I rescued a turtle!!! :)

Yesterday, my dad I were driving around scouting for turkeys (up at our cottage), when I noticed a large "hump" on the side of the road. I noticed it was a turtle so I made my dad stop the truck. I got out and walked over to it- it was rather large in size. I had never seen a turtle that looked like this. I am used to sliders, snappers, and painted turtles. This guy had a large domed shell and yellow spots all over it. I quickly realized that this was a Blanding's Turtle, which is a "threatened" species in Wisconsin. He was headed towards a really steep slope and woods. I looked in the woods and noticed a little stream. So I picked him up off of the road and carried it down to the stream. I set 'em down on the bank and took a couple of steps back...and watched him dip into the water. I am so happy I saved a threatened species; it most likely would have died on the road. Makes me feel good inside! :) :) I have pictures of the turtle, but I can't find the cord thingy for the digital camera, I'll wait til ma gets home from Target.

This isn't the first turtle I have rescued. I have rescued many turtles, especially during breeding season. It's my "seasonal hobby". I rescue turtles every spring. I feel so bad for them, when I see them crossing the road to get from pond to pond- you know they won't make it. So I help them. What ever direction they are facing, is the direction in which I take them.

When we were driving home from our cottage, I saw a dead snapping turtle, it was pretty big- so it was pretty old, and that made me very sad. Oh yeah, I almost forgot! I rescued a Painted turtle in Indiana on our spring break vacation. We were going on the on-ramp to get on the free way, and it was sitting in the middle of the ramp. There was nobody behind us, so we stopped, and I jumped out. As I was jogging to the pond it was headed to, and older gentleman and his wife came up in a van. When they saw I was saving a turtle they smiled and waved. It would have died for sure; it was in the direct path of traffic. My favorite type of turtle to save are snapping turtles, those are my favorite. I have rescued two snapping turtles, I have seen too many of them on the side of the road, since they are so big and slow--so those are on my top of my "to save" list.

Last summer at horse camp, we were going on a trail ride. We were on a trail that was sandy and next to the lake. There was a turtle laying her eggs on the trail...so...My friend Madi and I stood there with our horses making sure she wouldn't get stepped on by other horses. :rolleyes: :p

Yep, I'm kinda silly and weird, but hey- it saves turtles and makes me happy! So, I guess that's what counts! I could do on and on about turtles...I love em! (I love a lot of wild critters!!)

Ok, I'm done, just had to share that with everyone. hehe. Here is a neat little info site on the Blanding's Turtle...please read it: The Blanding's Turtle


:o

Nice work, YLL!!!!:D:D:D I've been to several wetlands here in Wisconsin and have yet to see any Blanding's Turtles ---I've only seen sliders. But now I'll be on the lookout for one, they are beautiful creatures.

"silly and weird"???? No way, it's called COMPASSIONATE.;)

WAY TO GO, YLL!!!!

:D :D :D

That's great! It's good for the turtle that you were there to help!! :D

Good job! As an owner of a red eared slider and a southern painted turtle my turtle gang says thanks! :D

Wow! How lucky you were to see a Blandings, and how lucky it was to have you come along! I'm just a teeny bit jealous, but very glad! :) Another turtle saved! :)

That's awesome of you YLL! I love all reptiles, and I hate to see any in such a risky situation. I'm glad you saved the little one!

Congrats on saving that turtle.

What a great thing to do. :D

Wow, YLL, that's awesome!! Can't wait to see pic's!!! :)

Good job. And compassionate IS the word. Most people would not put the time nor the effort into the rescuing of one animal.

Ok, here is one picture of the Blanding's turtle I saved. I have four pictures but I can't find where mom saved them.

http://members.aol.com/OrliBloom177/tort.jpg
(Pa is holding him)

Here is a picture of a Painted turtle I saved last year. He was on a boat launch ramp, and he almost got squooshed. I kept him for a while then let him go.

http://members.aol.com/OrliBloom177/turtlee.jpg

:D :D

Hope to have the camera with me when I rescue a snapper next time. I'd LOVE to get a picture of that!!

Way to go YLL! Most people don't even bother saving turtles because they think they are unimportant.:(
My son is addicted to saving turtles. My mom has a chain link fence and turtles keep getting stuck in bettween the pieces of fence, so my son goes up there every day or so and gets the turtles unstuck and helps them on thier way. Some people just don't stop to think that a turtle is a living thing too and has just as mush right to be here as anything else.

I'm so proud of you, YLL!!! Another turtle lover!!! :) My mom told me a funny story a year or so ago. She was driving to a neighboring town for a meeting and was all dressed up, but she saw a turtle trying to cross a busy road and she started worrying, so she pulled over and picked up that big turtle to move him off the road. He peed all over her!!! LOL!!!! She had to go home and change her clothes, but she didn't mind. The turtle was safe!!! And that's what's important!!

I've never seen or heard of a Blanding Turtle. Thanks for sharing that info. We mostly get box turtles in this area, and since I moved, I haven't seen one, which might be a good thing! My dogs go nuts. They won't hurt or touch them, but they go crazy!! One day, I was traveling with work, and my neighbor heard my girls barking frantically. It turned out to be a box turtle, the size of a frisbee, that was trying very hard to get through the fence, and of course, it couldn't. They saved the day, got the turtle safely outside the fence and they said they had never seen a turtle run faster than that one did!!! :) I guess he was just as scared as my dogs were!

Logan

Woops, I spoke too soon!!! LOL!!!!

I just had Murphy out in the front yard, letting her take a potty break, and she had trouble getting back up the front steps (they are steep, she is old). So I walked her around to the back so we could come in through the deck. Honey was playing with something up there, and when I said, "what do you have, Honey?", she lifted her head and showed me her box turtle!!!! It was the smallest one I have seen. Probably about 4" long and 3"wide. She was not too happy about me taking her toy, but I think Mr. Turtle is fine (he was all drawn up in his shell), and I took him safely to the front flower bed, so he can go somewhere else!!

Where is that digital camera when I need it??? In Scott's car today!!! :)

Logan, that is too funny! The turtle didn't pee on me, but it did hiss as it went into it's shell. I have gotten peeed on by toads and frogs, though, when I pick them up. Oh well.

We saw two box turtles when we were horseback riding in the Smoky Mountains, this past spring break. One was right in the middle of the trail, and got kicked by the horses. :( It must of had a big headache. We would have walked around him, but the trails are way to skinny. He wasn't injured, so that's good. The other one was cruzin' around in the field. :D

Good work YLL!!
As u know I saved my Snapping Turtle Axle from a waterfall. Except I kept Axle for his own safety, only because I know Snappers don't have a good chance of survival in my old home town. But so far hes been a great buddy. He is very good natured for a Snapping turtle. & its funny watching him explore the upstairs. He walks so funny, but he's quit fast for a turtle.