Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 4:43 pm Re: History of Curing a Turtle's Shell
hmmm....why does it seem that the more i learn about turtles, the more paranoid i get about mr. turtle? now i am surveying his/her shell.....(honestly, how in the world can i be expected to pick up on these subtle shell deviations when i cannot even sex my own turtle? if mr. turtle is indeed "ms." turtle, then i am going to wonder evermore whether or not he/she has eggs stuck inside of her and that she is a ticking time bomb....funny (not "ha-ha" funny, but "odd" funny...)...furthermore, ever since i read that really sad, sad story of the member whose turtle drowned, i freak out when turtle is sleeping quite a=okay and wake him up just to make sure he is not dead.....what's a mother to do? i know,,,,relax....but i guess i just don't want to go through his/her life ignorant and possibly overlook something that puts him/her in harm's way.....how can i describe the full range of feeling i have mustered up for a turtle (who'd a thunk it???) if only turtle would sneeze or do something grossly obvious that i could relate to ....but alas, i have to just study, read, digest, ask, learn....and hope that i don't make a huge faux pas along the way.....(sigh)....also when i saw spotsmama holding spot, of course i was wildly envious.....i have only held turtle once when transferring tanks .... and we were not as close as we are now....all i got was a rather perturbed look and a hiss.....i think now it might be too late, but i want to try to figure out how to start .... especially if leaving the tank would be of benefit to his overall general vigor.....i hesitate because i am afraid, quite frankly (and this is the girl who has lived in washington, d.c., baltimore, md., atlanta, ga and now the lbc and jaunts around mindlessly and fearlessly, but hesitates to pick up her favorite guy/gal....i don't want turtle to freak....and i am a bit jumpy myself....don't say "hi" to me when i am up on a ladder painting the eaves of the second story of a house....if you do, ..... yes, i will startle and fall off....truly ... i can't tell you how many times that has happened!!! so, i have asked a friend who works at petco and also has her own aquarium maintenance service to come by and look turtle over.....and help me introduce him/her to something new -- the world outside of the tank!! the 55g tank is way way too cramped and i might be getting a 120 g. acrylic tank for free (skeptical, i am) today or tomorrow....that way i am certain the 4 remaining goldfish (now carp) will have a better chance of survival....and i was toying with the idea of a "bunkie" for turtle, but after i read all the info on the site, i think it comes down to my screwed up ideology that the turtle is lonely.....(funny, though, i am single and don't have the slightest interest in even dating....but i think the turtle is lonely...((maybe too many plummets from the eaves???))) hmmmm.....
not only that, but i don't have a top screen and i know that will have to change as soon as turtle realizes there is life beyond the constructs of four walls....but maybe he is "institutionalized" now....i will have had him 3 years this october (31st...i almost named him "spooky", but that was a little hokie....) so i guess he was about 5-6 months when i purchased him? is that about right?
well, if anyone has words of wisdom....(not for me....for the turtle -- haha!!) please feel free to hit me with your best shot...so to speak...but may i just say thank you to everyone who contributes information on this site because i feel so fortunate to have all your input to help me become "turtle terrific" so to speak....
ok, well, i am going to go back to reading and learning,,,and smiling at all the people who share the affection that i have for this wonderous creature that i was so fortunate to have crossed paths with .....
: ) mary