Historical April 1989 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Last September, my husband was awakened as usual at 6:30 A.M. on a Saturday by the cats, so he decided to do some yard work early.
He met a perambulating rock striding across the yard in the direction of an equally early rising group of kids.
For safekeeping, he put the moving rock in our kitchen.
When I arose at the reasonable time of 10:00 A.M. I went for coffee and looked at my feet. “There is a TURTLE in here!” blared I.
We consulted our field guide (Collins, H.H. Jr., Complete Field Guide to American Wildlife, N.Y.; Harper & Row, 1959, pp. 354-355) and—after tickling her “belly” and probably scaring her, we determined we had a Three-Toed Missouri Box Turtle (T.C. triunguis).
According to the field guide, males have red eyes. Under her baleful BROWN gaze, we decided she was to be named Tessie Testudinum.
The guide said “makes good pet” and of diet “young carnivorous, adults mostly herbivorous”…lots of info to go on! What to do with our poor “walking rock who already had an old healed hole in her carapace?
We called Kingsbury Animal Hospital (who referred us to Wildlife Rescue Center) and the Zoo.
The “Turtle Lady” at Wildlife Rescue suggested getting a “worm motel” to keep in the refrigerator so we could feed her night crawlers. (I’m still trying to get Bruce’s second best boots out of the subfloor, so hard did he put his foot down at that idea!) But she also said that turtles both hibernate and estivate in dry weather. Tessie had probably dug in during the Drought of ’88, and water was probably as important as food.
The Zoo suggested cat food if she would take it. (By this time, since we have a plethora of cats, we had tried it—she liked it).
But no iceberg lettuce because “it’s all water!’ Both asked where we kept Tessie and were relieved when I said “downstairs’,’ meaning living room, dining room and kitchen.
They have seen too many box turtles with mutilated feet from being kept in concrete basements “to catch bugs” and their claws sandpapered away.
The “Turtle Lady” said that the three worst enemies of turtles are kids (who prod), dogs (who chew and toss) and cars (which crush), but basements rank high.
By this time, we have learned:
1. Diet: Tessie likes cat food, ripe or canned tomatoes, iceberg lettuce and melon.
She accepts applesauce and spinach, puts up with chopped apples, carrots or cabbage.
We feed her thrice weekly, probably too much as she leaves food behind.
2. Hibernation: She hasn’t.
She cuddles up to a radiator and isn’t torpid. Unless it’s very hot, I doubt she’ll estivate so long as she has her 12″ pie-plate “swimming pool” (filled with 1/4 inch of water).
3. Habits: By day, she crashes.
She can be met taking her constitutional most often about 3:00 A.M.
4. Hygiene: At first, she left scattered dry scats that were easily broomed or vacuumed up.
With the advent of the “swimming pool:’ she seems to use it for both elimination and hydration.
Since turtles can carry salmonella, it is important to disinfect the pool with bleach when cleaning it, and to wash hands thoroughly after handling pool, dishes, or Tessie.
5. Other Animals: We keep only cats, who tended to sniff and pat, to which Tessie “boxed up:’ However, when they started trying to steal her cat food, she let out with the only sound she can make, a loud HISS.
Since this is also cat dialect for “Quit that, now!’,’ peace has been restored.
However, had I a dog, I would keep a watchful eye out; same for small children.
6. Pet Status: The guide says “makes good pet:’ Bruce habitually wears boots, and feeds the cats. Was it the thud of his footsteps or the food that brought Tessie to peek out at him after only two days?
She will let him tickle the sides of her shell, peek out, say “hsst:’ and turn in a slowdance circle.
A gentle forefinger can pet the top of her head; she blinks and arches her neck. Face it, Tessie is Bruce’s turtle!
But then, Bruce is a “Cherokee Turtle!’ so maybe the “moving rock” is actually the spirit of his great-great-aunt or something!
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April 1989.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1989_04.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 6.
