.....Heart Shell Strawberry Munch.
Yes, Heart Shell. She is either a painted turtle or a red eared slider. She may be a turtle, but she is cute. Heart Shell came to us through one of Mike's co-workers. The co-worker knew someone who wanted to get rid of their turtle, so we took her last Tuesday. Heart Shell was supposed to be for B, but she may be a bit my turtle as well. She is quite large, maybe 6 or 7 inches across her shell. She is aquatic, meaning, she spends a lot of time swimming. I think the only thing I do not like about Heart Shell (and yes, I tried to sway B to another, easier name, Lulu was my choice, Bo Bo was Charley's) is she is carnivorous. Today, she ate 12 minnows and 5 or 6 crickets. She does like strawberries though, hence, the last name Strawberry Munch.
Her tank is 75 gallons. See Heart Shell up on her backing platform?
She lays there with her neck stretched out, looking dead. in fact, the
morning after we got her, I looked in her tank and Heart Shell was underneath
the water. I thought to myself, "Oh crap, I have had this damn turtle for
less than 24 hours and i have already killed her."
I spent the better part of last week on the internet researching aquatic turtles.
What they eat, how much she Heart Shell should eat,
how long do they bask, proper temperature, how to tell
how old they are, and so on. Dogs and Cats are easy.
Turtles, not so much.
You may wonder what we were thinking, getting another pet. I do think
our heads are screwed on crooked. But B has been asking for a reptile for years.
Yes, I know she is only 5. But Heart Shell isn't a snake. She doesn't eat mice.
And besides, look at that mug. She is so cute. And when I lean over the top of
the tank, she comes swimming over. And it has nothing to do with the fact
that I am the one that feeds her.
So, long live Heart Shell Strawberry Munch ('cause really, what does a dead turtle look like?). I think we have a good start of taking care of her. But just in case, does anyone know of a turtle vet?
