Found it in the middle of the road

Crisss

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Hello everyone!

My mother found this turtle in the middle of the road. Without knowing what to do, she brought it home.
As you can see, the shell looks pretty damaged.
I live in Eastern Europe, in a rural area, and we've never seen them casually walking around...

I don't have much knowledge regarding turtles, and I know we probably shouldn't be keeping it, but I managed to improvise an enclosure and I currently keeping it outside (the weather is pretty warm, between 70 to 57 F).
I am going to take it to the vet tomorrow, hopefully...

Should I try to release it somewhere? I don't want to take away its freedom, and I also don't think I am ready to take care of it for the rest of its life...
I don't even know if it's a wild turtle....from the photos I've seen on the internet, it might be an european pond turtle.

I will attach some photos.

- this is the enclosure I made; I've also added a "house" made of cardboard so the turle can hide inside.
 

turtlesteve

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That is a European pond turtle and they live primarily in water. I would try and set your enclosure up to have 50/50 water and land area, up to maybe 70% water / 30% land.

I can’t tell from your pictures if that shell damage is new or an old healed injury. If it is healed I would release it in a pond near where you found it. If it’s a fresh injury I would keep it until the injury heals.
 

Crisss

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That is a European pond turtle and they live primarily in water. I would try and set your enclosure up to have 50/50 water and land area, up to maybe 70% water / 30% land.

I can’t tell from your pictures if that shell damage is new or an old healed injury. If it is healed I would release it in a pond near where you found it. If it’s a fresh injury I would keep it until the injury heals.

Thanks for the reply!

I've noticed that it prefers to stay on the rock or on land, inside the cardboard house. The water I used is from our well, because I read that tap water isn't good for them.
I put some carrot slices, some salad leaves and some dried worms in the "enclosure", but I don't think it's gonna eat...

I am going to rearrange its "home" tomorrow and add more water. I hope the vet can tell if the injuries are old or new... the shell is also broken on one side, poor little guy :(
 

Fish Breath

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Try feeding live worms and definitely some minnows and others. If you really want you could send him here to be taken care of, but I’m not sure if you can actually ship him to NY and actually will pay the shipping. My recommendation: buy live minnows and worms then feed him, get 100% water in the tub, add something to float on like a log or so, and buy some cream for the shell of the back of the terrapin, so it may gradually heal back. Unless its a wound, then take em to the vet.
 

Crisss

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Try feeding live worms and definitely some minnows and others. If you really want you could send him here to be taken care of, but I’m not sure if you can actually ship him to NY and actually will pay the shipping. My recommendation: buy live minnows and worms then feed him, get 100% water in the tub, add something to float on like a log or so, and buy some cream for the shell of the back of the terrapin, so it may gradually heal back. Unless its a wound, then take em to the vet.
So it's OK to keep it outside? At night the temperature its around 57-60F.
I found some worms in my garden and put them inside.
Also, I am going to look for that cream.

I found a foundation that can help with rehabilitation and I am going to call them tomorrow.
It's so sad that it's a near threatened species, and I just hope everything goes well...
 

mark1

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he may need to eat in the water ? i'd use clean tap water …i'd soak him twice a day and keep him dry the rest of the time … i'd probably use an antibiotic in his water when I fed him or soaked him , like fish doxycycline at two or three times the strength for fish water …….. as for a cream i'd use siver sulfadiazine ……….. if you can keep him at 80-85 constantly , it'd be better for him , imo ...……. do all his legs work ? best scenario would be a vet that treats such things , and injectable antibiotics , maybe some fiberglass over those openings …...
 

Fish Breath

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So it's OK to keep it outside? At night the temperature its around 57-60F.
I found some worms in my garden and put them inside.
Also, I am going to look for that cream.

I found a foundation that can help with rehabilitation and I am going to call them tomorrow.
It's so sad that it's a near threatened species, and I just hope everything goes well...
Perhaps not outside, in your house would be just perfect. Other than that do it! You’ve saved a life! Congrats! Also consider keeping the terrapin if you truely want an experience; it’s nor illegal nor wrong; they’re great pets! Try getting a 5x4 tub and fill it about 90% full, adding floating rocks, and then you can watch the terrapin go! Unless it’s toi injured to swim...make sure it can prior.
 

Toddrickfl1

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So it's OK to keep it outside? At night the temperature its around 57-60F.
I found some worms in my garden and put them inside.
Also, I am going to look for that cream.

I found a foundation that can help with rehabilitation and I am going to call them tomorrow.
It's so sad that it's a near threatened species, and I just hope everything goes well...
Definitely see what the foundation says. European pond turtles are near threatened and even considered endangered in some areas. I can't find any info on if it's illegal to own them in Romania but I did see that they're considered "Protected" but it doesn't elaborate on the details.
 

