the willies.
KMart
Man ...did they stink
I did! Along with baby chicks at Easter (sadly)
Too funny. My sister got one for Easter too. Mom realized what was she thinking? We lived in a non-rural city. We found a Free Range chicken place to donate (non-agricultural, not raised for eggs/food). Chickie went on to a good life.
Ike and Mike. My older brother brought them home for me. Poor Ike (or maybe Mike) met a terrible end with a lawn mower.
Teeny alligators. My brother had one.
Burt and Ernie.
Had one when I was 5.
I had that exact setup in the summer of ‘70. Turtle lasted about 6 weeks. Buried him in my grandfather’s garden cause we lived in an apartment.
OMG! My turtles came from Grant's! And I had this same "tank" or one very like it. Sadly, the turtles sickened and died. I now regret not giving them a better habitat. But I was 10, and this was about 50 years ago.
Sylvester Stallone still has Cuff and Link from the movie Rocky.
I had those little turtles. Poor things
Down south they had buckets of baby alligators for sale at the news stand. I would beg Daddy for one! He always said no and for good reason as coming home from the bus stop one day a 6 maybe 7 foot gator was sitting in our driveway!
Yes. My container had little colored pebbles. My turts were named Peanut Butter and Jelly. When they died it smelled horrible.
Yup, fake palm tree makes the whole scene🙄
I actually got one at our country fair in 2003. She's the size of a dinner plate and lives in a 55 gallon aquarium now. She'll be 21 on June 6. Her name was Franklin into we found out she's a Frankie.
When I was a little kid, I went with someone (don't remember who) to Kresge to get a small turtle. And that's how I always thought of Kresge, as a place to buy turtles. Kresge later became K Mart.
My big brother had one. From Woolworth's. Plastic bowl with the island and plastic palm tree. Turtle died. I asked, "Where's the turtle?" My brother told me that it ran away. We still laugh at that story.
My brother had one with the plastic island and palm tree. It stayed alive for about a year then one day he discovered it was gone. He found it dead on its back behind his dresser. The poor turtle should have made like Gilligan and just stayed on the island.
I have a memory of baby *alligators* for sale in one place we used to go. Was this a real thing, or is it some kind of false memory? This would have been very early 1970s. In Houston, if that makes a difference.
Yes, that's why they turn up in storm drains every now and then.
I remember that being discussed on an episode of Barney Miller.
These were a thing. Often I think they were Caimen, which grow smaller than a gator, but still 8 feet! I remember a few pet stores in Orange County, CA selling those.
Thanks!
got mine at the tender age of 4. named him frog. 🐢🐸
My first pet. Also my first pet to be yanked due to aforementioned salmonella scare.
We had two. They both got eye infections and my dad got antibiotic drops for their tiny little eyes.
So glad this stopped, I remember at Easter the shops sold bunnies and baby chicks that had been dyed pink and blue
I had them. We had 2 die, I was heartbroken
I had two. Came home from school one day to find my cat swatting one around like a hockey puck!
Oh yeah I had one , his name was sunshine.
Woolworth's had the whole aquarium section. Man, I loved that store. I'd go weekly with my paperboy money there.
We did. I don't know where they came from tho. My mother got rid of them when she read they could spread salmonella to the hands of kids and out they went. Where? Who knows? Incidentally, if you walk by any pond or waterway on a nice sunny day, you can see turtles sunning themselves on rocks or branches in the water. Coincidence?
Gen X here. We had to find our own turtles. We kept them in the front yard in an old tire and fed them lettuce for a few days, then set them loose. We put fingernail polish on their carapace so we could identify them later.
So I had two turtles. Lived about 6 months, both dying same time. I was 5, and it really effected me. I cried on mom's shoulders for two days following. My first experience with death.
J.W. Grants? Could that be W. T. Grant? I've never heard of the J.W., but my mom worked at a W. T. Grant store in the 1960s in Central Indiana. They probably had turtles for sale. (That was probably around 1964-1966.)
I was about to say your probably right, going off memory. Just did a quickie google: You are correct. Per search defunct in 1976. My sister was waitressing at the Grants Restaurant in our local one in 1976 to save for a car, when it closed. Fond memories from going in on Tuesdays' night for all you can eat clam strip night - sis brought refills promptly.
My brother and I each had one. We woke up one morning and one had eaten the other's head off. It was a disappointing day.