Here comes MILLIE!!!

Moozillion

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We have a new family member!

PREQUEL: Flashback to last year, about June of 2018. A very sweet young lady found a teeny, TINY hatchling turtle outside her home. The baby was hiding under some wood, and she noticed that something had obviously bitten off its leg- and a small piece of white bone was protruding. She was heartbroken for the little thing, scooped it up and brought it inside to safety.
She knew nothing about turtles, so she did an intense internet search for quite a while, trying to find out how best to help the baby turtle. Of course, she got a lot of confusing information until she happened upon The Tortoise Forum!
She spent a lot of time, energy and money arranging a good setup for the little youngster. Her boyfriend called the turtle "Gimpy," for the obvious reason. On the Tortoise Forum, the sweet young lady used the name "GimpyCutie."
The tiny turtle FLOURISHED under her loving care: the injured area healed over very nicely, the baby ate REALLY well and grew well, too!
But by late this spring, it was becoming clear that the turtle was not going to fit comfortably into the young lady's life over the long term, for a lot of reasons. She knew she didn't want to release it, so she posted on TFO looking for another home for "Gimpy."
With help from Yvonne, I was able to contact the young lady, since she lives just 45 minutes from me. We corresponded and on August 12, my hubby and I drove to meet "Gimpy" and the young lady at the PetCo parking lot in Denham Springs, Louisiana.

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Stay tuned!!! MORE will be revealed!!! ;):)
 

Moozillion

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Both "Gimpy's" foster mother and I thought he still looks very female, so until the turtle herself proves otherwise, I am calling her female and her new name is Millie!

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As you can see from the photo, Millie didn't actually lose her leg to the unknown predator, but lost a foot. She gets around on it just great!!!
Although she walks with a prominent limp on that right front leg, she roams all over the tank just fine! She uses her stump to brace and balance herself, and also uses it to wipe food off her mouth.

I initially had the water in the tank ( a 20 gallon long) at 5 inches deep, with lots of furniture for her to climb. The missing foot definitely impairs her swimming ability, and I lowered the depth of the water to 3 inches, and she seems VERY HAPPY at that depth: she can stand with all 4 feet (I mean 3 feet...) on the gravel and stretch her neck up to break the surface and breathe easily from anywhere in the tank.
So I'll be keeping her tank at 3 inches.

Her first foster mom said that Millie is a stinkpot, aka common musk turtle, which I accepted until I saw her plastron. Her plastron is very broad and covers her whole underside, just like Jacques' plastron was. i thought musk turtles all had much reduced plastrons like Nelson has...So that made me wonder if maybe she's a common MUD turtle, rather than a musk turtle.
I'll post pictures so you can see the plastrons...

Here's Jacques, my Eastern Mud Turtle (RIP, my silly diva!)
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Here's Millie:

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...and here's Nelson, a razor backed musk turtle:

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OPINIONS ARE REQUESTED!!!
Do we think Millie is a Common MUD Turtle, or is she a Common MUSK Turtle?:)

@Markw84 @Toddrickfl1
 

Pastel Tortie

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You're right, Millie's plastron doesn't look all that reduced. Beyond that, in my mind, the most reliable difference between muds and musks is in the number of hinges on the plastron. Musk turtles have one hinge. Mud turtles have two.

I know there are some plastron pictures in Bold and Pinstripe's thread... :)
 

Pastel Tortie

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Let's see some pictures of Millie's carapace from the top, and her head from the side (whenever she sticks it out). That shot of Millie's face from the front doesn't look too different from my girls (K. baurii, three-striped muds). Mississippi mud turtle (K.s. hippocrepis) is a distinct possibility.
 

Moozillion

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Let's see some pictures of Millie's carapace from the top, and her head from the side (whenever she sticks it out). That shot of Millie's face from the front doesn't look too different from my girls (K. baurii, three-striped muds). Mississippi mud turtle (K.s. hippocrepis) is a distinct possibility.

I was thinking she looked a lot like Bold and Pinstripe, myself! [emoji2]
 

Moozillion

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Here are a couple of side-views of her face.
I'll try and get some better shots tomorrow.
And I am planning to change her tank to lighter colored gravel so i can get better photos!

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It's actually difficult to get a side photo of her because she is very bright, alert and inquisitive: any time she sees me nearby, she comes straight up to me to check out what I'm getting up to!!! Here's a series of photos I snapped very quickly as she came at the camera:

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She likes to be UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!!!!!:D:D:D
 

Turtle girl 98

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Here are a couple of side-views of her face.
I'll try and get some better shots tomorrow.
And I am planning to change her tank to lighter colored gravel so i can get better photos!

View attachment 279862

View attachment 279863


It's actually difficult to get a side photo of her because she is very bright, alert and inquisitive: any time she sees me nearby, she comes straight up to me to check out what I'm getting up to!!! Here's a series of photos I snapped very quickly as she came at the camera:

View attachment 279864
View attachment 279865

View attachment 279866


She likes to be UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!!!!!:D:D:D
Awh she is beautiful. Glad she found a home with you Moozillion [emoji846]
 

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