# Anyone know anything about turtles??



## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

LONG STORY, but we may be getting a turtle. I think it is a box turtle. Anyone know anything about turtle ownership???


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## Ninde'Gold (Oct 21, 2006)

I had 3 large red-earred sliders.

You'll need a tank big enough for water AND land. Turtles love to bask in the sun. Make sure you get a really good heat lamp.

We used to buy live crickets to feed them as well as feeder gold fish.

Make sure you're ready for a long commitment as they live for at least 20 years, and can even live up to 50!

I've never had a baby turtle so I'm not sure what you would feed one. I think you can buy pellets though.

And make sure you clean their tank often... they smell REALLY badly if you don't keep it clean.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

I did a quick google search for you.

General Box Turtle Care

No experience really. I had 3 sun/painted/slider turtles like Ninde, but as a little kid, too long ago to remember. It was a brief "ownership" my parents let them go home after a bit 

My dogs like to hunt them  and carry them around. Here is a pic I took of one old fellow that lives out back. Got a pic of them mating in out in the backyard once but on film, never scanned it. They live a long time.


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

NG - 

Then this could be bad....I am not good with stinky.....but at living up to 50 years - we may not have much time with him.

To make the long story short -
The turtle currently lives with MIL in her kitchen sink. He sometimes vacations to her bathtub. He eats shrimp, strawberries, chicken, some turtle food, etc. DH found him when he was 9 years old. DH is now 44. MIL has mentioned in the past DH taking him or her donating him somewhere. DH does not want him, but does not want her to get rid of him either. MIL called me this AM and told me his beak is long and he is having trouble eatting and mentioned again about donating him. I am thinking to myself - poor guy, his beak did not grow overnight......she said he can eat if she really chops it up, etc. 

Hence - I think it is coming to a point that I need to do a turtle intervention and take him.


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

GC - 

Thanks for the article. I just printed it out so I can educate myself if I do repo him this weekend.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

One of our neighbors has a turtle, but it lives in a glass container, so I think it is smaller than a box turtle. They take the turtle to a special vet-- I could find out the name if you need a turtle vet. The poor thing had some sort of surgery recently. "It" (don't know much about the gender) was their daughter's childhood pet and she's now a practicing lawyer in D.C. so it's been around for a while!


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

My old Golden loved picking up box turtles too and my little mixed breed pup named after GoldenCamper's turtle hunter Tucker just found his first one a couple of weeks ago, but I've never kept any.

A turtle rescue might be the kindest way to deal with him. If you are going to take him in, he most likely needs to go to a vet to have his beak and maybe his claws trimmed.

these are the herp vets found in Dallas by Google.
*Dallas*

Sue Chastain, Clint Chastain, & Cheryl Pfeffer, DVM
Preston Road Animal Hospital
6060 Lyndon B. Johnson Fwy
Dallas, TX 75240
Tel: (972) 239-1309
[Website] 
Dr. Kemba Marshall
Summertree Animal & Bird Clinic
12300 Inwood Rd. Ste 102
Dallas, TX 75244
Tel: (972) 387-4168
Fax: (972) 490-0944
[Website]
_Comments:_

C - Dr. Marshall is now currently at our clinic. She has moved from Irving. (02/01/07)


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Usually, turtles found in the wild, should stay in the wild. If they are injured, they should be rehabilitated by a person that is knowlegeable in that field and released if possible. 
Obviously, that poor turtle has been out of the wild for years and will not be able to be released. 
If I find a turtle in the road or anywhere were it is not safe, I put it out in a safe spot somewhere away from traffic and let it go. 
Something to remember for the future.


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

The turtle will definitely be getting a glass home not in my shower or tub. I spent most of my day calling our vet who I learned does not do turtles and then calling a few they recommended. Anne - I actually called EL and they will trim the beak etc. so that may be in order tomorrow. I do not really want to take him in, but now knowing the situation...I think it is kind of mean to him IMO - I think I have to. I am wondering how Belle will handle it....hmm. Want her to be comfortable with him, but not hurt him. I will say she is VERY gentle with little dogs so we should be OK - I hope.

