Fans of the “Rocky” franchise may remember Cuff and Link, Sylvester Stallone’s pet turtles in the original 1976 film.
Although the duo made only a brief appearance on screen, they’re causing quite the splash on social media.
In a now-viral Instagram post, Stallone shared a photo of himself posing with the red-eared sliders.
"In 'Creed 2' with my original buddies from the first ‘Rocky,’ Cuff and Link, now about 44 years old!" wrote Stallone.
The photo was posted last year, but it only recently caught the internet’s attention. Many fans were shocked to learn that Cuff and Link were still alive.
While the average lifespan for a red-eared slider is 15-25 years, pets can live for as long as 50 years with proper care.
“This is quite a commitment for a pet that you can't really cuddle,” says Angel Alvarado, a licensed veterinary technician in the Philadelphia area. "Consider this carefully before getting a turtle.”
It’s also important to remember that turtles don’t stay tiny. While Cuff and Link fit in Stallone’s palm in 1976, today they’re much larger. Mature sliders can grow to around 12 inches and require a 120-gallon tank.
“Most people don't have the space for such a large tank and all the accessories to maintain the proper environment,” says Alvarado. “This results in turtles living in poor conditions that are too small.”
Some unprepared turtle owners release their pets into the wild, where they can threaten native turtles and harm local ecosystems. In Rocky’s hometown of Philadelphia, red-eared sliders are considered an invasive species.
As for Cuff and Link, when not starring in blockbusters, they have a forever home with Joseph Marks, owner of the real-life pet shop featured in the original “Rocky.”