The following notes are intended as general guidelines for making public presentations. We want to continue to improve the public image of the GCTTS and one way to do this is to make our public outreach and education programs as professional as possible.

A briefing and/or training for ALL volunteers and those overseeing our events should be offered by the GCTTS Outreach Director before any GCTTS event.

These guidelines should be provided to all volunteers and to those that are overseeing a GCTTS event.

• General Guidelines
  • Allow a minimum of one hour setup before an event.
    • Person overseeing a particular event is responsible for obtaining name tags and labels for the event. Marlaina may be able to help with sufficient notice.

• Items to always include in our public programs and presentations
  • Sign in sheets
  • GCTTS Business Cards
  • GCTTS Membership applications
  • GCTTS Care Sheets
  • GCTTS Adoption Forms
  • A GCTTS Banner or sign
  • Pet trade display
  • Do turtles make good pets display
  • Donation Can

  • Care sheets and adoption forms are to be kept behind the table and handed to those in need of a particular sheet. The membership form is to be put out for people to pick-up

  • Everyone coming by the table should be told that if they would like to know about our upcoming events to sign our sheet for a free newsletter.

  • When someone joins, their membership form should be put in the donation can. If they pay case, that should be noted on the form. A slip of paper should be put in the can for any sales indicating what was sold and the amount they paid.

  • Native species for Earth Days and library type presentations with no more than one tortoise, and concentration to be on Native species

  • Use of clean, clear, non-cracked, aquariums in very good condition..
  • Limited / no handling of live animals except by GCTTS personnel during oral presentation pertaining to the particular turtle.
  • For oral presentations, consider use of our Public Talk Guide.
  • Restrict the free roaming of animals to within 3 feet of the GCTTS table or booth. If this is not practical, restrain large animals in appropriate containers to the side. If indoors, heavy plastic should be used in the bottom of the pen to protect the flooring.

  • Use of professional looking labels
    • Same color
    • To Include:
      • Common Name
      • Scientific Name (Genus, species)
      • Personal history of particular turtle
    • Person overseeing a particular event is responsible for obtaining labels for the event. Marlaina may be able to help with sufficient notice.

  • Event Coordination - Two Weeks Before Event:
    • Event coordinator and other volunteers identified.
    • Names of turtles and tortoises that will be displayed and who is bringing them.

  • Antibacterial hand cleaner available at all times

CONSERVATION, EDUCATION, RESCUE: Guidlines for outreach,earthdays, herpsales.

Box turtles,Tortoises, water turtles:

Do talk about the pet trade, wildcaught turtles diminishing in native habitats. A turtle wildcaught sold commercially causes another to be taken from the wild.

 When Taken from wild:

Stresses from being removed from native habitat. Transportation stresses. Do not do well in their nonnative habitat. Diets of axact,protein fruits,vegetation,minerals are not the same. Longevity of life shorter. Stresses from non natural,native habitat of environment,in soils, water. Females, Egg binding without access to land.

When applicable, the laying of Southern Hemisphere native tortoises in the fall should be mentioned as they often go indoors into containers at the time they need to lay and be severly eggbound by Spring.

Do focus on environment,habitats,stresses of turtles and tortoises. Not diet alone. Do focus on recreating a native habitat as close as possible, no aquariums.