Pictures of our new baby turtle

[Lorax7844]

This is our new baby turtle. She is an Eastern Box Turtle. My brother rescued her from drowning in a chlorinated swimming pool. They can swim just not for very long. I almost just turned her loose, but then I realized that she is not afraid of anything. She only puts her head in her shell for sleeping. Considering 90% of hatchlings die before their first winter, I don't think that natural selection is on this one's side. She gets a diet of wax worms, carrots, grapes, and cabbage. But I am making sure that her Ca/Potassium intake is correct. I am looking into putting a living plant into her habitat, and would be glad to hear of any safe suggestions.

Also she doesn't have a name yet, leading is Murtle, Desdemona, and Shelby. Ultimately, I'll let my kids pick but any suggests are appreciated. For anyone curious about telling the difference between male and female box turtles; males have red or orange eyes and females have brownish or yellow eyes.

[Lorax7844]

1. dang just the links not the photos

what am I doing wrong?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Test...........

I just copied one of your pictures to my desktop and then to my Photobucket account, and it worked.

Are you clicking on "Direct Link" under the photograph in Photobucket? The second one down, under the photo.

Good luck.................

[Lorax7844]

3. test

[Lorax7844]

4. there we go

thanks guys for all the help!

Isn't she cute, I hope that she'll grow up happy and healthy. If we take care of her properly she could live to be over 100 years old.

[Lorax7844]

5. her forest mix makes her all dirty

I just noticed she's covered in dirt in these pictures. They weren't so big on photo bucket. LOL

So any good name suggestions?

[elleng]

6. I like Myrtle the Turtle,

but that's just me! I also like Greta the Jetta, Wanda the Honda, etc., etc., etc!

[Lorax7844]

7. lol

I'll add those to the mix and let you know what my kids picked. They're 6 and 7 so don't be surprised if they pick something ridiculous like potato or stump. With them who knows.

[NJmaverick]

8. That was nice of you to save the poor thing

are you planning on keeping him or letting her go (once she is bigger and better able to fend for herself)?

[mzteris]

9. i think they need a light -

to bask under - like a sunlamp. Go to Petsmart and see what they have available.

Evidently there's more to successfully raising turtles than I'd ever thought. We found a baby turtle but wound up giving it to a family who raised turtles.

[Kali]

10. western box turtles eat a fair amount of cow shit

when they are going after dung beetles and other poop-loving critters - no idea about easterns. The westerns I've kept around never ate any other vegetable matter while we had them.

[DarkTirade]

11. I think there are powders you can sprinkle on the food to add nutrients and whatnot.

I don't know if there are any specific for potassium though.

I know back when I had bug eating reptiles and amphibians, rather than sprinkle stuff on their live and still wriggling food, I'd feed the crickets stuff that added nutrients to them. :)

[applegrove]

12. What a cutiepie.

[Bucky]

13. You should get more turtles

Commander's Palace Turtle Soup au Sherry

* 10 ounces (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 pound turtle meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes <=== please note, one pound
* 1 cup minced celery (4 stalks)
* 2 medium onions, minced (2 medium)
* 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
* 3 bay leaves
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper <=== try cumin instead
* 1-1/2 cups tomato purée
* 1 quart beef stock
o NOTE: If turtle bones are available, add them to the beef bones when making the stock for this dish
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, as needed
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 5 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon minced parsley
* 6 teaspoons dry sherry

Melt 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the roux is light brown. Set aside.

In a 5-quart saucepan, melt the remaining butter and add turtle meat. Cook over high heat until the meat is brown. Add celery, onions, garlic and seasonings, and cook until the vegetables are transparent.

Add tomato purée, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the roux and cook over low heat, stirring, until the soup is smooth and thickened. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice, eggs and parsley.

Remove from heat and serve. At the table, add 1 teaspoon sherry to each soup plate.

[surrealAmerican]

14. Good looking critter.

Remember to always have your kids wash their hands after touching her/him. They do carry salmonella.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. cute.

:)

[marzipanni]

16. She is very cute. Is there a stream near where she was found?

My son and I took a tadpole from a gully where the water was going to dry up soon. (virtually ø rain in this area of California between June and November) We raised him until he was a full grown toad. We called him Boop-boop because of the way he moved, two jumps at a time.
One night I had the back door open with the fragrant, cool air coming in, and he pushed his way through the edge of the netting over his bin habitat, and escaped.

Where do you get wax worms? Are they the larva of the wax moths that damage beehives?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

17. My dear Lorax7844!

Ah! Sweet, sweet success!

Good for you, and she's adorable!

No idea about what her name should be but I think you've got that covered with your kids' input, lol!

Thank you for posting...

Glad I could help, sweetie!

:hug: