hisssss. scratch.

since the weather has turned cooler earlier than normal, i kind of assumed all the turtles had found a nice patch of dirt and dug themselves in until the spring. i haven't really seen many turtles at all this year, but this morning as i was on my way to take some pictures for a client, i saw a turtle. it had already crossed the road and didn't appear to be in danger, so i kept going, and then on the way home i saw another turtle (and this is after i've gone more than a month without seeing any)!

i actually had to turn around twice for this girl, but it's always worth it. once i got to her, i realized that she'd probably been hit before, by a car or lawnmower or something else, because she had a large crack and chunk from the right side of the front of her carapace, and a smaller part from the back. luckily those were older injuries because i could see where they've healed nicely. anyway, she hissed at me more than any turtle has hissed at me, and she threw her head back to bite me with such force that i was afraid she'd hurt herself! since she was close to my house, i put her back in the vehicle with me and headed home so i'd be able to release her far from a road, and near woods and a creek. once i put her in the floorboard, she hissed once more (loudly), then ran to the opposite side. after we got home and i got her out, those tyrannosaurus rex toenails scratched the crap out of my hands! she hated me, and she made that very clear, but i love her nonetheless.

i love turtles so much it's difficult to even try and put into words. as much as i like seeing them, a part of me is always glad when they turn in for the fall and winter so i don't have to worry about them crossing roads.

i guess that's the most exciting news i have from today. how about you, anything to report?

6 comments:

  1. I like turdles.
    ;)
    you're a hero, D. A hero.
    <3

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  2. She's a darling, even if you know..she wasn't really darling at all. ;)

    I once rescued a turtle who was quite the opposite, very sweet and calm. She was very orange too, so we called her Pumpkin. If I could find the pictures of her I would show you, from one turtle-appreciator to another.

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  3. I love turtles! We used to have a pet turtle but when I went to college I had to give it up :( This one is gorgeous!

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  4. It's nice to see someone else shares my passion for turtles. I hate seeing those guys in the road and I stop every time too:]

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  5. us brits call them Tortoises...

    i LOVE them, my pet one just turned 3.

    When i was in Turkey i was told that you could spot them in the wild, so i spent half my journeying duties on Tortoise-spotting patrol. I finally saw one and stopped to chat with her whilst i had my ice cream.
    she also had huge crack in her shell and hissed at me...poor baby, all she wanted to do was cross the road and instead had to listen to me oo and aah over her.

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