Coop Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 On May 16th, I witnessed a turtle laying eggs in one of our flower beds. It looked like a box turtle and I googled it and it said that survival rate was about 15%. Several people had dug the eggs up and had incubated them. So nothing else for me to do... yep, dug them up and followed directions. 12 eggs and they began to hatch last Wed. I now have 12 red-eared slider turtles in my shop that require water and maintenance. RichardA suggested turtle soup but they're so cute and I've never eaten turtle soup nor skinned a turtle. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Release them, or call a turtle sanctuary for advice. I pull/push snappers off the road all the time, and drove one to the turtle sanctuary here for care. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Taking care of young turtles does take some skill and dedication. Either read up on them or find a sanctuary . Or find a recipe... It's delicious but they may need to be bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 About four days after the mother laid the eggs, we found her in the middle of the road, squashed! I've looked up a reptile and turtle sanctuary but need to find out how far away they are. It has been pretty cool, watching them laid (normally that would be kinky) and now swimming around. You can bet your ass I'll never dig up another a bunch of darn turtle eggs. I went to Petsmart and they are going for $30 each. I will ship these free, postage included for any takers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Be glad you aren't here. Messing with turtles is apparently illegal in TN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Turtles are cool. I caught this little soft-shell on my last canoe trip... Careful with those red-ears...supposedly they fairly often carry salmonella. Unless you like butt pee I wouldn't lick my fingers after handling them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Way to save the turtles Ken. What a sweet guy you are! Coming down the back lane to my house the other day i encountered this beast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjeff70 Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Cooper, they think you are their mother so they are depending on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 So, you are now responsible for 12 turtles that can live 40 to 50 years and can each grow to be a foot long. I think you need a plan. Maybe turn your back yard into a pond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 I read about the salmonella and have been washing my hands every time I change their diapers. I also read where they will probably outlive me. Neither of these two fascinate me. I think it's time I find a haven creek for them to spend their time as my wife is totally against me setting up a trust fund for them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjeff70 Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 I don't think turtles require learning from a parent to survive but I'd want to give them a fighting chance. Maybe too soon to release? Some sort of sanctuary would know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Pretty sure mother turtles leave their eggs, and don't return. If that is the case, there would be no "imprinting" period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted July 20, 2015 Report Share Posted July 20, 2015 Way to save the turtles Ken. What a sweet guy you are! Coming down the back lane to my house the other day i encountered this beastrps20150720_081142.jpg Nice snapper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Coop Posted July 22, 2015 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 The reptile and turtle rescue people emailed me today that they no longer take turtles. They need to spend some money and change their damn name and website. Google potty training turtles! I told my wife that we are having a turtle release party on Sat. and she said will anything hurt or eat them. When I started rattling off the list she said no, keep them. I took her out to the shop to show her how to clean the area I have them in and she asked what time Sat.? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Release them, or call a turtle sanctuary for advice. I pull/push snappers off the road all the time, and drove one to the turtle sanctuary here for care. It's never a good sign when you call the local turtle sanctuary and they say, 'you again?' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjeff70 Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 It's never a good sign when you call the local turtle sanctuary and they say, 'you again?' No, they love turtles...it's one of very few jobs in the U.S. where they actually exhibit pride in their work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjeff70 Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2015 I was cleaning out their large plastic, store your blankets under the bed bin / aquarium / home today and placed the little critters on the floor beside me. I looked down and one of them had climbed up on my foot and was hugging my leg. I felt sure it was too young to be humping! The others were just looking up at me with those cute little eyes. Maybe I'll wait and release them tomorrow instead of today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted July 26, 2015 Report Share Posted July 26, 2015 I want to know how I missed all this coop! It all makes sense now, I was only joking about you kissing the turtles goodnight, but it sounds like you really love the little bass baits... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 I'm definately a surrogate mother. Dug the little bastards up when they were just eggs (first and biggest mistake)! And now they're orphans since the mother got run over and they don't know who their baby daddy is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 They were born free and they have the right to live free! Born Free As free as the wind blows As free as the grass grows Born free, to follow their heart... Maybe, take them to local river/pond for an outing, and if any of them hang out with you, you can let those stay with you a while longer. The ones that just take off and don't come back are ready to live on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 Gonna happen in the morning. Probably won't sleep tomorrow night. They know me as only the one that removes their poop from the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 Just find them a small stream to release them near. Turtles don't learn from mom anyways. Although they do have a pretty low survival rate to adulthood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted July 27, 2015 Report Share Posted July 27, 2015 Gonna happen in the morning. Probably won't sleep tomorrow night. They know me as only the one that removes their poop from the water. Have you considered that they may think of you as the enormous and hideous beast which comes in frequently and disturbs their perfectly good poo collection,and then makes nauseating cooing noises? Jes' kidding Coop. You're a good man for nurturing them and, like others have said, I don't think turtles need parenting. Rest easy. We've all seen wonderful footage of freshly hatched leatherbacks running for the surf and none of those videos show a parent or a "surrogate" waiting to hold their hands (or flippers). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted July 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2015 When we left, there hadn't been any bass hit the top of the water, so that's a good thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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