I've been visiting this forum for quite a while, sometimes I've been an active participant, while other times I've simply lurked. If I'm remembering correctly, Wraith (among others) used to give out pocket ninjas ( :ninja: ) instead, but one day someone - who I honestly don't remember - gave out a turtle instead. After that, it just stuck. No conspiracy, no inside joke... just a gesture that for reason caught on.
This is all me assuming I'm remembering correctly, though I know it wasn't around when I first started here - after all, I never got one...