I know exactly how old this baby turtle is. I know when and where the eggs were laid and I know when and where the eggs hatched.
I don't have time to put in multiple links this morning as I bang this out before work, but if you use the Search This Blog feature at the top of the page and enter "baby turtles, baby turtle update, or turtle soup" you should find the rest of the story.
Most days, these little guys live in a large rubbermaid type container on the porch. The container is set so they can bask in the sun or retreat to shade during the day.
The recent addition of a garden pond waterfolly feature to the front yard has opened up new experiences for the baby turtles and they have been spending weekend excursions there.
Drifting in the garden pond seemed to be a popular pastime last weekend. Ceanne the goldfish doesn't seem to mind them.
Ceanne gets her own post someday soon. Talk about a fish who should buy a lottery ticket ... she is one lucky girl.
The garden pond gives the turtles a chance to practice their diving skills since it's so much deeper than the rubbermaid box. There was a lot of bottom prowling going on ... probably eating bits of drowned bug. The pond has turned out to be a millipede La Brea Tar Pit.
In a nutshell, out of 11 babies almost 2 years ago:
- One is dead ... my fault dammit!
- One is making the school janitor's little grandson very happy.
- Two are making a fellow science teacher who loves turtles very happy.
- One went to live in Mom's pond and made her very happy, but then he went on a walkabout.
- Six are still here with us ... okay, yes ... making us happy.
This spring, I will begin to release them. If my real pond holds water, I will let some go there since that is their pond of origin. My only hesitation there is that if an otter visits, the turtles are toast in that confined space. So I may choose local streams instead.
The runt stays according to Mrs. FC.
I am not allowed to release Squirtle.
16 comments:
Shouldn't you keep TWO turtles? That way, they can have conversation and keep each other company? You wouldn't want a lonely turtle, would you? Maybe Squirtle would go on a "walk-about" if he didn't have a mate....just sayin'....
ha ha I thought these guys were supposed to be released a long time a ago! They're still cute!
Scary, I remember the baby turtle post...
I'd like to have a few turtles in the pond here, but I'm afraid they would wander off. As well, the hawk that stalks the pond for goldfish (and frogs?) would probably make short work of them. Competition is pretty tight here, what with the massive over-development and all. Ah, well...
Recently I found a snapping turtle in my back yard and wanted to show it to my children. I casually picked it up and almost lost my nose! Those critters can really stretch out and bite. Needless to say the children ran laughing into the house and did not want anything to do with it. I just put it back where I found it, hoping that it would not be eaten one night when my dog went flying around growling up the back yard. I love reptiles.
I didn't realize you still had six of these cute turtles. I agree with Suze, I hope you keep at least two of them. I am surprised to see how big they've gotten. They look very happy.
Your country Florida tales are a bright, relaxing spot in my sometimes hectic day. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures.
Otters! That explains the occasional empty turtle shell I find on the bank of my pond. Haven't seen one of the little rascals, but the pond teems with fish and I suspect it would be an otterly delightful spot.
JGR in Havana,FL
It's always fascinated me that the upland turtles and tortoises are still on the same biological reeroductive clock as the marine turtles. My daughter always kept the yard full of rescued box tortoises, when there were eggs hatching in the yard, the beach nests would be hatching too.
Suze,
Two sounds good, and of course THEY might need a companion so keeping a third might be necessary.
HT,
Shhhhhhh. Yes, I'm overdue ... shhhhh.
Doc,
If mine wander off they are still in the wilds. That's the difference I guess.
Billg8tr,
It's good for our kids to have a laugh at our expense. Glad you kept your nose tho!
Robin,
I like to think they are ... happy that is.
In a turtle way.
:)
Susan,
Hey thanks for those kind words. Glad to help!
JGR,
An otter visited my pond once and left behind a half dozen turtle shells minus all reachable flesh.
Tsiya,
They all need the heat. I brought home my share of box turtles too.
Here's another vote for two turtles. Actually 3 sounds better. I kept the three desert tortoises, 2 males, 1 female. The males were always "playing" in the summer, the female always got the good shady spot.
I agree with Mrs. FC. Do not release the Squirtle!
We have one painted turtle left here in our aquarium. We had two, but apparently a cat collapsed the cover on one of the turtles, causing its demise. Bad kitty.
Whoa, I can't belive 2 years have already gone by! It really is true, they grow shorter not longer!
I can't wait to go back and read all the background on your turtle hatchery! When I lived in New Orleans I had red-eared sliders. I bought a forty gallon aquarium so that they could dive deep and I kept it stocked with minnows which they loved to chase and eat. I don't know if I've ever enjoyed anything more than watching those turtles swim and dive or just hang out on their log under the sun lamp. I'll bet yours are really fun to watch in your new pond.
Freste,
Okay, three stay here, three go off adventuring.
Deb,
No, I could never do that. Squirtle stays. Sorry to hear about the turtle CATastrophe.
ThunderD,
No, ... no, these turtles are definitely growing longer.
:)
Kimberlee,
I'm struck by that difference ... New Orleans vs the extreme north of Alaska.
Thank you for the turtle update! I saved a turtle from the highway this morning and felt very happy to be able to do so.
3C,
You're welcome! I like saving them on the road too.
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