Trust me - I totally agree that he should have been left in the wild. I am the same also - I move turtles off the road to a safe spot. DH found him at a construction site - I think. I wish his parents at the time would have returned the turtle. Unfortunately, I am stuck now....but if we have children and they bring a turtle home like daddy did when he was little - that turtle will be going back to where he came from.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

cgriffin said:


> If I find a turtle in the road or anywhere were it is not safe, I put it out in a safe spot somewhere away from traffic and let it go.


I see you must be part Golden Retriever  Tucker once saved a sun turtle from a ditch it had no way out of, he alerted me to it, no joke. The little turtle was gracious and thanked my boy for saving it's life. I don't often read into these things but it seemed true to me.










I joke about my dogs being turtle hunters but they don't hurt them, doubt they could if they wanted. That box turtle pic I posted had a few chunks missing from it's shell you don't see, probably from coyotes.


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

I need to figure out if he is really a box turtle or what he is.....I sure did not plan on taking this on right now, but since when is life full of what you planned on.....

Oh - and I forgot to mention - his name is Jay

(On a side note - I call him "The Urinator" because many years ago when MIL moved houses DH decided we would move Jay from her old house to her new house in a paper sack placed on my lap so I could hold onto him....well you see how this ends. Jay peed on me - I am sure he was scared. As we were driving and I told DH that he had peed - DH laughed and said I was wrong as Jay did not pee....I asked him if he was nuts because I think everything pees. DH realized his error when we got to MIL new house and we took Jay out of his now wet bag.)


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## momtoMax (Apr 21, 2009)

I don't think a box turtle is a water turtle. You can take the turtle to a herpotologist...thinking I'm right with the name - special vet to be seen. You can get books from your library about box turtles - important to learn about the specific kind of turtle you are taking in - needs are different. Good luck with your turtle.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

A box turtle doesn't live in the water, but they do need access to a shallow soaking dish to help with keeping hydrated.

Copper never hurt the turtles, but I didn't let them keep them long either. He seemed to just like carrying them around and rolling on them.

Good luck with Jay.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

The urinator, funny. Of course turtles go pee. My dogs figured that out quick. Good luck with Jay.

Got to say.......

:worthless


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Belle's Mom said:


> The turtle will definitely be getting a glass home not in my shower or tub. I spent most of my day calling our vet who I learned does not do turtles and then calling a few they recommended. Anne - I actually called EL and they will trim the beak etc. so that may be in order tomorrow. I do not really want to take him in, but now knowing the situation...I think it is kind of mean to him IMO - I think I have to. I am wondering how Belle will handle it....hmm. Want her to be comfortable with him, but not hurt him. I will say she is VERY gentle with little dogs so we should be OK - I hope.
> 
> Trust me - I totally agree that he should have been left in the wild. I am the same also - I move turtles off the road to a safe spot. DH found him at a construction site - I think. I wish his parents at the time would have returned the turtle. Unfortunately, I am stuck now....but if we have children and they bring a turtle home like daddy did when he was little - that turtle will be going back to where he came from.


If it gets to be too much, ELPO might be willing to take him in and find him a good turtle home--after all, they've adopted out a goat and several exotic birds!


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Just got an email from my neighbor--and I'll just quote it here:
"_Don't know their name but they are in the Strip Mall across from Richardson Bike Mart on Garland Rd. "Maggie's " vet is a real vet Dr graduate from A and M. We have been to him about 3x over the past 10 years and we like him._"
Forgive him, he's not an animal person really and just inherited the turtle when the daughter grew up!

ETA: He followed up: "_Believe it is A and B Animal Clinic_".


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

If Jay's training doesn't turn out well we could do the first GRF turtle transport to Coppers-mom 

Maybe poke a few holes in an overnight box to her, she has a little turtle pond


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## FeatherRiverSam (Aug 7, 2009)

Reading through this thread reminded me of something that happened to me many years ago when I was probably nine or ten years old. It doesn't have much to do caring for turtles but it is about a turtle and peeing is a part of it.

I was born and raised in San Francisco. One day my father took us fishing on one of the coastal rivers north of the city. We spent the better part of a day there doing some fishing but if the fish aren't biteing kids can get quickly bored and turn to other things. Exploring is pretty much at the top of the list during slow periods...so off I went.

