Yeah, that’s the one I remember seeing. That 70’s ottoman caster doesn’t look like it’s suitable for much off-road traffic.
I have an appointment to take the turtle to the rehab center this morning. I don’t know about a caster - it might be able to get around a manicured lawn, but in the wild? I know turtles are never happy until they get back from where they came from. I’m going to give the rehab center the GPS coordinates for his spot.
StG
Well, if you’re the one who flips the turtle, doesn’t it make sense that you’re not going to help it?
The article WhyNot linked is not the only case, I’ve found out. There have been a couple of other cases like that, but they’re usually pets/private collections/zoos/wildlife centers that keep the turtles. Hence, in a limited area, the turtle can get around with that wheel, and if it is destroyed, it can be replaced.
Well, the turtle was delivered (150 miles round trip and about $30 worth of gas - she better reproduce like crazy!) and is in expert hands.
Walden’s Puddle seems to think she’ll be okay, and told me to call on Thursday for an update. They’ll also meet me to deliver the turtle back to me to put back in her habitat, so I don’t have to drive all that way back.
StG
One of the quirks of replicants is that they’re not emotionally able to handle the injury of or infliction of suffering on innocent non-human creatures. So, imagining they’ve flipped a turtle on its back and left it to die in the sun is emotionally traumatic to replicants and causes them to panic or erupt in rage.
Thanks for the update, StGermain. Let us know how things turn out, am hoping for the best.
Thanks for both the update and that linky, StG. There’s a ton of useful info on that site!
I hate to bump this in case of bad news. But am curious, did the turtle make it okay?
Wow, thanks to StGermain we now can actually speak of something moving with the speed of a three-legged turtle without being facetious. What a stellar display of kindness.
the lone cashew - I called Walden’s Puddle today for an update, and they said she’s still being treated at teh vet. Apparently, turtles are turtle-slow at healing. But she’s still alive. They’ll call me when she’s ready to be released, so I can meet them and put her back where I found her.
I moved another turtle off the road on Sunday, and scooted a rattlesnake off, too. With the rattlesnake I just got out a long leadrope and flicked it’s tail until it moved off the road. I took a pic with my phone before I moved it.
Thanks, lieu - I couldn’t just leave her to suffer.
StG
What part of the country do you live in? I’ve never actually seen a box turtle in the wild, and I’ve always wanted to.
Sal - I’m in Middle Tennessee. The Eastern Box Turtle is the state reptile. Side view.
The place where I took her has a cuple box turtles that can’t be released due to injury. When I looked in their habitats (each about 3’ X 6’) and didn’t see them the volunteer said they must be down having their morning swim. The rehab center takes great care of their animals.
StG
Snake expert Crotalus says that likely was a Timber Rattlesnake.
lieu - I know that officially Tennessee only has Timber and Pygmy rattlesnakes, but this snake sure looked like a diamondback to me. I took a pic, and when I can figure out how to get it off my phone, I’ll post it for Crotalus to identify. He was a beautiful snake, with rich velvety-brown diamonds running the length of his body, and about 5 buttons on his rattle. Supposedly a large Eastern Diamondback was killed in the next town over.
StG
Sal, we’ve got box turtles galore here in Eastern MA. I saved one recently that was trying to cross the road at the intersection of Trapelo Rd and Lexington St in Waltham.
It was in the crosswalk, crossing with the light, but after the second turning car passed over him (him? who knows!) I decided to intervene. I left my car, walked up the median and grabbed him. Stopped traffic by imperiously holding up my hand. Didn’t realize that would work. 
We drove him to a culdesac nearby and let him go near a brook. He hightailed it away from us as fast as his stumpy legs would carry him (i.e. not very). I assume he was pissed! He had places to be, dammit! He doesn’t know it but his name is Trapelo the Turtle.
Glad you rescued him, but I’m still not convinced they’re all that common here. They’re on the Massachusetts Endangered Species List, after all. And it’s possible the one you rescued was a pet that had been set loose. Unfortunately, I think the real test for commonness of any native species is how often you see them as roadkill. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen a road-killed box turtle here.
It’s also possible that some or all of the turtles I see from afar are not box turtles.