The Luckiest Turtle

The turtle in question was already named Lucky… and then he earned it. Box turtle Lucky and his lady friend Lovey have a safe and happy life in their enclosed pen in a California backyard. But back in July, owner Sally Pyne found both turtles outside their pen. It seems a raccoon had shown up in the yard, attracted by food left for Pyne’s outside kitty. Lovey survived the encounter without harm, but Lucky was not quite so lucky. His front legs were gone. Lucky was rushed to the animal hospital, where he was patched up and given medication for … Continue reading →

Painted Turtles

Painted turtles are a species of small turtles found across North America. They get their name from the colorful markings on their legs, tail, head and neck — the turtle’s skin is dark green or black with red and yellow stripes. If the colorful stripes aren’t enough to identify your painted turtle, look at the shell. The carapace is a smooth, flattened oval with red markings in some species. The plastron is usually yellow, sometimes tinged with red. Female painted turtles are generally larger than males — they can grow up to ten inches long. Males tend to have a … Continue reading →

Rare Giant Turtle Reappears in Vietnam

This story made headlines yesterday… but I was busy entertaining the dogs while we had the carpets cleaned. (And my carpets are SO clean, it’s just lovely.) There are only three Swinhoe’s soft-shell turtles in the world, and they are all in captivity. Two reside in Chinese zoos; one lives in the poetically named Returned Sword Lake (Hoan Kiem) in downtown Hanoi, Vietnam. And that’s it. Three turtles in the whole world. At least… that’s what researchers thought until this past December. Photographic evidence showed a Swinhoe’s soft-shell turtle in the wild — in a lake in northern Vietnam. And … Continue reading →

Turtle on the Lam

You might not imagine a two hundred pound tortoise would be much of an escape artist. Houdini the turtle? Hard to picture… unless you know Willy. Willy is an eleven year old African tortoise who lives near Riverside, California. He joined the Larsen family as a birthday present. When Willy came home from the pet store, he was small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Nowadays, Willy is tipping the scales at two hundred pounds. He tips over tables and gives rides to young Larsen nieces and nephews. The family had no idea that Willy would get … Continue reading →

Turtles in the ‘Hood Part 3

If it wasn’t too long, I would’ve entitled this blog, “What I Learned From Buying Two Turtles Off the Street from a Street Vendor.“ If you’ve been following the pet blog today, you’ve probably already seen my first two blogs on buying a turtle from a street vendor. It has definitely been a learning experience and while my first two articles covered why on earth I would buy a turtle, and how it is we came to own two turtles, this blog is all about the lessons I learned from buying our impulse pets. Unlike the examples in Aimee’s blog … Continue reading →

Turtles in the ‘Hood

Aimee has written about impulse pets before. She gave examples of how you might win a lizard or a gold fish at the carnival or fair and voila–you are a new pet owner. She pointed out pros and cons. Had I read her blog right before our fateful trip down the street I may have saved myself some money. Ahem. . .to be exact I may have saved myself $100. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The point is she clearly states in that blog under “The Bad Stuff” that an impulse pet will cost you in “food, toys and … Continue reading →

Red Eared Slider Turtles

Several different types of slider turtles are kept as pets but the most common variety is the red eared slider turtle. If you’ve ever seen a tank of turtles at a pet store, you were probably looking at a pile of sliders. Red eared slider turtles are thought to be the same turtles behind the salmonella cases in the 1970s. If you will be handling any turtle, experts suggest you wash your hands with warm water and soap afterwards. In North America, the sale of slider turtles less than four inches long (carapace size) is prohibited — this is to … Continue reading →

Come Out of Your Shell: Turtle Awareness

Photo by Jeff Jones When I was growing up I used to say something akin to, “I can’t wait to get out of school so I never have to worry about another test again.” My mom always countered with: “Just because you don’t go to school when you grow up doesn’t mean you stop learning.” As moms usually are, she was so very right. This month I’ve learned a lot. Especially in regards to how almost every day of every month has a designated “theme” attached to it. Take today, for instance. It’s World Turtle Day. Like I mentioned in … Continue reading →

Happy World Turtle Day!

May 23 is World Turtle Day. The American Tortoise Rescue was the driving force behind creating World Turtle Day, the first of which was held in 2000. They picked a day in May because this is a happening month for turtles: they have mates to find and nests to build. I love turtles. I think they’re fascinating. It’s really amazing I don’t have a turtle for a pet. (Well, when I was about six or so, my dad did bring home a turtle for me. I lost it in about half an hour. We let it roam in the backyard, … Continue reading →

Turtle Health and Handling

If you’ve got your tank ready… it’s time to pick out a turtle! The best time to buy a turtle is in the late spring and summer months. The rest of the year is hibernation time for turtles — so those you see in pet stores may be stressed during the fall, winter, and early spring. How to pick out a healthy turtle: Pick up the turtle — support the body in your hands. It should feel weighty, not like an empty shell. Gently tug on a back leg. The turtle should strongly pull his leg away. Look at the … Continue reading →