|
Post by unclejoe on May 26, 2014 13:06:46 GMT -5
We feed (mostly by hand) over 10 wild turtles in the pond in front of our house. Red is a female red eared slider who we only see occasionally, but will come up to be fed. He appeared late last week with a fish hook in his mouth. Today I had a pair of wire cutters handy. I coaxed him in and pinned him to the beach and was able to remove the hook with one gentle tug. I had to work fast and I was alone, so no pics, but it felt good to help him out. I just hope he's not too scared to come back. He did circle around not too far off the shore for a minute later today, but feeding time was over. We removed a hook from a small soft shell turtle a couple years ago and it took him a while to forgive us, but he's back. This is Ruby, a red belly slider
This is Ruby and Magenta, a female red ear.
This is Momma and Ruby. Momma has been a regular for over 3 years.
This morning we were also visited by a little egret. He took a couple pieces of meat from me. Amazing how much of the local wildlife has little fear of people.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 26, 2014 13:35:06 GMT -5
That is incredible! Hopefully the little one comes back, but if not I'm sure it was worth it to help with the hook... poor baby...
|
|
|
Post by Jeremy's Boggle on May 26, 2014 14:58:28 GMT -5
So glad you were able to help him.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 26, 2014 15:43:39 GMT -5
I loved the pictures and loved that you helped Red. I believe he knows that you helped him, and he will come visit you again.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 26, 2014 17:41:17 GMT -5
They know when there is a free meal being handed out. We had toads that I used to feed every night. Some of them would even come into the house if I left the door open. We also have a fox that comes every day and will sit by the back gate and wait for me to feed him.
Sent from my BNTV600 using proboards
|
|
|
Post by Sherry on May 26, 2014 17:44:28 GMT -5
What an amazing story So glad you were there to help him. And being able to interact with wildlife is THE most amazing feeling
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 26, 2014 19:15:29 GMT -5
They know when there is a free meal being handed out. We had toads that I used to feed every night. Some of them would even come into the house if I left the door open. We also have a fox that comes every day and will sit by the back gate and wait for me to feed him. Could you possibly get pictures of the fox? I love them! That sounds very cool!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 26, 2014 22:21:06 GMT -5
I actually have a video or two on YouTube....
|
|
|
Post by unclejoe on May 27, 2014 14:22:06 GMT -5
I love foxes. I know they are around here but in 25 years I've only seen a couple, and both were at night. My next goal is to make friends with a bobcat, lol. I've never heard of feeding toads. That is too funny. What did you feed them? Good Old Red was back this morning. I tell ya, when I was feeding him right before I took the hook out, he'd get a mouthful and keep looking up at me like he wanted something else. Of course, when you pin a terp, it's going to suck its head in, and if you get too close to its face, it's going to open its mouth to hiss at you, but he opened his mouth and didn't even hiss. Pluck!, done. As I said, we usually only see him for a month or two out of the whole year, and had only seen him a couple times this year before he got hooked. He seems a lot smarter than I first gave him credit for. I must get his tonight.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 27, 2014 15:59:59 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by gfountain on May 27, 2014 16:13:38 GMT -5
LOL, second picture... "whachoo lookin' at?"
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 27, 2014 20:25:04 GMT -5
I love foxes. I know they are around here but in 25 years I've only seen a couple, and both were at night. My next goal is to make friends with a bobcat, lol. I've never heard of feeding toads. That is too funny. What did you feed them?
|
|
|
Post by unclejoe on May 28, 2014 7:19:02 GMT -5
Our soft shells are Jordy, Seashell, Tink, Tillie and Gamera. Gamera is HUGE. The first turtle we ever touched was Nessie, but he moved on. Haven't seen him in over a year. Here's good ol Red, with Sheldon on the bottom. Sheldon is Momma's mate. He carries his own ecosystem on his back.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 28, 2014 7:32:12 GMT -5
You aren't joking about his ecosystem! I want to just pick him up and give him a good scrub-down! Lol! It's so cool that they have names and you can identify them.
|
|
|
Post by RedSky on May 28, 2014 7:33:56 GMT -5
Wow you lot are so lucky! I would love to have some wild turtles (or terrapins as we call them) here. Although you often see them in ponds where people have abandoned them they don't do too great generally in our climate and winters can often be the end of them. I will settle for feeding Batman, a robin who often visits us while we are gardening. My OH has slowly been able to get gradually closer to him and he will come collect a few seeds and mealworms that I leave out for him.
|
|