pelodiscusIThe lifespan of a Southeast Asian soft-shell turtle is not fleeting, like that of a goldfish. The turtles, if cared for properly, may live longer than 50 years.

Keep that in mind, as well as the fact that turtles don’t play Frisbee, if you want to adopt one of the creatures from Thailand seized by the feds last March at Denver International Airport because they were too young to be shipped legally.

The turtles were initially headed to a Denver pet store, but now the Colorado Reptile Humane Society is going to put them up for adoption, writes 7News. The story has gone as viral as any puppy mill story. The society has been flooded with calls from people who want to adopt, according to Boulder’s Daily Camera.

Ann-Elizabeth Nash, executive director of the Reptile Humane Society, says the shelter waited to make the turtles available because they are a brand-new species for the shelter, and “it was a big learning process for us.” Now the society feels able to teach new owners how to care for their pets—for a very long time.