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Saturday evening when I came home after a long day exhibiting at the arts and crafts fair, my husband directed me to our "big tree". Underneath the hammock was a smallish box turtle (about 15 years old). Upon closer examination I discovered that it at one time had been a chew toy for a canine species I suspect. It has the same type of shell injuries as the other turtle I found this summer. The rim of its shell is jagged with many chunks missing. It's rear end is completely exposed and half way around its left side too. And it has a front leg missing. All of these injuries are way past healed over, but I'm still a bit worried about it because the wildlife rehabber I took the other turtle to said that if the upper and lower shell are separated it won't grow back and that they can't survive in the wild. I'm wondering if that means because they can't close up and completely protect themselves, or if they can't close up and maintain their body temperature during the dormant season. Any ideas?

Anyway, he's been hanging out under our tree since Saturday and this evening when I got home from school I noticed he had started to venture out from under the tree. I decided to put him in our veggie garden (only about 20 feet away) to provide him some cover from our dogs that were just about to be released from the fenced in area for their evening romp and run. I was afraid they'd see him in the yard and decide to "play" with him.

Last year at about this time we had a box turtle show up under another tree in our yard by the discharge stream from our pond. It stayed under there for about a month never venturing more than 10 feet from the trunk of the tree. Then one day we found it upside down. A few days later we found it dead. We gave it a proper burial since she had been our guest for so long.

Lois, even though you mentioned that its injuries are long since healed, could the missing parts of its shell still grow back? And even though it has only 3 legs, it still managed to get to where you found it, right? Is it possible that it could be re-released somewhere safer (from the dogs, for example)? Would the rehabber be able to do anything? Does that rehabber shelter injured animals who are not likely to make it on their own back in the wild but are not really sick or injured enough to be put down? It seems this little guy is a fighter and deserves a chance... :love:

Lois, it sure sounds like this fellow has survived some rough handling for sure. My first thought is that if it is healed so much, maybe it has already seen a winter. I can't imagine a turtle's missing leg healing real well in a short period of time. It would have had to have been injured very early in the spring to be so healed now. (wouldn't it????)

I agree with Shelley, it does deserve a fighting chance. Do box turtles hybernate by burrowing? If so, they maybe able to regulate their heat because of the burrow. Just a thought.

Rose

Shelley and Rose,your thoughts are my thoughts. I don't know if the rehabber I'd already been in contact with would care for this little guy or not, since they told me they would most likely have to put the other one down. They obviously weren't willing to give that guy a home and he was a lively little rascal. I don't know how to contact anyone else, except maybe via Internet.

I also have wondered if he's been like this for more than a year or so, since his wounds are so well healed over. If so, then no his shell is not growing back - at least not quickly.

Turtles do survive the winter by burrowing into the mud. I hope he can still maintain body temp. On cold nights early in the season (like tonight is going to be for us - 44 degrees) they sometimes get into water which stays much warmer than the air. Do you think just being close to the ground also keeps them warmer? A big part of me is saying let nature take care of him, he's made it this far. At least he has both hind feet, which I think really pushes him more than his front legs pull. But of course, balance on steep slopes could be affected by loss of a front leg and speed, too, is lost (not that they zoom around much anyway).

Keep positive thoughts and prayers going his way. It's a big God, he's got time for the little creatures too.