TICKED OFF

[gopherhockey03]

Since when do they dissect live turtles?!?!? My girlfriends roommate in her class are dissecting RES's. Can't they just look at pictures of their insides instead of killing at least 15 Innocent Turtles?!?! I'm really ticked off. This is at the University of Minnesota btw very very disappointed...

 

[Tortoise]

Since when do they dissect live turtles?!?!? My girlfriends roommate in her class are dissecting RES's. Can't they just look at pictures of their insides instead of killing at least 15 Innocent Turtles?!?! I'm really ticked off. This is at the University of Minnesota btw very very disappointed...

Wow that is hard to accept!!

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

I think that is terrible. They dissect pig fetuses in high school and frogs in middle school and I think it is terrible to dissect anything!

 

[Yvonne G]

In our school (of course, that was way back in the dark ages), we had to take our frog out of a large jar of formaldehyde. Point being, they were already dead.

I guess its a can of worms, but we kill animals to eat, why not kill them for education? But I think they ought to kill them humanely first.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I guess its a can of worms, but we kill animals to eat, why not kill them for education? But I think they ought to kill them humanely first.

Ditto.

Personally, I'm sure all the aquatic turtle crowd will hate me for this, but there are plenty of RES in the world. They're farmed by the millions, and they're an invasive species in many parts of the world. As long as they are being humanely put down first, dissection is a good purpose as any for them. I mean, some cultures eat them!

No joke...we used to have people of certain ethnicities (sp?) come into the LPS I used to work at and purchase multiple RES at a time. Hmm...I wonder why?

 

[gopherhockey03]

Ya I know but still a cute little turtle!!! But still college students don't gain anything from it! I know I didn't when we dissected cats!!! You can get just as much info looking at pictures than killing them! And your right I think a lot more people would be vegetarians if they had to kill their own food! I know I would!!!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Ya I know but still a cute little turtle!!! But still college students don't gain anything from it! I know I didn't when we dissected cats!!! You can get just as much info looking at pictures than killing them! And your right I think a lot more people would be vegetarians if they had to kill their own food! I know I would!!!

It all relative, I suppose. It depends on the person. The gross factor of poking around a dead animal aside, I would think you learn more seeing the actual organs and whatnot right there in front of you and seeing where they fit and are positioned then just looking at photos and diagrams in a textbook. But then there's some people who don't learn anything no matter what you do...go figure!
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Once the animal is already dead, I'm one of those people who can just switch to "curious science geek" mode and I'm not generally phased by that kinda stuff. I had a snake once that regrettably died from my own negligence, but when it passed, I actually took the opportunity to perform my own necropsy on it. It was actually quite fascinating.

But I understand not everyone feels the same way. Its definitely not for the squeamish.

 

[tyler0912]

I hasd a huge argument with my school teacher as i refused to disect a rat.

 

[HarleyK]

Well someone's going to dissect these turtles whether you like it or not. In college, the turtles are optional to dissect, but the cat and the rat were required.

I think it's weird having to dissect live/recently dead turtles though. What do they do gas them???

 

[EricIvins]

I actually learned quite alot from disecting my first Cat in 11th Grade........

That being said, RES are no different than Rats, Mice, Rabbits, Cows, etc........And yes, I can kill my own Food with no regrets........

 

[nikki0601]

I hope this isnt entirely true, maybe they are dissecting dead turtles.. I am an avid aquatic turtle keeper, I just got into tortoises.. I can't imagine cutting open any live animal but not one of my most beloved species, sure some think that the RES population is plenty but there is no reason to do this to the animal live, thats just inhumane and shouldnt be legal in any situation

 

[Jacqui]

You mainly need to get your mind wrapped around the fact that these are NOT pets that are being used. Think of them as livestock. I would like to know just how they are going to kill them or are they coming in to the class already dead?

I would also add, I would love to be in that class and see first hand the anatomy of the turtles. I have never cut open one of my own animals and the roadkilled turtles are just cut enough to look for eggs.

 

[nikki0601]

Yes I know they will kill them before they cut them but still I do not agree, a frog or rat maybe, for learning purposes but not a turtle

 

[gopherhockey03]

I guess its everyones opinion. I could have easily learned the anatomy of a cat by looking at pictures and a model, and probably learned it a lot better. I don't see why you would need to dissect animals when we have so many more humane options today exp. Powerpoint plastic models etc. But I guess there's no changing it o well =(

 

[Neal]

Honestly, as a turtle/tortoise hobbyist I would think it would be kind of cool and informative to dissect an already dead turtle/tortoise. I can see pictures all day long, but to see things with my own eyes does a lot more for my education.

 

[EricIvins]

Personally, I think it should be more of a prerequisite for keeping any type of animal. Knowing it both inside and out, instead of just out......Alot of things click and make sense when that happens, not to mention being on the same page when it comes to taking anything to a Vet or something similiar.......

 

[zesty_17]

Since when do they dissect live turtles?!?!? My girlfriends roommate in her class are dissecting RES's. Can't they just look at pictures of their insides instead of killing at least 15 Innocent Turtles?!?! I'm really ticked off. This is at the University of Minnesota btw very very disappointed...

this really sucks, but it has been standard practice in vet/biology schools and labs for decades. One reason for this is to view the beating heart/nervous system that is able to run until it utilizes all of the (calcium? i think) and eventually stops. From what I know, the courses usually only do this to one turtle in a guided lecture style class, note i have not been to one of these-all of my courses the animals were already deceased.

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Ya I know but still a cute little turtle!!! But still college students don't gain anything from it! I know I didn't when we dissected cats!!! You can get just as much info looking at pictures than killing them! And your right I think a lot more people would be vegetarians if they had to kill their own food! I know I would!!!

i disagree. I gained invaluable insight during all of my dissection labs in both high school and college, and now as a zoo keeper, i have literally saved many many animal lives because of that knowledge. The animals are humanely treated, and put down, with many of the mammals (like cats) coming from humane societies.

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I hope this isnt entirely true, maybe they are dissecting dead turtles.. I am an avid aquatic turtle keeper, I just got into tortoises.. I can't imagine cutting open any live animal but not one of my most beloved species, sure some think that the RES population is plenty but there is no reason to do this to the animal live, thats just inhumane and shouldnt be legal in any situation

it isn't inhumane, and is quite legal. There are several methods of euthanizing naimals so they do not feel any pain; some of which (especially for turtles) the turtle can be literally brain dead, but the heart still beats-it is a chemical response. Sometimes when we bring "dead" animals to the vet, the heart is actually still beating (in reptiles/ectotherms) and if you're lucky to have any brain activity-the animal can be brought back, but once the brain dies, even if the heart is still beating, the animal will never come back <--this is what they are looking at in those dissection labs.

I will look for an article on this & post it if i find one.

 

[gopherhockey03]

I guess some people have different learning tactics. Yes you get a hands on experience dissecting them and yes you should know your animal inside in and out, but you can do it without killing 15 of them. You can do it without killing any! Or just kill one and have everyone share. Seems more ethical.

 

[Missy]

I can tell you that it is just not the same looking at pics. Would you like a Med student cutting into you for the first time? I don't like the idea of animals being killed but we have to practice and learn on something. If you were considering being a reptile vet then you need to get your hands in there. Just my opinion

 

[Neltharion]

One of the things to keep in mind is that some of the greatest scientific and medical advances have come from the study and dissection of animals, including human beings. My cousin is a cardiologist and can tell you horror stories of the cadavers that they cut open and studied in med school. Some of the advances in animal husbandry have been discovered through necropsy.