7 Surprising Household Items That Can Help Save Turtles!
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You don’t need to be a biologist in a canoe to help turtles. Sometimes, all it takes is looking around your house and asking, “Can this weird thing help a turtle?”
Turns out—yes, yes it can.
Here are 7 things just lying around your home that could actually make you a turtle-saving hero.
1. Old Toothbrush
Don’t toss it. That little scrubber is perfect for cleaning algae or dirt off rescue turtles—especially their shells. Wildlife centers often use soft brushes like this when giving turtles a gentle cleaning.
No need to buy anything fancy. Your old toothbrush could give a turtle a spa day.
2. Used Towels
Those ratty towels you’ve been meaning to throw out? Give them a second life. Turtle rehab centers use towels to dry turtles, line containers, or keep rescued ones warm during transport.
And no, they don’t care about your bleach stains.
This Hilarious Turtle Book Might Know Your Pet Better Than You Do
Let’s be real—most turtle care guides feel like reading a textbook written by a sleep-deprived zookeeper.
This one’s not that.
Told from the snarky point of view of a grumpy, judgmental turtle, 21 Turtle Truths You’ll Never Read in a Care Guide is packed with sarcasm, sass, and surprisingly useful insights.
And hey—you don’t have to commit to the whole thing just yet.
Grab 2 free truths from the ebook and get a taste of what your turtle really thinks about your setup, your food choices, and that weird plastic palm tree.
It’s funny, it’s honest, and if you’ve ever owned a turtle who glares at you like you’re the problem—you’ll feel seen.
3. Cotton Swabs
Weird one, I know. But they’re used to clean around turtle eyes and wounds gently. Especially for baby turtles.
Pro tip: if you’re donating them, pick the ones with paper sticks, not plastic.
4. Reusable Grocery Bags
You know how we keep forgetting to bring them to the store? Turns out, they’re great for transporting small turtles safely. The soft sides help prevent injuries during rescue or release.
Also: way better than a plastic bag, obviously.
5. Leftover Lettuce or Veggie Scraps
If you keep turtles or donate to rescues, those extra romaine leaves and carrot tops aren’t garbage—they’re turtle buffet.
Just skip iceberg lettuce. It’s basically crunchy water.
6. Empty Shoeboxes
Got a turtle to relocate off the road? Shoeboxes (with air holes) are great for short trips. Especially for hatchlings or smaller species.
Tape it shut loosely, add a towel inside, and boom—instant turtle Uber.
7. Duct Tape
Yes, really. When injured turtles have cracked shells, rescuers often use duct tape to hold things in place temporarily. It’s not a long-term fix, but it helps stabilize them until they can reach help.
Duct tape: saving turtles, one ugly patch job at a time.
Turtles are fighting an uphill battle—plastic pollution, cars, habitat loss. But saving them isn’t always about big gestures.
Sometimes it’s about that old toothbrush, that wrinkled towel, that shoebox you were too lazy to throw out.
So yeah, keep hoarding random stuff. Just this once, you have an excuse.
About Author
Muntaseer Rahman started keeping pet turtles back in 2013. He also owns the largest Turtle & Tortoise Facebook community in Bangladesh. These days he is mostly active on Facebook.
