‘Squirtle’ the pet turtle held hostage after housemate dispute

She’s not your typical turtle, and after spending more than a decade together with owner Mel Lero, Squirtle is so much more than just a pet.

“She’s part of the family…..she’s my family,” Ms Lero said.

But everything changed when a dispute with a former housemate turned nasty and Squirtle was turtle-napped.

“I sent him a message saying I’ve give you $500 for Squirtle’s return and he said ‘is that all she is worth to you’?,” Ms Lero told 9NEWS.

“And I said what do you want and he said let’s call it $1500.”

Unable to come up with the ransom, Ms Lero believes her beloved pet has been dumped.

A call-out on social media has led her to search in Stratford, a suburb in Cairns, after being contacted by a member of the public.

Today Squirtle was still nowhere to be seen, but Ms Lero still holds hope they'll be reunited soon.

“She’s coming home,” she said.