3 Legged RES, should I keep?

[Len B]

I was in the back yard and a guy riding a bike rode up with a turtle in his hand, he wanted to know what kind it was.He found it on the road on the Monroe Bay side of town.I told him it was a male RES, when he handed it to me I was shocked at how little it weighed,turned it over and it is missing it's right back leg.It is healed over but still white at the stub so I figured it happened last fall and possibly hasn't eaten well since the injury.No shell damage just no leg anymore.Well anyway it is still here and it wont eat processed foods,but loves thawed bait minnows.I am not sure it will survive back out in the bay unable to swim right. What do you think, keep it confined either here or at the Maryland house, or turn it loose?----- I figure it is about 5+ years old. Len

 

[terryo]

If it doesn't have a chance for survival, I would say to keep it. Eventually it will start eating different foods. Awww...keep it Len.

 

[ascott]

I'm with Terry.....keep it keep it keep it.....I only say that because it sounds like well you should....keep it . Ok, I'll stop....really hard to though...

 

[LindaF]

I vote you should keep it as well. As a handicapped pet, you can make sure he lives a long and happy life.

 

[Fernando]

Keeeep Ittttttttt!

 

[Sky2Mina]

Keep It. Hooray. (and post pics of the little fighter )

 

[Zouave]

Certainly!

 

[kevincrony]

Keep It. Hooray. (and post pics of the little fighter )

Nice post!!! Remember the race between Tortoise and Rabbit. All the very best..

 

[Melly-n-shorty]

you should totally keep it!

 

[SILVERSTAR]

that jus gives it character,id have had to make room for him if i found,matter fact if it showed up on my step id keep it.

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Do the best you can for it as long as you can.

 

[Kristina]

Since it is a RES, and keeping it will not harm any wild populations, I say keep it.

 

[EricIvins]

I guess I'll be the first to say, that a 3 legged Turtle will have no problems making it.........

It isn't the first, nor will it be the last.......

 

[tortoises101]

Another vote for keeping it.

 

[dmarcus]

I vote keep it as well..

 

[Jacqui]

I have saw a few 3 legged wild turtles and they seemed to survive just fine. I think you would feel better keeping it however and because I don't think it really is needed in any way in the wild, I would vote to keep it.

 

[RV's mom]

keep him.



t

 

[TheNorwegian]

Keep him!
And can you pleeeeeease post some pictures of him?

 

[ascott]

So Len did you keep him? What ever happen?

 

[Yvonne G]

Last summer when I dug out my pond, I adopted out all my RES except for the rejects. I kept one with no nose, and one with three legs (female). She gets around in the pond just fine on three legs. Your male would be ok back in the wild, but if he wasn't eating, it might be that he's an escaped pet and hasn't learned how to fend for himself.