Shelley has been rescued!!!!
So for those of you who didn't know...
I bought a box turtle a few days ago...
And for those of you who didn't know...
my dogs caused it to run free in the backyard...they messed with the "turtle pen".
So last night I was frantickly trying to find my beloved Shelley but to no avail.
I figured her for dead, probably get eaten by a coyote or a raccoon.
But today, this morning, I went outside seeking one more time around the backyard, looking in all the obvious places...behind and in bushes,underneath our shed, in piles of leaves or grass clippings or tree bark....NOTHING!!!
Then I wondered up the hill in our yard, assuming to find nothing, but I had to look there for my sake. Attachment came quicker than I thought it would with this little herbivorous pretty.
So I got to nearly the top of our yard and out of the corner of my eye I see a round object that resembles a dark rock. A look closer...and I see it is my Shelley.
At last all of my fears of Shelley being attacked and grossly murdered are now over. I am happy to tell you that Shelley is now safe in her home eating a lovely arrangement of carrots, lettuce, and apples.
For the record, I imagine Shelley is pissed right now. She had free roam of a big yard...leaves and twigs and bark to eat....bugs to capture....now she is back in captivity...
I will have to re-win her affection!!
Ben, thanks for praying that I would find her! And thanks to all those who wished me good luck in finding her!
(This is the most idiotic post of my blogger history...and probably future for that matter)
I bought a box turtle a few days ago...
And for those of you who didn't know...
my dogs caused it to run free in the backyard...they messed with the "turtle pen".
So last night I was frantickly trying to find my beloved Shelley but to no avail.
I figured her for dead, probably get eaten by a coyote or a raccoon.
But today, this morning, I went outside seeking one more time around the backyard, looking in all the obvious places...behind and in bushes,underneath our shed, in piles of leaves or grass clippings or tree bark....NOTHING!!!
Then I wondered up the hill in our yard, assuming to find nothing, but I had to look there for my sake. Attachment came quicker than I thought it would with this little herbivorous pretty.
So I got to nearly the top of our yard and out of the corner of my eye I see a round object that resembles a dark rock. A look closer...and I see it is my Shelley.
At last all of my fears of Shelley being attacked and grossly murdered are now over. I am happy to tell you that Shelley is now safe in her home eating a lovely arrangement of carrots, lettuce, and apples.
For the record, I imagine Shelley is pissed right now. She had free roam of a big yard...leaves and twigs and bark to eat....bugs to capture....now she is back in captivity...
I will have to re-win her affection!!
Ben, thanks for praying that I would find her! And thanks to all those who wished me good luck in finding her!
(This is the most idiotic post of my blogger history...and probably future for that matter)
posted by Chris | 11:32 AM
9 Comments:
Its good to know that you found her! Me and Bethany decided last night that we were going to take up a collection to buy you a new Shelly soon if you didnt find it and we were both really worried that the Cubs losing as usual and you losing Shelly all in one night might be too much fo ryou to take.
Yeah, it was a pretty catastrohic evening!
But it was a terrific morning!
Chris,
I am so joyous that you found your true love, but for your sake, for Shelley's sake, I must point out a few things.
Number one: Shelley is a turtle. Turtles live in shells, which protect them from predators. This is especially important in box turtles (which are actually tortoises, but i won't get into why). Box turtles have a "hinge" in the plastron (bottom portion of shell) that they pull shut to enclose their head and forelimbs in the event that a predator attempts to eat them.
Number two: Box turtles are not herbivores, they are omnivores. They consume a high quantity of insects and other invertebrates along with fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Also, they do not eat bark. Beavers eat bark, and dogs bark, but neither turtles nor tortoises eat bark.
Finally, I recommend you put a bell or large orange bicycle flag on Shelley for her well-being and your sanity.
Ok, one other fun fact. You can roughly age a Terrapene by counting the concentric rings on the scales of its shell. Each ring represents a growth season (as they are hibernators), just like a tree.
Thank you Ranger Rick! haha but I do think that the bell/bicycle flag thing is a pretty good idea
Justin,
I was told by Dr. Jason Juchems that raccoons are large predators on box turtles. He said they are able to claw inside the shells of box turtles and rip their bodies out. But then again, Jaso doesn't have his masters, so I'll take what you say over him.
Shelley spent about 20 hours on her own (estimated time) and as soon as I found her and placed her back in the safe arms of my aquarium, she started eating furiously...this made me wonder if she did not feast on any bugs or leaves.
Your thoughts?!
Your inquiries are appreciated. I agree with Dr. Juchems that raccoons are voracious, inquisitive, and cunning predators, capable of killing and eating box turtles. However, in an urban setting such as Pekin, food sources from garbage cans and dumpsters are abundant and are much easier to obtain and by preying open a turtle shell.
As far as her appetite goes, a well-groomed lawn probably has less biodiversity than a forest floor (typical box turtle habitat). Therefore, she may have had a limited selection of food while on her journey. An alternate hypothesis is that if she was outside on a cool night, her metabolism would drop since she is an ectotherm. Once returned to a warmer environment, metabolic requirements would increase, causing a greater interest in food.
I wish I could talk like Justin can about animals, specifically turtles.
Glory Glory Hallelujah, the Prodigal Turtle has returned!!!
Chris I am sooooo glad you found Shelley!!! I knew by the night you got her how attached you were considering you grabbed my glass turtle and in a loving voice cried out, "Shelley". And Justin I am very impressed by your knowledge on such a topic!!
PS: I must admit when Bethany told me you lost her I did chuckle a bit. But then it turned to sadness.
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