Turning over rocks, climbing trees, building damns were all on the list of things to do. While I was playing in the river I saw a turtle. This wasn't just any turtle like the ones we'd had as little kids the size of silver dollars...this guy was pretty big. He had to be almost the size of a frisbee and he was missing a leg.

I knew if I showed him to my dad he'd have made me release it back into the river and I really wanted to take him home and keep him as a pet. So I tucked him away in my little back pack and got him home without anybody knowing.

Of course it didn't take long before the entire family was aware of the turtle...it's kinda hard to hide a turtle that sized. My dad was pretty good about it saying only Pete would smuggle a turtle into the house and because of the missing leg he said lets call him Peg Leg Pete.

I remember taking him to school for a show and tell day. I was holding him up in front of the class telling the story of how I'd found him when all of a sudden old Peg Leg decided it was time to relieve himself...and boy did he, all over me. It was voted the best show & tell of the day.

Not too long after that my father told me he'd found the perfect home for old Peg Leg. He had talked to some friends over at the Steinhart Aquarium in Golden Gate Park and they had agreed to take him for one their displays. I thought that was so cool and I can remember going over there with friends and pointing old Peg Leg Pete out. Heck he may still be there!

So that's my turtle story...sorry....it was so long ago I'd completely forgotten it....but now it will live on forever more here in the threads of GRF. 

Pete


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

OMG - you all have me laughing. Loved the Pete story. We may have to do a transport if it does not work out 

Anne - that is so funny they go to A and B that is one my vet mentioned to call. They give anesthesia to all turtles to trim to beak....which MIL thought was um interesting.... I called EL and they have an opening so we are going there tomorrow. Dr G does exotics and only gives anesthesia if the turtle will not stick out there head...so let's hope Jay is not shy.

DH thinks he is a box turtle but is not sure so that is on my list of vet Q's if I cannot tell by appearance....which obviously I am not a turtle pro.

I think we are going to get him tonight so I will definitely take pics.

I guess he is going to be in the master shower until we get a terrarium which in my world is tomorrow.

Thanks


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## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

We had two box turtles in our house when I was really young. I wish I had advice for you but as my parents were apparently nuts and let them just roam around our house, I don't. I know we use to leave out tiny bowls of water and tiny plates of cut up bananas and blueberries for them and we could hand feed them. Our dogs never bothered them but every few months you might hear one falling down the stairs. Warned you my parents were nuts and they weren't the only strange pets we had over the years. I'm sure I was never left alone with them though because at the age of 3 I accidentally killed by brother's tiny turtle. How did I know the tiny turtle didn't want a bubble bath in his tank... You leave it next to the sink and a bottle of dawn ( and a chair to climb up on) obviously a bubble bath is the way to go...


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

i babysat a box turtle for a week while friend's went on vacation. "Flatop" was housed in a large plastic tub. It was filled with some type of potting soil or peat moss. There were 2 shallow dishes filled with water so he could drink and bath. I changed the water daily. He ate worms and/or crickets.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Belle's Mom said:


> LONG STORY, but we may be getting a turtle. I think it is a box turtle. Anyone know anything about turtle ownership???


There was one in our home for 17 years. The pet store man said that she could live 100 years.


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## jealous1 (Dec 7, 2007)

Summer started bringing us so many box turtles on our walks in the woods behind our house that we started marking them around mid-July. We are now up to 27 different turtles with total finds up to 35. She is so proud of herself since we ooh and aah over her and tell her what a good girl she is. I tell her she would make the great Copper Turtle Hunter so proud! Luckily, DH found these two before Summer did - the male wasn't too happy at the intrusion or pics; the female kept herself all tucked away.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Belle's Mom said:


> OMG - you all have me laughing. Loved the Pete story. We may have to do a transport if it does not work out
> 
> Anne - that is so funny they go to A and B that is one my vet mentioned to call. They give anesthesia to all turtles to trim to beak....which MIL thought was um interesting.... I called EL and they have an opening so we are going there tomorrow. Dr G does exotics and only gives anesthesia if the turtle will not stick out there head...so let's hope Jay is not shy.
> 
> ...


