Usually the fluffier the animal, the more we love it. Usually bald animals are hailed as the baddies of the wild world – we don’t support them when they hunt (we’re firmly on the side of the mouse) and reptiles are not our buddies. The sneaky snake, the cruel crocodile (and their fake tears), the loathsome lizard all skulking in the shadows. Let’s now turn our attention to turtles, they don’t look like our usual fluffy friends but for some reason we think they’re so damn cute. They’re wrinkly and BALD. So, why is it that we love turtles so much?

There is a scientific basis called the ‘baby schema’ which means we produce serotonin when we believe an animal requires parental care. This could be because the animal looks or acts in a baby-like way. Turtles typically have the larger eyes of an infant and their slowed down movements are like that of a newborn baby, making us desire to take care of them. 

Another train of thought is that character bias is hardwired into humans by the age of 3. So if you grew up singing “heroes in a half-shell, turtle power” or with the fashionable turtle trend seen in jewellery, posters and t-shirts in the 90s then it’s pretty likely that you’ve been culturally brainwashed to like them.

Either way, we are where we are and we now all love turtles. Which brings us to World Turtle Day. A reptile that not only made it onto the cute list but has a whole day dedicated to their awesomeness. And credit where credit’s due, we should be honouring an animal that shattered the glass ceiling of wrinkly, bald cuteness. Sphynx cats should take their card.

Our buyers love videos of turtles (because they’re human beings). They sell well any day of the year but we expect to see increased demand around World Turtle Day on May 23. If you are lucky enough to have an engaging video of a turtle, upload it to this brief today for a better chance of being noticed.