NH Turtle Rescue

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Nottingham, NH
NH Turtle Rescue

Our meeting location for injured turtles is located at the intersection of Case Rd and Mill Pond Rd in Nottingham.

Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, release, and preserve native turtle species through individualized care, public education, outreach, and scientific research in support of imperiled populations of wild New Hampshire turtles. See our Location page for more information: https://nhturtlerescue.org/location

To make a donation: https://nhturtlerescue.org/donate

10/29/2025

Exciting news! 💚🐢

This year, we partnered with wildlife conservation photographer Ben Zackin to create a short documentary showcasing some of the work we do at New Hampshire Turtle Rescue.

Behind the scenes, Ben joined us for turtle releases, observed exams in our clinic, and interviewed the incredible volunteers and interns who help make our work possible. We’re excited to continue working with Ben on future conservation projects.

Based in Massachusetts, Ben focuses on local conservation efforts, fundraising, and public education. You can follow on Instagram for behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming films this fall and winter — including more turtle footage from our ongoing work together!

📽️ Check the comments for the YouTube link so you can watch and share the film with others.

Thank you so much for your continued support!

10/27/2025

Turtle zoomies! 🐢💨

Meet little Marzipan, who you might remember from our earlier post about her mom, Lemna. When I stopped by to check her tank at the end of the day, I caught her doing lap after lap — full-on turtle zoomies! I wish she hadn’t noticed me, but turtles are very perceptive and always seem to clue in quickly when they’re being watched.

Marzipan hatched from one of four eggs laid by Lemna, an eastern musk turtle who came into our clinic this spring. Lemna made a full recovery and returned home by the end of the season. Next spring, Marzipan will follow in her mom’s steps back to the same habitat.

Eastern musk turtles are highly aquatic and rarely venture far from water. They travel the least on land of any of our native aquatic species. Due to their natural history and the fact that they nest so close to the water’s edge, they’re a rare sight in wildlife rehab. We look forward to seeing Marzipan swim off into her new environment next season!

10/22/2025

Radiatori returns home! 🐢💚

This female eastern painted turtle was admitted in May after a dog attack. Thanks to quick action by her finders, she made a full recovery and this July was released back home. As you can see, Radiatori was more than ready to get back to her wild life!

Fun fact: Radiatori had more eggs than any other painted turtle we've ever admitted — 11 in total! While she’s a big girl, she wasn’t even close to the largest painted turtle we’ve seen. Can you imagine carrying that many eggs? We’ll share her radiograph in the comments so you can see for yourself!

Radiatori’s story is a great reminder: during nesting season (May–July), turtles are on the move, often passing through yards or looking for nesting spots. If you have dogs, please keep a close eye on them outdoors — a quiet moment can quickly turn into trouble. Dog attacks can be fatal if help doesn’t come fast. We’re so grateful Radiatori was found quickly!

This year, we went with a pasta theme for naming our painted turtles, so expect more deliciously named releases soon. Who knew there were so many types of pasta? 🍝😄

10/21/2025

🛑 Wildlife PSA: Please Don’t Attempt Medical Care on Wild Animals 🛑

The turtle pictured here is not the patient we’re discussing — this is a healthy Blanding’s turtle who was hit by a car earlier this season and is now healing beautifully at our facility. But today, we need to talk about something serious.

This week, we received an eastern painted turtle who had also been hit by a car. But before reaching us, well-meaning finders attempted to treat the injuries themselves. They poured antiseptic into the body cavity and tried to super glue the shell back together. They were very remorseful when they realized the harm this caused. This post is not to shame anyone. It’s to help prevent this from happening again.

We understand the instinct to help. It’s human nature to want to fix what’s broken, especially when an animal is suffering. But wildlife rehabilitation is far more complex than it appears. We intentionally don’t share photos or photos and videos of our shell repair techniques, because even a glimpse can give the false impression that these procedures are simple or replicable at home. They are not. We’ve heard many misconceptions — that we use super glue, duct tape, or other household items. We don’t.

Shell repair is delicate orthopedic work. One of the most difficult parts is unsubduction — realigning fractured bone pieces so they can fuse properly. If even one piece is misaligned, the shell may heal incorrectly or not at all. Stability is critical, and we use specialized tools and materials to achieve it — tools that are not available at home.

But shell repair is only one part of the process. We also provide fluids, pain relief, antibiotics and other medications, as well as sterile wound flushing with isotonic solutions (not tap water, which can cause pain and damage), bandaging and topical treatments tailored to reptiles, and a multitude of other treatments and procedures depending on the injury — there’s no one size fits all approach. And we have a veterinarian of record who assists with advanced surgical procedures, prescribing medications, and more.

