No, he didn't die. As the great Sting says, "if you love somebody a turtle, set them free."
My wife and son were driving back from the store, when my wife, using her catlike reflexes, missed crushing the little guy to death. Don't ask me how in the name of all that is good and holy she saw this thing, but she did. Then, her an my son walked back down the street to pick it up.
My son immediately took to the internet and deduced that it was a Red-Eared Slider freshwater turtle. Unfortunately, with our current lifestyle, we have a no pets policy, which went over like a fart in church with the kids.
My wife took my son over to the local pet store to ask about the turtle. It honestly couldn't have worked better, as the clerk was pretty straight forward about how difficult these little guys are to take care of. I think the clincher was when I explained to my son that it's not like a dog, and he can't take it out and play with it.
So, with heavy hearts we took the little guy over to a park a mile or so away. It has a large lake and is currently inhabited by a number of, you guessed it, Red-Eared Sliders. I'm not saying anybody had stolen him from there, but that's quite a coincidence to find him in the street. Anyway, good luck.
And, don't let the garbage fool you. It's a really nice lake. Garbage is one of the joys of suburbia.
Nice story! Your wife is a good driver!
ReplyDeleteI used to have a turtle. I got it from a friend who gave it to me right away after I told her that I liked it. Well, several months later, I was fast to give it to my other friend who just opened her mouth to say she liked it. Yes, it's not like a dog or cat...
Especially, after I told my son what salmonella was.
DeleteI just read somewhere how turtles have amazing memories and can find their way back to a specific spot. The article said if you find a turtle on the road, move him to the side of the road in the direction he was walking so he's out of traffic and he'll go on his way.
ReplyDeleteGood to know. Who knows, maybe the little guy will be back.
DeleteThat's some good eating you've just chucked in a lake.
ReplyDeleteHe was kind of small. It would have been very Lord of the Flies fighting over him.
DeleteHandsome little fellow, it's a shame they're not native to California, although there are a lot of them about. According to the California Herps website: "Native from New Mexico north to Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and West Virginia, south through Kentucky and Tennessee into Georgia and extreme northern Mexico." Maybe he walked here LOL :P Seriously though, this is a great species example of what happens when pets escape, you get a lake full of them!
ReplyDeleteWell, thank God whomever this was didn't bring a crocodile!!
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