Injured/deformed turtle.. - DPChallenge Forums

06/09/2007 10:35:14 PM · #1

//s121.photobucket.com/albums/o203/joeyxheffalump/?action=view¤t=Naturestuff002.flv

First of all, yes I am wearing black nail polish.. >.>

But, I got some retired racing turtles from the turtle lake spokesperson. This is the condition they were in. I have no idea how this critter survived whatever it is that happened to him.

Anywho, I'm going to attempt to teach him to eat like a wild turtle and whatnot. Then I'll let him go into the wild. His exposed leg makes him VERY vulnerable, so I hope I do good..

Just decided to share that..
XD

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

06/09/2007 10:43:00 PM · #2

Looks like when she (it's a female) was younger, something broke off the edge of her shell. Perhaps she was just clipped by a car?
I've seen a number of strange injuries to painted turtles, including ones with missing legs (bitten off). They are real survivors.

LN13

Canon EOS-60D

06/09/2007 10:44:26 PM · #3

retired racing turtles? a turtle racing company?

Do they place wagers on these things? I've never heard of such a thing.

Nikon AF-S DX 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

06/09/2007 11:03:24 PM · #4

It was not a real racing company. Some idiot was poaching turtles for the gift shop. They do it all the time. He gave me these ones because they weren't "perfect".

I feel bad for them.

abranton

Sony DSC-W7

06/09/2007 11:08:14 PM · #5

Awwww you are doing such a wonderful thing!! So you just keep them in the swimming pool & get them well?

About the black fingernail polish, that isn't a big deal. You just need a touch up :)

okiesisi

Canon EOS-1000D Rebel XS

06/09/2007 11:10:35 PM · #6

she sure is pretty...would be fun to watch her chase crickets!! Have fun and Good luck!!

Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8D

06/09/2007 11:19:48 PM · #7

I keep them in a kiddy pool because they need real sunlight to help digest their food. Unfortunately I'll have to pick up another kiddy pool tomorrow. I have FOUR TURTLES in ONE small kiddy pool.. They're fighting for space and they don't have enough room to bask.. But it turns out they all know how to catch and eat minnows. This one had the most trouble. I'm guessing because she is a little slow. The edge of her shell where it's missing hits her in the leg when she moves. She's even worse on land.

I hope I can make her better somehow. I don't have alot of hands-on experience with turtles. Just alot of studying..

If anybody knows something I don't, please tell me. I'll love you forever.
XD

David Ey

Nikon D80

06/10/2007 12:00:45 AM · #8

ya think you might make her an artificial piece and glue it on?

BeeCee

Nikon D40

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

06/10/2007 02:44:49 AM · #9

maybe something like they do with acrylic nails? But it would have to be replaced every time the turtle moulted, I'd imagine...

ssodell

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Sigma 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical HF for Canon

06/10/2007 03:47:44 AM · #10

I was thinking kinda the same thing. If the shell is like finger nails and there are no nerves or anything, a skilled animal surgeon could drill some holes and bolt on a new fender. lol.

Originally posted by David Ey:

ya think you might make her an artificial piece and glue it on?

weegi70

Olympus E-500 EVOLT

Olympus 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital ED

06/10/2007 03:51:11 AM · #11

well, i know nothing about turtles... but the Moulting thing... if it was a deformity, yes, but if it was damaged, wouldn't it fix itself? like i said tho, i know nothing about turtles, except they are slow. thats it.

06/10/2007 10:01:15 AM · #12

This is definitely an *old* injury, and it has repaired itself pretty well. The shell plates are bone, and when freshly broken they have a white, rough edge, like you would expect. The injury probably happened while she was in the wild, and given that she survived both the injury itself and the healing process indicates that she is quite capable of fending for herself.
Best thing to do is to let her cope with her old injury.
If you are going to release her to the wild, here are a few pointers:
- Make sure you do so by early September. Turtles begin to prepare for hibernation not long after that, and she needs time to acclimate
- Release her in a spot where there is little human activity. Painted turtles become very tame in a short time, and will completely lose their fear of humans. They'll swim right towards people, looking for food.

06/10/2007 12:13:50 PM · #13

Whenever I let turtles go, I always take them to Rigid Rock Lake. It's about twenty miles into the woods from my house. about six miles of that can only be traveled on foot. There is alot of wildlife back there and not many people go there. It isn't a grand place to be. No trails of any sort at all. I'll probably let her go there. I think I'm going to wait until around early August, just because the turtles around here have usually bred and laid their eggs by then. I don't know that she'd make a good candidate for breeding. I'll have my brother go with me into the woods. I might as well let the others go there too. It's quite untouched.

Yeah.. I don't think her shell is much harm to her. It appears to bump against her leg when she walks, but she isn't in pain or anything. She eats normal too. I think her shell will be fine. It's already healed anyways.

Kirbic, you seem to know quite alot about turtles. Thanks for the advice. See, I thought turtles migrated. I'll be sure to have her in the lake before fall.
xD

06/10/2007 12:26:29 PM · #14

Originally posted by Beautiful-Joe:

Kirbic, you seem to know quite alot about turtles. Thanks for the advice. See, I thought turtles migrated. I'll be sure to have her in the lake before fall.
xD

When I was in my early-to-mid-teens, my brother and I used to keep turtles every summer. We had dozens of them, sometimes fifty. We had eastern & western painted turtles and all the intergrades between those subspecies, we had snapping turtles, the occasional softshell, a couple musk turtles, and the relatively uncommon (now somewhat rare) blanding's turtle.
Painted turtles are lots of fun. They have individual "personalities" and are easy to work with. You'll have a blast with her, and I think she's in very good hands!

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/10/2007 04:37:30 PM · #15

Kirbic.. I have a question for you.. And for anyone else who might know.

The turtles all have names. Emily, Matilda, Cleo, and Roxanne (the turtle in the video). Since the kiddy pool is small, I've been having the turtles take turns to swim and eat. Two will swim and eat while two are out of the pool basking. Emily and Cleo were out of the pool this morning. I noticed that there was some odd saliva like substance all over Cleo's face. Her right eye also had a small red sore in the corner. I rinsed her off in the sink and set her on the carpet. Emily had a red sore on her eye too, but no spit. I decided to leave Cleo out of the pool. The other three are all in there together now.

Do you think this is normal? Or is it just my imagination?

If Cleo is sick, I don't want her in the pool with the others. Should I remove Emily as well?

I especially don't want Roxanne to get sick.

hanneke

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/10/2007 04:40:32 PM · #16

I absolutely know nothing about turtles, but I do want to tell you, Joe, you're doing a fantastic job taking care of the turtles.

Thank you for that.. I wish the world was filled with people like you.

06/10/2007 09:01:58 PM · #17

I don't think I'm doing a very good job if I'm getting them all sick.
xD
But thanks. That makes me feel useful.
=)

06/10/2007 09:45:39 PM · #18

The redness and slime do sound like something's up. I don't have experience with anything resembling those symptoms, though. I think you are right to keep the ones that show no symptoms apart from the ones that do. If it doesn't clear up soon, it's probably worth talking to a vet.