Another critical aspect is the short-term and long-term husbandry to reduce stress, which is a killer. Reptiles are also ectothermic and highly sensitive to their environment and need specialized habitats depending on the species.

We’ve treated hundreds and hundreds of turtles. That experience matters. It helps us recognize hidden injuries, infections, and complications that others might miss. It helps us support healing in ways that go far beyond the visible wound.

So please — if you find an injured turtle or any wild animal — don’t try to treat it yourself. Reach out to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately. If you’re passionate about helping wildlife, consider becoming a volunteer or asking a rehabber how you can get involved. But know that this work takes serious time, training, and a deep commitment to doing what’s best for the animal — not what feels best in the moment.

Thank you for caring. Thank you for learning. And thank you for helping us protect the wild lives that depend on us.

10/20/2025

This is beautiful miss Elvira, a Blanding’s turtle ambassador currently in care at NH Turtle Rescue. Elvira has been with us since May 2023, and she’s been brightening our days ever since.

She’s endlessly curious and a total food fiend. In the mornings she watches me prep meals for the other turtles from her spot with a view of the kitchen — stretching her neck as far as she can to see what’s on the menu. She cracks me up daily!

Elvira is a natural ambassador. She’s comfortable around people and helps us teach the public why turtles should never be taken from the wild — and why Blanding’s turtles are so important to protect. She started attending outreach events this summer and absolutely stole the show. Everyone who meets her falls in love.

Elvira was surrendered to NH Fish and Game after being kept in captivity for two years in what we can only assume were very poor conditions, based on the severity of her health issues when she arrived. You can read more about Elvira’s story and how she came to us at NH Turtle Rescue: https://nhturtlerescue.org/stories/ambassadors/elvira

🐢 Please never take hatchlings from the wild. It’s harmful to the ecosystem and devastating to their long-term health and survival. Learn more about why wild turtles should always stay wild: https://nhturtlerescue.org/info/keep-wild-turtles-wild

10/17/2025

Join Us TOMORROW at SELT’s TrailFest! 🌿🎉

We’re wrapping up an incredible year of events with a final celebration of 2025 — and we hope to see you there!

📅 Saturday, October 18th
🕙 10 AM – 3 PM
📍 Burley Farms, 247 North River Road, Epping, NH

TrailFest is hosted by the SELT - Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire, an inspiring organization dedicated to conserving and caring for New Hampshire’s lands for the benefit of both people and wildlife. Their proactive work protects critical habitats for turtles and all wildlife, and we’re proud to support one of our favorite organizations.

🔗 Learn more: https://seltnh.org/trailfest/

Let’s celebrate the season, the land, and the amazing work SELT is doing. See you at TrailFest!

10/16/2025

Do you see that tiny horn-like projection just below the nostrils of this hatchling eastern painted turtle? This is called the caruncle, or more commonly, the egg tooth. It’s a specialized tool hatchlings are born with to help them break free from their eggshell — nature’s version of a can opener!

Made of keratin (the same material that makes up our nails, as well as the top of layer of the shell), the egg tooth is temporary. Once the hatchling has emerged, it typically falls off within a week or two.

Just one of the many incredible adaptations that help these little turtles start life strong!

10/14/2025

Pesto is back where she belongs! 🐢🌿

This adult female snapping turtle was admitted to our clinic in early June after being hit by a car. She suffered injuries to the front of her carapace, head, and beak — but thankfully, it wasn’t as severe as it could’ve been, and she was able to return home in July after a relatively short stay.

Pesto was found and brought in by Mickayla, a biologist with NH Fish and Game , who also joined us for her release. Here she is, returning Pesto to her wetland home. Huge thanks to Mickayla for getting her the help she needed and seeing her through to recovery and release!

While in care, Pesto laid 31 eggs — the majority of which were released back into the same wetland complex she came from. We’re hoping those little ones are staying safe out there! 🐢💚 (Photos in the comments!)

Even with the recent chilly, fall-like weather, we’re still admitting patients. Things have slowed down, but just in the past two days we’ve admitted both a painted turtle and another snapping turtle — surprising with how much the temperatures have dropped! The ongoing drought seems to be throwing off seasonal patterns, and turtles are still on the move. Please keep an eye out for them on the roads.

10/09/2025

These eastern box turtles are in our care as part of a conservation effort led by Zoo New England and NH Fish and Game to protect this critically endangered species in New Hampshire.

Biologists from Zoo New England and NH Fish and Game work tirelessly to locate eastern box turtles in the wild and safeguard nesting sites. When eggs are discovered, they’re protected and after hatching they are brought to our facility, where we raise the hatchlings for about two years. When done carefully, this gives them a better chance of survival once released back into the wild. The young turtles you see here are in their second year and are scheduled to be released in spring 2026.

