Pseudemys concinna concinna, albino

[Gerards]

This was a wc hatchling, found in a golf course a few months ago. It is the prettiest albino turtle I have seen, yet. The eyes, in person, are so light pink and the shell is out of this world. It should have a shed soon and we will be able to see the color/pattern a lot clearer. Thanks for looking!

[marconyse]

Buautiful animal!
Gerard pleasae, any of your albinos ever had problems with sun or UV?

[kurtino]

Spettacular!

[Gerards]

Buautiful animal!
Gerard pleasae, any of your albinos ever had problems with sun or UV?

I keep several hundred albinos and, except for hatchlings, they live outside, in the Florida sun, their entire lives. I have never had or seen a single problem with keeping albinos the same way you would keep the phenotypic form. It's a huge myth that, I think, is just from a lack of experience in keep amelanistic animals and passed as "assumed information" through the Internet and word of mouth. My friend produced the first albino T. s. elegans in 1982, five months before I was born and they're still going.

I have seen claims of albino turtles getting sunburned but never pictures or proof. I have also heard of them getting cancer but again, no proof. I think non amelanistic animals(humans included) get sun cancer everyday. I think it's more about the entire genetic makeup and not just the amelanistic trait.

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Spettacular!

Thank you! I say that every time I see this guy.

[rughis]

Really nice!

I think that is better that it can live in captivity. More chances to grow without dangers (predators, etc.)

[scheggia79]

Spectacular! It is so beautiful that it seems unreal!!!!!

[Andrea D]

WOW!!! I never saw wild albino turtles!! Even if its a myth that they get skin cancer is it true that they usually get eaten before they can reach maturity because they are more obvious to predators than their non amelanistic conspecifics?
I never thought I would have agreed with taking a specimen from the wild to raise it in captivity but in your case I think you did well!!

[EDG]

w.c.! What luck!