I received two baby turtles 2 days ago(the lady said they were diamondbacks?) The story goes like this: The lady lives on the water in southern Maryland (me too)...she found a pile of eggs with no mother around for a week...each day another egg was missing and fearing they would all be eaten, she took the eggs and they recently hatched...she was looking for people to care for the 10 babies until they were big enough to release...knowing I have 2 daughters she thought they would enjoy this...I fell in love with these 2 immediately...I have them in shallow water with shells to climb on...they have not ate the tetramin I have in the 2 days...1 is very active, the other very shy often hiding under the shells...they are approx 2 inches long (if that)...I WANT THEM TO LIVE...either with me and I will buy whatever to promote this or in the wild (preferably)...If I keep them will they ever be able to be released and fend for themselves...I now know after reading alot on this site that the lady should have left them alone...Please help me...any advice would be helpful and I simply want to do whatever is best...

Diamondback terrapins are a little different than most freshwater aquatic turtles because they live in brackish water. They are also one of the most protected turtles in Maryland. It is illegal for any regular person to have eggs or babies or an adult for that matter. I suggest contacting MATTS (based in Baltimore) or a local wildlife rehabilitator. MATTS would know more as they are just turtles. Their web site is http://www.matts-turtles.org/

Like most aquatic turtles, baby terrapins basically just want to eat small live animals like aquatic insect larvae or blackworms. They sell those at Aquarium Depot in Randallstown.

Terrapins won't eat Tetramin fish food. They need something moving. Newly hatched babies can go weeks without food as they're still living off of their yolks.

My baby turtle page is at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/turtles/hatchling.htm but is not specifically geared towards terrapins. The care is basically the same except that they need brackish water (more salt).

Good luck!