Crisss

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His legs work, he's quite a climber actually...he tried to escape a few times. His little nails are so cute!
I left him outside, it's midnight here and I'm afraid to go outside alone... He'll probably be alright in the morning, it's pretty warm now...
Unfortunately I can't keep him forever, I honestly don't think I'm ready for this commitment, we're talking about 20-30 years from now on and I can't offer him the space that he needs when I go back to uni in october.

So tomorrow I'm going to add more water and also buy a product that removes chlorine, buy the cream and whatever the vet recommends. If I want him to get rehabilitated he needs to be in good health.

Thank you all so much for the advice! I don't know much about these creatures, but I'm willing to learn! xD

I will come back with an update in the morning!
 

Crisss

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UPDATE: I contacted the wildlife foundation and they said they're gonna try to find a volunteer that lives near me, because I am not able to take the turtle to them.
A vet will contact me in a few hours to give me some tips and maybe talk about the injuries on the shell; I will ask about the silver sulfadiazine ointment.
 

Crisss

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I just woke up and went to check on him.
He was making a breathing noise, like a purring/snoring I dont know how to describe it.
I filled a small plate with water and put a spinach leaf inside and he had some spinach during the night.
Maybe he got some water in his lungs when he got into the water dish?
I'm getting worried.
He is supposed to go to that wildlife foundation tomorrow but I am worried he will not make it.

Can someone tell me what the that noise could be? He wasn't sleeping for sure...maybe its an infection?
 

mark1

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hard to tell , those injuries looked pretty serious ……….. hopefully she , at this time of year good chance it's a she , lots of she's getting hit by cars and mowers this time of year , hopefully she makes it …….. very kind of you to help her out …...how is she doing ?
 

Crisss

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hard to tell , those injuries looked pretty serious ……….. hopefully she , at this time of year good chance it's a she , lots of she's getting hit by cars and mowers this time of year , hopefully she makes it …….. very kind of you to help her out …...how is she doing ?

Well I'm really happy to announce that 'she' made it to the wildlife foundation a few hours ago.
It's been a very stressful day for me and for her but now everything is going to be OK.

She's in good hands and soon they will post photos or videos of her on their Facebook page.

They are very busy during this time of the year and I am so grateful for their help. The volunteers really went out of their way to help me.

I also want to thank everyone that commented on this thread.
I'm happy I got to learn new things from this experience. Turtles are pretty darn cute, I can't describe the joy I felt this morning when I saw she actually had some spinach leaf for breakfast.
I'm gonna miss her ^ ^
 

Ink

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Thank you, for taking care of her.
 

bluewolf

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Hello everyone!

My mother found this turtle in the middle of the road. Without knowing what to do, she brought it home.
As you can see, the shell looks pretty damaged.
I live in Eastern Europe, in a rural area, and we've never seen them casually walking around...

I don't have much knowledge regarding turtles, and I know we probably shouldn't be keeping it, but I managed to improvise an enclosure and I currently keeping it outside (the weather is pretty warm, between 70 to 57 F).
I am going to take it to the vet tomorrow, hopefully...

Should I try to release it somewhere? I don't want to take away its freedom, and I also don't think I am ready to take care of it for the rest of its life...
I don't even know if it's a wild turtle....from the photos I've seen on the internet, it might be an european pond turtle.

I will attach some photos.

- this is the enclosure I made; I've also added a "house" made of cardboard so the turle can hide inside.
 

ZappCatt

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Apr 24, 2020
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Well I'm really happy to announce that 'she' made it to the wildlife foundation a few hours ago.
It's been a very stressful day for me and for her but now everything is going to be OK.

She's in good hands and soon they will post photos or videos of her on their Facebook page.

They are very busy during this time of the year and I am so grateful for their help. The volunteers really went out of their way to help me.

I also want to thank everyone that commented on this thread.
I'm happy I got to learn new things from this experience. Turtles are pretty darn cute, I can't describe the joy I felt this morning when I saw she actually had some spinach leaf for breakfast.
I'm gonna miss her ^ ^
Great job!
Can you add the link to their Facebook Page once they have pictures up? Hopefully they have more information on her species, injuries and current care routine!
 

Crisss

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Great job!
Can you add the link to their Facebook Page once they have pictures up? Hopefully they have more information on her species, injuries and current care routine!

Yes, I was planning on doing that.
I just hope they will post something in the following weeks because one of the volunteers told me that they can't offer me info on the turtle because they only deal with receiving animals and taking them to the foundation. So I have to wait and see.
 

Crisss

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I've been contacted by the lady who took the turtle. She told me the vets performed surgery on the her and they assumed she was bitten by a dog.
She's now in recovery and she will soon be able to join other turtles, and make friends.
She couldn't send me pictures of her, but she showed me where they keep all of the turtles. It looks nice.


 
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