File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
Last year, Mrs narrowly avoided hitting a turtle on a major thoroughfare. She was afraid she'd struck him, so she went back to pick him up.

He was injured, but probably from a glancing blow. His shell was cracked and bleeding. It was also more than a little deformed due to having been painted in the past.

Neither of us knew a thing about turtles, so we had to do some research. We believe he's a box turtle. His shell markings under the paint and behavior since we started caring for him has mostly confirmed this.

He lives on mealworms and fruit. Mrs had to learn to hand feed him. Well, she still won't touch the mealworms. She uses a pair of pliers to feed him. He doesn't like to eat it unless it's wriggling.

Initially we planned on keeping him outside, but since his shell wasn't fully healed by winter, we decided to create an indoor enclosure for him. He seems much happier in it (read: less skittish) than when he was outside. It's got a warm incandescent lamp and a UV 'reptile health' fluorescent.

Opinions on the enclosure?
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Mrs scrubbed and chipped the majority of paint off his back, but the cleaning seemed to make him genuinely uncomfortable. He's retained some of it.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>> Anonymous
I like it. Tbqh you probably have a better setup than what most people give turtles. It's sad to see them beat up like that but it's awesome that you've got him comfortable in your home. And he's cute. :P

I can't really see anything I'd change with the exception of maybe setting up a small water filter, but I dunno how much (if at all) your turtle gets into the dish. My limited experience with turtles has always involved them making a complete mess of their water, though.
>> Anonymous
He likes to go swimming about every day. Well, wading. I hesitate to put him in anything like deep water. I still don't know how turtles are *supposed* to move, and I worry that the shell deformity limits the range of motion of his hindlegs.

err... hind-flippers?

We clean the water and scrub the pebbles in it pretty frequently since he does tend to relieve himself there.

When he's just hanging out he's either perched on the top of the flower pot, on the 2x4 'log', or hiding under the artificial ivy.
>> Anonymous
what fag would paint a poor turtle. that is awful to hear.

awesome what ur doing tho.
>> Anonymous
I've never owned a turtle. What's it like? Also, is it detrimental to a turtle's health to paint the shell?
>> Anonymous
>>81105
boring and yes, very.
>> Anonymous
Nice setup you got there. You guys are good people to take care of ze turtle.
>> Anonymous
Wicked setup! Wish I had a Turtle, they seem like a good pet
>> Anonymous
Why would you paint a turtle? Seriously? And why does it cause the shell to grow like that?
>> Anonymous
>>81136
Malnurishment. What with the paint on the shell and the deformity, it kinda seems like it was someone's pet that they didn't take care of very well. They probably got bored with it and tried to "free it" in the wilderness (ie; side of the road)