A New Addition To the Family

My Tootsie's birthday is coming up.  I found her on March 31, 2015.  I've been thinking about the time I found her.   Turtles are territorial so it's likely that Tootsie's mama might have laid some eggs in the same area.  So with that on my mind I've been kind of keeping my eyes open for any baby turtles. In the last two years I have found two baby turtles in our store.  I always check out the floor in the warehouse anyway since we have numerous frogs in residence.  Don't want to step on one!

So I was hauling a battery out the front door to my car.  Then as I was returning with the dolly I just happened to look down in front of the door.  I saw what passed for a little dirty rock.  But you can't fool me since I've been down this road before.  So I naturally picked it up.  It was a hatchling turtle all right, but I wasn't sure if it was alive.  It looked really dried up.  I quickly took it inside and put it in a tiny bit of warm water.  The little guy came out of his shell and had a drink.  Within an hour he was quite perky!

I was in a quandary.  I really wasn't ready to commit myself to another turtle.  But then again I couldn't bring myself to just put him out in the cold.  The survival rate for baby turtles is not good.  So I bit the bullet and took him home.  Luckily I have all of the supplies and equipment that I used when Tootsie was a hatchling.  For the short term I set him up in a small reptile bowl till I have time to prepare the 10 gallon tank.

Presenting Butterbean!!

You can still see the belly button!

He actually looks larger in the photos than he is in reality.  I think it is because of the lens I used.  It's not easy to take photos of something this small while you're holding it!  And believe me he did not like it one bit, especially the flash.

I set up his tank this afternoon.  So far he's very happy in it.  He has a heater, heat lamp, UVB bulb, filter, log, cave and lovely moss to hide in.  He has already eaten his first meal of hatchling pellets and has figured out how to get up on his log to sleep under the moss.  Quite an accomplishment for a little fellow that's only a few days old.

Here's a look at the birthday Tootsie from a year ago right after I got her.  See if you can find the little booger!

Where in the world is Tootsie

Sharon
#mudturtle, #babyturtle, #babymudturtle, #hatchlingturtle,