eastern painted turtle in the road -- returned to pond

[Bertha Venation]

This little girl, no bigger than the palm of my hand, was in the middle of the two-lane road I drive every day. I pulled over, picked her up, and brought her home to show Mrs. V. and to find out what kind of turtle she was -- I wanted to know whether she belonged in the woods or in the pond. She was way far away from the pond!

She's an Eastern Painted Turtle. Isn't she beautiful?











Here's a link to a professional photo

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/eastern_painted_turtle.htm

[patrice]

1. Yes, she IS beautiful.

I know it is just anthropomorphization (is that a word?), but I think I feel like a turtle sometimes.

Thanks for saving her!

[Bertha Venation]

5. when I picked her up,

someone going by slowed down and yelled "that's exactly what I would do!" :D

[Flaxbee]

2. Yay! She's lovely...

I have many times risked getting squished myself to remove turtles (well, to remove any live critter) from the road...I've picked up many eastern painteds... I live in No.Va. and I'm sure their territory extends down here. One time picked up a BIG (size of a basketball, probably) turtle, a snapping one, I think, with a long tail and put her back near the river. She was HEAVY and ornery!

One time, though, I didn't stop b/c I had to get to FedEx (really, it could have waited) and by the time I got back - I zipped into FedEx one minute before they closed, then floored it back to her - she was dead ... and she'd been huge, probably at least the size of an average chair seat (lame, but I don't know how else to describe her size).. this an ancient, wonderful creature who'd survived for so long, and I was too damn worried about missing a deadline. I still hate myself for not stopping. Some goddamn redneck probably ran over her on purpose. I feel worse for not stopping for her than I do about hitting a fawn who ran straight into the side of our car... that time, there was nothing we could do if we didn't want to hit the people in the oncoming lane, but this time, I could have stopped. Such a selfish bitch I am sometimes.

[Bertha Venation]

6. so sad

don't beat yourself up :hug:

[Flaxbee]

11. But Bertha, I save EVERYTHING...

I even got out of my car and threw bananas (only thing soft in the car from the grocery store) at a biiiggg rattlesnake to get it out of the road. I stop for ANYTHING. I'll stop on the side of the freeway to usher creatures back into the grass/woods. I just was stupid that day, I guess. I wasn't driving that day, the turtle day, my husband was, and he was worried I'd get squished, too -- the turtle was on the top of a rise on a road where people go 60mph. Anyway, I should have at least tried. A test from the universe, and I failed.

[Bertha Venation]

12. like I said -- don't beat yourself up

I understand, you save everything. I try, too.

I still haven't forgiven myself for killing a cat with my car in -- are you ready? -- 1981. It still hurts.

Forgive yourself. It's not easy but it'll help.

[Digger]

3. WTG

Good karma for you. :thumbsup:

[Lizz612]

4. Oooo what a pretty one!

I have a pet red eared slider, very similar green pattern around the head, but red only around the "ears." There was a big snapper that crawled out of the pond near my dorm a few weeks before I left. Was about a foot long. Snappers have the neatest tails!

[Bertha Venation]

7. at first I thought she was a red-eared slider

but the shells weren't similar enough. You should've seen her when I got her to the pond. I put her on the bank at the water's edge, and she sat there for a second, then she was GONE!

[Bunny]

8. Out of curiosity..

How do you tell if it's male or female? Thanks.

[Bertha Venation]

9. I don't.

I don't know if it was female or male. I just called her "she." :) Self-identification, perhaps.

[blindpig]

10. it's nesting season

looks like a female, males have long front nails. Probably looking for a nesting site. She'll lay 1 or 2 clutches of about 6 eggs over the next month. Eggs hatch in 60-90 days.

on edit: males also have longer, thicker tails than females, it's a relative thing.

[hatrack]

13. Good for you!

I come from a family of inveterate turtle rescuers. I only wish there were more of us out there!!