Sunday, June 05, 2011

Holy Buckets of Wildlife Galore - The Turtle

So... I have mentioned the Eastern Box Turtle as well as the abundance of terrapins in general out here. And the 'plop plop plop' -ping one hears when you get close to the pond.

So I shouldn't have been surprised when I came across this in the driveway on my way home yesterday*:
He was basking. It was over 90 degrees out.

So obviously I stopped, the manfriend picked it up, and we went on our merry way.

When we got back up to the camper, Mike hosed him (could be a girl, I suppose. I'm not on my turtle sexing. Sorry) off, and then there was appropriate amounts of oohing and ahhing.

At first I thought he was hissing, but really he just seemed to be thirsty. My manfriend obliged.
Oh. Like the rocks?My mom did it. Thanks Lone Reader!

And then we bid him a fond farewell and sent him on his terrapinny way.

After a fond farewell, the damn thing sat there for like an hour.

I looked around online and tried to identify it - my best guess is a Yellowbelly Slider - mostly based on the striped (instead of circular) markings, rounded jaw, and domed shell. I'm happy to be corrected, but I'm OK with thinking it was a slider...

Harrroooo?
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*more accurately I was driving up the driveway chattering away about nothing (I'm pretty sure - that would be the norm, anyway) and trying to avoid the massive tree roots uprooted by the AT&T guy burying our phone line, when I hear "baby slow down! SLOW DOWN!! Turtle turtle turtle TURTLE TUUUURRRRTLE!!!!' coming from the direction of the manfriend. He just blended so well. ("Oh yeah. You blend" - name that movie!)

4 comments:

Indiana said...

just don't let it burry its head under any rocks!

caitlinvb said...

I forgot to tell the manfriend about the suicidal turtles! Ack! Thanks Indy...

Cousin Adriana said...

My Cousin Vinny!!!

caitlinvb said...

YES!!! (my mom and I kept walking around quoting that movie, and that line is one of my faves...) Go Adriana!!