kayaking on Loch Leven near Glencoe, Scotland, 2018

kayaking on Loch Leven near Glencoe, Scotland, 2018

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Baby Turtle Finds a Home

One day, as Bob left work, he spied a baby turtle in the gravel outside his office door.

“How did you get here?” said Bob. “And what are you doing? You can’t stay here at the plant. You’ll get run over by a scooter. Or fall into a bin of silica. Or stumble into a tank of chlorine. I know. I’ll take you home. Angie loves turtles.” So Bob picked up Baby Turtle and put him in his lunch box.

Once home, Bob found a large glass jar and made Turtle a nice home with fresh water and aquarium rocks. He placed a life-like plastic turtle in the jar so Turtle wouldn’t feel lonely. He fed Turtle some fish food.

Angie came home and she indeed loved Turtle. “Oh, he’s so beautiful!”



But Turtle wasn’t happy. He didn’t like fish food. He couldn’t climb the high slippery glass walls of his little house. His “friend” wouldn’t move and Turtle suspected he was dead. The fresh water soon turned muddy. And Turtle was hungry.

Bob looked online and discovered red-eared sliders are omnivores – they eat anything. So Angie gave Turtle spinach and a piece of sweet juicy peach. Bob gave him a broccoli floret and a chunk of chicken. But Turtle still wouldn’t eat. He wanted OUT!

So Bob and Angie put Turtle and his little house into the car and drove him to Holbrook Park. They found a nice quiet spot along the bank of the bayou. A spot where Turtle could swim and eat and make new friends.


After saying goodbye and wishing Turtle the best of luck in his future, Angie placed Turtle on the sandy ground. Slowly at first, then picking up speed, Turtle scurried to the water and dove in.





A small minnow immediately swam up to greet Turtle, and Turtle made his first new friend. (minnow in right lower quadrant)


“Nice to meet you,” said Turtle to minnow, “but right now I’m really hungry and I must find something to eat.” And off Turtle swam in search of food. (Turtle in left lower quadrant)


Hopefully, this blue heron didn’t find Turtle first.

21 comments:

Common Household Mom said...

A lovely story! My favorite part is "I'll take you home. Angie loves turtles." I would not be thrilled if someone brought a turtle home to me. But still, the turtle certainly has beautiful markings. I do wonder what it was doing at the plant.

GerdieMom said...

Great story!! He (or she) is SO cute!!

Angie Kay Dilmore said...

I DO love turtles, CHM.

Anonymous said...

Angie, it really is a pretty turtle. i hope it has a happy life and finds good food. m

Unknown said...

Awwwww. Sweet. Good luck, Baby Turtle.

Georgia said...

Hi Angie,
Your great story made me reflect. I was raised on a lake in New Jersey and religiously caught turtles and frogs. I was even known to dive under and swim after them. The smallest turtles, like the one you had, were always my favorite. Once in my overexuberence, I grabbed a "turtle" with its head peeking out from under a lilypad. My reward was a hurtful snakebite between my thumb and index finger. When I rowed back home, my mom looked at my swollen hand and swore it was a poisonous water mocassin bite. Her claim I was doomed if I didn't immediately go to the hospital never panned out. Anyway I kept my catches in two large Bond Bread boxes-one of which I tried using as a boat-but that's another story. One summer I had over thirty frogs and twenty some turtles.The water snakes I caught always managed to slither out from the screen covered boxes. Thanks for an entertaining story and the neat pictures that accompanied it.
Mr. Bob

satish said...

What is the name of the turtle

Angie Kay Dilmore said...

I didn't name him. What would you name him?

Anonymous said...

I have two turtles of the same kind they love each others company and the turtle food I give them I found one at a school.

J Sying said...

Is this really a turtle? I thought it is a tortoise.

Angie Kay Dilmore said...

Yes J, it's a red-eared slider. See this site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_eared_turtle

Anonymous said...

Do you know what sort of turtle it is?

Angie Kay Dilmore said...

Yes, it's a red-eared slider.

Anonymous said...

I love these turtles. I used to have one of my own.

Nida said...

Can u plz tell me the name of the breed of this turtle.

Angie Kay Dilmore said...

Nida, it's a red-eared slider.

Unknown said...

I have two green baby turtles...... but they are not havIng feed..??? what should i do...?? :/
and second thng is that, my turtle's eyes are gettng like a water ball's.....it's like water in eyes ....Help me plz

Unknown said...
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Mr. Edwin A. Parra said...

Cute. But how can I tell if it’s a male or female

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