Let me know how you like Dr. G. Hope anesthesia isn't needed! 

BTW, do turtles eat mosquitoes? I think I'd rather invade our area with turtles, toads and uh :uhoh: bats before we get bombarded with the aerial spraying the County just approved for West Nile virus...

If Jay eats crickets and grasshoppers--just saw a ton of them at the neighborhood shopping center! Ewwww...


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

I love all the turtle stories - keep them coming.

Anne - have you seen Dr G yet?

I don't think they eat mosquitoes....otherwise DH would have taken him years ago. Mosquitoes love DH. I think it is worms, crickets, etc.

So I got more of the story of how DH acquired him - DH was 10 and found Jay in the alley by his house. Jay had initials carved into his shell so they assumed he had been someone's pet...which DH at the time thought was mean as I guess they have feeling in their shell and the carving may have hurt.....

Did not get Jay last night - heading to get him in a few......


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Belle's Mom said:


> I love all the turtle stories - keep them coming.
> 
> Anne - have you seen Dr G yet?
> 
> ...


So, what happened today at the vets? 

No, I haven't seen Dr. G yet with Toby-- I've been trying VERY hard to limit Toby's emergency vet visits and IF he needs one, I've been trying to convince him to only need one on Mon-Wed, when his two regular vets are in the office. :crossfing Please PM me with your thoughts and opinions! 

Is your husband still attached to Jay? 

How is Belle reacting to her new brother of a different species?


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

So far so good.....I think.....

Picked him up and I count not believe how long the nails and beak were - I was embarrassed. Went to the vet and Jay was very good - very curious, etc.......they tried to trim without sedation, but they said he was not having it. They put him in a twilight for the trimming. I will add for as long as his beak was sedation may have made it more comfortable. Dr G was very nice and seemed to know a fair amount about turtles. She did confirm he is a box turtle and gave us some info on box turtles.

After we left him, I told DH we just needed to go to Petco just to see the prices.....stupid me.....well they had an enclosure on sale for 50% off and the next thing I knew we had all the turtle set-up in our cart. With the discount, etc was not too expensive. The guy at Petco knew about turtles, but scared me when he mentioned they can carry salmonella and e-coli. So I asked the vet about it and any effect on Belle when she called to say we could pick him up. She said not to let Belle lick him and to wash our hands after handling, etc. Belle is super curious about him, but now knowing about the risk it seems she may never meet him face to face, but just thru glass. Jay is in our front room for now. He has not drank or eatten since we got him...so kind of odd. If you ask Belle where her turtle is she will go look at him.

Yesterday, when we told MIL we got all the stuff - she seemed like she was going to miss him - she said oh he was not bother. We asked about his normal routine and she told us about his daily swims, etc. I think she took good care of him and it was just the beak and nails that had gotten out of control. I know she would have taken him had I made an appt for her to take him, but to be honest she does not really have the $$ - and like DH said - this is his turtle to pay for - which I agree with. Sedating a turtle is not really expensive, but it is not cheap either and it would not have been fair for MIL to pay for it.

MIL also called this AM to check on him. I am thinking - you have mentioned us taking him off and on for a while so huh??? Do you miss him now that he is gone?? I wonder if she misses him. When she called this AM she said she had some left over cantalope and was going to give it to him, but remembered he was gone. I told her he may come back and now he has a terrarium that comes with him. She again said that was fine and he was no trouble at all.

DH still seems pretty attached, but as long as it is in the family he is fine with it.

Belle is soooo curious about him.

He is going to be some work for DH - which will translates into work for me......from what I read he needs daily swims for his skin, etc....Think we should take him back to MIL with his new digs???


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Belle's Mom said:


> So far so good.....I think.....
> 
> Picked him up and I count not believe how long the nails and beak were - I was embarrassed. Went to the vet and Jay was very good - very curious, etc.......they tried to trim without sedation, but they said he was not having it. They put him in a twilight for the trimming. I will add for as long as his beak was sedation may have made it more comfortable. Dr G was very nice and seemed to know a fair amount about turtles. She did confirm he is a box turtle and gave us some info on box turtles.
> 
> ...


