Turtle saved from serious shell injury/fracture

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nikki0601

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On July 13th I was at the lake and found a freshly injuried young male cooter, he appeared to have been hit by a boat and had serious shell fractures, after many failed attempts to get this turtle to a licensed wild life rehabber I began treating the turtle on my own, being a nurse since the age of 20 I was a bit prepared. I dry docked the turtle for a few weeks, giving him hour long soaks and feeding daily, also providing some serious wound care the weeks have gone by and the turtle has done so very well, he now lives on my porch in a temp setup made from a small kiddie pool, he can't swim very well but he is active and alert and does get along as well as he can, he now eats like a little piggy taking an assortment of foods daily and his shell has healed greatly leaving just a crack from his injury, first is pic of him the day I found him and following are pictures of him today during and after his wound care
Here the first day I found him little over month ago

And today during wound care,
Here is his shell now, bandages removed and I had just cleansed with iodine swabs
I then applied abt ointment around his fracture site

Now here securing and sealing wound with tegaderm

Now here he is all bandaged up

And now puting him back in his home after wound care complete, he swims off from me

 

nikki0601

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Thanks, and what I didn't mention was the day after I found him I went out to get bandage supplies and came across a fresh road killed large female cooter, I was able to save 10 intact eggs from her, 8 of which were fertile and about half way threw incubation doing awesomely!
 

Yvonne G

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Good job, Nikki!!! I love Tegaderm. But I'm really surprised you were able to get the cut off shell to grow back together. Usually with that type of shell injury, the cut off piece dies and falls off.
 

Jabuticaba

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Wow! Great job!


May[CHERRY BLOSSOM], Hermann's [TURTLE][TURTLE] & Aussie [DOG FACE][DOG FACE][DOG FACE] (@YWG)
 

nikki0601

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I am also surprised at how he has healed, since I was unable to find a rehabber to take him I was so scared he'd fall ill with infection or he would be unable to heal etc and I've done all I can to prevent it all and get him threw this and so far he doing just wonderful! I have now grown a rather deep attachment for this little turtle.
 
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