Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Thirsty Turtle - Really Thirsty!


I had posted pictures earlier in the summer of the turtles that came in for blackberry treats.  The saga continues.  I have had at least six different turtles, each with distinctive markings on their shells or heads or legs.  There is a sweet little female three-toed box turtle that has become quite a regular.  Until the last few days, she was happy with her blackberries, strawberries and grapes.  But a couple days ago, she became frantic and actually crawled up past my hand and nearly into my lap looking for something else when what I was offering didn't meet her need.  After trying everything I could think of in the refrigerator (grapes, cherries, blueberries, etc.) I discovered a small piece of watermelon I had left from dinner and wondered if it might hit the spot.  


She chomped right into it (you can see the little beak marks in the piece I'm holding in the picture above where she bit it) and ended up eating the whole thing in very short order.  She was absolutely desperate for the fluids, since we haven't really had any measurable rain around here since around the beginning of June.
 
  
Interestingly enough, I have made a little turtle watering dish that's low to the ground so they can reach it, but I guess it wasn't enough - or maybe it was the electrolytes and minerals she needed - who knows?  


I'm just so relieved that I found something that worked for her, since earthworms, slugs, snails and grubs are in extremely short supply this year, right along with water.  I also watered all the leaf piles in the back and front yards so that the turtles could find a cool, moist place to hide during the day (and maybe attract a beetle or two for them to eat). 

In other news, it's my birthday!  Look for a pretty little wrapped present, if you want to join the celebration this week.  You know what's in the package, of course.  :)  I will be putting a few up every day, so if you miss one, try back again later!  It's going to be a little like the Easter Egg Hunt, but with a less frenetic pace, since it will be going on all week.  LOL! 

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday Webfoot! I found what you were hinting at but decided not to be greedy...I haven't yet cut into the last one... :-)

rozebud

kshotz said...

Happy Birthday Webfoot!! I'm thrilled to get a chance to try PZ for the very first time!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, Webfoot! Hope your day is wonderful, and thanks for keeping us letterboxers so well provisioned!

Webfoot said...

Thanks for the kind birthday wishes! It's been a quiet and peaceful day. And I made myself an absolutely awesome dinner! Now it's time to go prep a couple prizes and get them into the mail before calling it a night. :) I'm glad you came to my little party!!

lulahe said...

Darling Webfoot! My birthday was yesterday! See how close us puffins/penguins really are! Happy birthday!!!

Webfoot said...

Happy Birthday to you, too, lulahe!! Birds of a feather and all... :)

Webfoot said...

Happy Birthday to you, too, lulahe!! Birds of a feather and all... :)

Papercrafts by Cindyellen said...

Happy Birthday, a little late, Webfoot!! Keep on bouncing!

Anonymous said...

I love your turtle pictures, he's so cute. I always enjoy the pictures and stories you share. Happy Birthday Webfoot, and thanks for sharing your birthday week with us by adding the little hidden surprise package.

Sahalie

Webfoot said...

Thank you for the kind words and birthday wishes!

I had three turtles visit this morning. The one in this post ate a variety this morning - watermelon, blueberries and lettuce. The original male that I had coming in from the beginning turned his nose up at everything but peanut butter with cornmeal in it (the stuff I mix up for the woodpeckers) - and lots of it. I couldn't believe how much he ate. I was tempted to go get the camera again, because he had the cutest peanut butter mustache!

Oh, and I'm still celebrating my birthday.... :)

IntegriTivity said...

Happy belated! I have a whole thing of watermelon that the kids have not eaten; I'm going to spread them around my property tomorrow! - MOUR4Me, also in the drought area!

Webfoot said...

Thanks for the birthday wishes,MOUR4Me! And thanks for adopting some thirsty turtles in your own area! :)

Jimmy said...

I'm just now reading this so HAPPY BIRTHDAY *foom*

BTW,my bees love watermelon rind.

Webfoot said...

Thanks, Shiloh! Mabel, the deer, loves watermelon rind, too. Her little ones aren't quite so sure about it, though.