One of the first signs of impending Missouri summer is the emergence of box turtles from their winter hibernation. I get a first hand view, being host to “Turtle Town,” my little turtle rehab center.When I first moved to Missouri, my inner-animal rescuer couldn’t ignore the turtles. They wander across highways, looking for turtle tail. Some make it. Some don’t. When I find injured survivors, I bring them home where the kids and I nurse their injuries. Those that can’t be returned to the wild (turtles have a homing instinct and cannot simply be deposited in the closest field) become official Turtletown citizens.
Yesterday the Turtlesons, our current residents, dug from their hibernation holes, poked their little heads out and toddled off for a nice lunch. Fortunately, I was just cruising through Turtletown and caught it on film.
(Aw, quit complaining. You’re lucky I didn’t videotape it – now that would be really boring.)
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At 7:53 PM,
Marie -
At 7:57 PM,
Rhonda -
At 7:58 PM,
Attila the Mom -
At 8:04 PM,
Rhonda -
At 11:53 PM,
Kathy CullenI love turtles, but know it does take masterful hands to make it work. MJ, you got good advice, so don't sweat it. Most of the people who get kudos for being rescuers are reputable. Rhonda, thanks for the pictures.
Speaking of interesting reptile like creatures... we had a frog born in our store (I work for a pet supply retailer). We got the tadpole in with our feeder fish order. I am thinking of trying to make froggie a home at my house. He is sooooo cute! If I do, we'll all have to pray he doesn't grow to be 12 inches long, lol. -
At 4:38 AM,
MiaS brings me turtles, frogs or eek snakes just about every day. I helped them make a little pond in our creek and the critters just love it only slightly less than S.
Sadly it would appear they built this house right on a former turtle haven where they would come to lay their eggs. So last year we had a few that came trying to dig under the house. I felt so bad for them. My dog informs me when we have a visitor and all I can do is walk them back to the creek and hope they will be OK. I love turtles too. -
At 11:30 AM,
RhondaKathy: I'm glad you're back. I couldn't get to your blog for a while there. Good luck with froggie :)
Mia: Too funny, my big kid and his buddy are aspiring crock hunters. They'll spend an entire day patroling creek beds, ponds and marshes collecting snakes and lizards. They come home with squirming bags full of reptiles (then I make them release them.)
Frankengirl: Welcome! Thanks for dropping in. I hope you stick around. -
At 7:45 AM,
sume -
At 2:06 PM,
Rhonda
Wah...I love box turtles. What great photos. I miss the boxturtle who showed up in my front yard hiding behind a moldering hunk of plaster. Internet idiot advisors told me that they were difficult to care for and to leave them to the "professionals." Like a chump I took the little darling to a rescuer whom I didn't know from Jack the Ripper and left it in their care. For all I know they had turtle soup that night. Every time I think about abandoning that little critter I feel like a mother who gave up her child...lol. I hope the little guy made it.