Eastern box turtles are critically endangered in New Hampshire. We often receive calls from people who believe they’ve found one, but in most cases, it turns out to be a painted turtle or sometimes a wood turtle. Spotting a true eastern box turtle in New Hampshire is extremely rare, as southern NH marks the northern edge of their range—and much of their historic habitat has been lost to development.

If you think you’ve found an eastern box turtle, please take a photo and contact NH Fish and Game immediately. You can also call us at (603) 417-4944—especially if you don’t hear back from Fish and Game right away. Your report could make a huge difference. NH Fish and Game relies on community sightings to better understand and protect the remaining population.

All of this work is done under proper permits and in close coordination with NH Fish and Game. Please remember: never remove a hatchling or any turtle from the wild, you can unintentionally do far more damage than good. Learn more about why this is so important on our website: https://nhturtlerescue.org/info/keep-wild-turtles-wild.

09/30/2025

One of my favorite releases this year! 🐢✨

This June, Hannah and I had the joy of releasing six Blanding’s turtle hatchlings that we incubated and cared for over the winter. When they first emerged from their eggs, they weighed just 6–10 grams — by release day, they were over 200 grams! 💪

We always release hatchlings in the same area their mother came from, working closely with NH Fish and Game biologists to find the safest possible spot. Huge thanks to state biologist Josh Megyesy for his expert guidance in planning releases for endangered species like Blanding’s turtles. He really knows how to pick the perfect habitat!

And what a day it was — not only was the weather beautiful, but we were shocked to spot an adult Blanding’s turtle basking! These turtles are known for being cryptic baskers (unlike painted turtles that bask in the open in big groups), so seeing one out basking was incredibly special. Even more amazing: a second adult came out to bask later on!

The hatchlings’ release was quiet and quick — they instinctively buried themselves to hide from predators, which is exactly what we hope to see. It was deeply rewarding to know they were going to a place where Blanding’s turtles are clearly thriving. I’m so glad our intern Hannah got to witness it too!

Land conservation is absolutely critical to protecting the incredible turtle species we’re lucky to have in New Hampshire. Days like this are a powerful reminder of why that work matters so much. 🌿🐢

09/27/2025

✨ Volunteer Spotlight: Valerie 🐢

Val is one of our incredible, dedicated volunteers who has been a vital part of the clinic since 2023! Val generously donates her time each week to care for our turtle patients, ensuring they receive the attention and support they need to heal and thrive.

In this photo, Val is releasing Boca, an adult female Blanding’s turtle, back into her home wetlands. We were thrilled to have her daughter Amelia join us for this special release!

Val wears many hats: she’s a science teacher at Spaulding High School and Southern New Hampshire University. After teaching students all day, she heads to the clinic at night once a week to help with the turtles. Her dedication is inspiring, and she always brightens everyone’s days with her warm demeanor and infectious laugh.

When she’s not teaching or volunteering, Val is busy tending to her beloved farm babies and being an amazing mom. She’s deeply passionate about the natural world, and her commitment to preserving wildlife and nature shines through in everything she does. We’re endlessly grateful to have her as a long-standing member of the turtle team. Thank you Val! 💚🐢

09/26/2025

🚨 Turtle Crossing Alert! 🚨

We’re seeing a surge in turtle activity on the roads today following yesterday’s rainfall. In the past 12 hours alone, we’ve admitted five snapping turtles so far, and one musk turtle is currently en route. Our phones have been ringing a ton between last night and this morning with sightings and rescue calls!

If you’re out driving, please keep an eye out for turtles—especially near wetlands, ponds, and wooded areas.

🐢 Want to help snapping turtles cross safely? 🐢
Check out our guide: Helping Snapping Turtles Cross the Road (found under Help & Advice on our website): https://nhturtlerescue.org/info/turtle-crossing/snapping-turtle. For most turtles, you can gently hold them on both sides of their shell. Snapping turtles, however, require special handling: Hold only the back 1/3rd of their body, and NEVER by the tail—this can cause serious spinal injuries or even paralysis.

Featured below is one of our very large snapping turtle patients this year, now happily back in the wild. He was incredibly patient with us during his exam, and we’re so grateful for his resilience.

💚 Thank you for caring about turtles, and we wish you a safe and wonderful weekend!

Address

Pre-arranged Drop Off Location For Injured Turtles: Intersection Of Case Road And Mill Pond Rd
Nottingham, NH
03290

Website

https://www.nhturtlerescue.org/, https://smile.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/38T7DLCQWC2GP, https://www.nhturtlerescue.org/d

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