That is really nice of you to do all of this for Jay, including buying him his new "mansion". I'd certainly ask the MIL if she wants him back and if (and only if) both of you think it's best, especially if she is able, mentally and physically, to handle him for his basic care. She may very well be lonely, especially if she bonded with him. You guys could help her out by overseeing his care and helping with vet visits, though there shouldn't be that many vet visits for a turtle. It sounds like she was just unsure of where to take him or how to get those needs taken care of? Is she close by to EL to take him herself or with your help? 

I bet Belle is curious and I certainly understand your concern about salmonella and ecoli, given Belle's IBD diagnosis. 

I'll be curious as to what you both decide to do? Sometimes our elderly parents just get foggy about things and need a guiding hand and some reassurance. If that is the case, maybe with your help Jay can stay with her, and she can continue to be the primary caretaker.


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## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

Does you MIL have a friends that she sees on a regular basis? Im assumung she is retired. Maybe she is lonely and depends on the turtle more then you or even she knew. It probably keeps her busy.


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

The other thing I wanted to ask is anyone else had issues with the turtles having salmonella or e-coli thing? Seems enough goldens have "found" turtles and been fine that this may not be a huge risk....


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

MIL is 67 years old so she is still totally with it mentally and physically. She still works, etc. - so no worries on that end. She lives in Addison so EL was closer for us. She has a little dog that gets along well with Belle. Her live in boyfriend of 10 years (so basically DH step father) stays with Belle when we are out of town....so they are responsible with pets. DG - I am thinking you are right and she just was not sure of what to do about the beak and nails and reached out to me....and then when she mentioned maybe donating him again or something and us remembering she has mentioned this before...maybe we just went too far too fast with the new home, etc.....which we would totally give to her if we give him back....MIL is big on "loaning" each other stuff, furniture, etc so then we would just have a sharing arrangement...

I also think Jay may be a little stressed - has not eatten much since coming here, etc....I told DH - think about it - he was at MIL house yesterday AM, then we get him, he gets mostly knocked out, get his beak and nails trimmed, and then is in a terrarium at our house which is 100% different...that is kind of stressful. Had we just moved him that is one thing, but compounded with the vet,etc - that is a lot on him....we will see how the next few days go, if he eats, etc and then kind of go from there.

DG - almost forgot - When we ask if she wants him back or make a comment about her missing him - we get the answer of like - oh he was no trouble so if you do not want to keep him then I will.....so how do you take that??


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## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

That might be her saying she wants him back without trying to offend or imposition you... Or acting like it wasn't a big deal....


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Goldengal9 said:


> That might be her saying she wants him back without trying to offend or imposition you... Or acting like it wasn't a big deal....


I agree-- it sounds like, on paper, that she misses him and wants him back, sort of a passive way of going about it, not wanting to make a big deal about it though.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

One more thing, and it sounds odd, but this may be her way of making sure you guys will take him if something were to happen to them and they couldn't do it. You've definitely shown you can if that is the case. My parents are much older than your MIL, but around age 75 my parents started doing some things that boiled down to they were preparing for their final years but didn't come right out and tell my sibling and me and it was just awkward all around.


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## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

I think it may be MIL boyfriend that was sick of a turtle living in the sink - which I totally understand - although sink living makes clean up after Jay a breeze - I would be sick of him in my sink to if I was him....I see both sides. 

I am curious to see how the next few days play out.....he has yet to eat more than 3 bites which he ate on Sunday. DH and I agree that unless he starts eating he is going back as we will not let him be so stressed, etc that he staves...if we had to keep him that would be one thing, but we do not. I think DH is torn - he said 75% wants to give him back and 25% wants to keep him. Jay pooped today - luckily he did it when swimming so clean-up was easy - dump in toilet and flush. 

I told DH if Jay came here that DH was going to be doing most of the work and DH is experiencing a new world in this as I do pretty much EVERYTHING for Belle and with Jay - I am helping, but am letting DH do most of the work....Jay is obviously a lot less work than Belle and I think DH may already be getting sick of the Jay work.


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