Saving Fern - a 3-striped mud turtle - October 2010

[Jesuswongchrist]

@BauriBob What kind of sand is in the tank? Also, I have the same kind of turtle, just darker. The turtle seems to be shedding a lot. And info on the shedding?

[BauriBob]

@Jesuswongchrist play sand from any hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot. Turtles shed their scutes as they grow. Unless it is excessive (sometimes from overfeeding or disease) it shouldn't be a problem. You might want to visit the Turtle Forum online and see what other turtle keepers say about that.

[MRsageprductions]

@bauribob love the video and hope fern is in the best of health, i have two turtles i rescued, about 4 inches in length, i have confirmed  they are scorpion mud turtles and wanted to ask some questions. after four inches, i heard that they can be in up to 2 feet of water if built slowly. I have a preformed 125 gallon pond i want to put them in, it has an area to bask and i would put a cinderblock to make it easier to climb out. would the cinderblock leach into the water? is the water too much?

[BauriBob]

@MRsageprductions I don't know anything about cinderblock, so I can't help you there. Never heard of scorpion mud turtles, sorry. Generally mud turtles live in shallow water from a few inches to a foot, not often much deeper than that. If the entire pond is 2 feet deep, that may be too much. If you have a shallow area, that might work. You'll have to do some research.

[KaosChrist]

also i notice that you have fish in with your mud turtles. do they attack them? i have fish but would like to get a mud turtle. if none of the fish were smaller than 3 or 4 inches do you think they would be safe from being eaten? I read muds only get 4 or 5 inches. is this true? finally are the females or the males larger? thanks and you have a beautiful set up.

[BauriBob]

@KaosChrist Some turtles are more likely than others to eat aquarium fish. Large species like sliders and softshells will definitely eat fish. Muds will if they are hungry enough. Catfish have a bony exoskeleton which gives them some protection from turtle bites. Females tend to be larger than males, at least that is my observation of wild muds here in Florida. I've never seen a mud turtle larger than 5 inches.

[BauriBob]

@KaosChrist I have catfish and darters. My turtles have bitten the catfish when they are competing for the same food in the tank. Generally they leave them alone but my turtles are well fed. Larger fish are not likely to be bothered but there are no guarantees when you mix turtles and fish.

[KaosChrist]

@BauriBob thanks for the info. the muds im looking at r still really small. i was also thinking of feeding the mud separately in a little bin i have. and keeping him very well fed. hope u have a good one.

[BauriBob]

@KaosChrist don't overfeed, especially when adults or they will get fat in a hurry. 

[KaosChrist]

@BauriBob im not going to over feed just keep make sure he isnt hungry. what is a good amount to feed an adult?

[BauriBob]

@KaosChrist different theories on that. Join the Turtle Forum and see what folks there are suggesting. My turtles are all overweight and I struggle with getting that under control. It is probably best to feed an adult turtle no more than 3 times a week. Some say to feed an amount roughly equal to the size of the turtle's head, some say feed all they can eat within 15 minutes. Examine the turtle's backside and watch for excessive weight gain or loss. Hatchlings can eat more.

[KaosChrist]

@BauriBob ok thanks for the info and the prompt responses.

[KaosChrist]

you are a very kind and caring person. the world needs more people like you.

[repthealth]

have the baby's come?

[BauriBob]

@repthealth Fern has laid eggs, I buried them near a wetland area some time ago.

[SethAllenPhillips]

when i first saw your videos i didn't like them to much, i thought you were some guy with a hot glue gun and a near by pond, but when i saw this video i gained an extreme amount of respect for you. :] thank you for taking care of this beautiful turtle!!

[TheCrankinguru]

great job!

[Akbal25]

you are a hero, great job!!!

[pointlessness15]

what kind of sand do you use and how much money does it cost. Do you use childrens play sand or commercial pet store sand.

[BauriBob]

@pointlessness15 I use play sand, very cheap, buy it at Lowes or Home Depot.

[Mastaliteness1]

was this video taken on friday??? but i hope the turtle is safe ;)

[BauriBob]

@Mastaliteness1 note the date on the title, October 2010, last year. Fern is doing very well though she will not likely fully recover from her injuries. Her mouth only opens about half way. She has some difficulties controlling head movement. Nonetheless, she eats well, mates with the male turtle, and has laid eggs.

[domdicato]

god bless you!

[codeythesilent]

Absolutely amazing!

[SternyCam]

That was nice

[brian5o]

I actually teared up watching that, partially because I was sad for what happened to Fern and partially because I was so happy that you and Fern's paths crossed.

As others have said, you are a saint and the world is a better place because of you.

I have always had a soft spot for turtles and I recently was given a hatchling 3-striped turtle by my neighbor who had found him in his pond. I have really been enjoying him.

You are absolutely awesome, my friend! Keep up the great work!

[BauriBob]

@brian5o thanks Brian.

[halo39991]

Sir, you are a saint

[jawstheshark1243]

Is that a full sized adult? btw do mud turtles grow to the size of their tank?

[BauriBob]

@jawstheshark1243 Fern is nearly full grown, could grow another inch. 3-striped mud turtles usually grow to 4 or rarely 5 inches. They could get slightly larger if overfed.

[MrPhunter420]

God Bless I love turtles and care.

[DESIdhillonJATT]

If there were more of u in this world... ...the world would be a better place

[Leotort21]

to ninja blood, red eared sliders are nice pets but they get huge! people say they are a good beginners pet because more than likely they had a small one that died in about a month or less when they were young. so they think that they are easy small tank things,i suggest you get a eastern box turtle russian tortoise or a mud or musk turtle. but remember to do your reaserch.

[TheFlopaSkaters]

great to know somebody who cares deeply enough for her theres some assholes in this world that would just kill it or intentinally run it over

[BauriBob]

@TheFlopaSkaters Thanks. I know, it is sad. Fern pays me back with her trust and total lack of fear. Has been a win/win all the way around.

[NinjaBlood125]

Hi, i might get a turtle and i wanted to ask what type of turtle should i get a Red-Eared Slider, i have read they r great for beginners, or mud or musk turtles that u specialize in so i can probably learn from ur videos.

[TheLizardbird]

you are a good person for spending so much time on the turtle.

[mark2109111]

nice job keep up the good work i bet fern would say thanks too lol

[BauriBob]

@mark2109111 she does, just by getting better.

[BauriBob]

If the weather is still warm, the turtle has no lingering injuries and can swim then it will probably be okay to release it. Try to release it next to a body of water where you think it came from and as far from roads as possible. Don't place it in the water unless you are 100% certain the turtle is aquatic (webbed toes), and then only in shallow water. The more aquatic vegetation in the area the better (to hide from predators).

[luvmyshepherds85]

Hi there, I have saved a mud turtle from almost being eaten by my dog a month or 2 ago, we have kept him and now I am thinking of releasing him back, it is fall now and I was wondering if it was safe or ok for me to return him back to the wild? Thank You!

[luvmyshepherds85]

Hi there, I have saved a mud turtle from almost being eaten by my dog a month or 2 ago, we have kept him and now I am thinking of releasing him back, it is fall now and I was wondering if it was safe or ok for me to return him back to the wild? Thank You!

[KittyScam]

Great video, Bob! When you first got Fern she was in pretty bad shape, and it was doubtful that she'd survive. But your hard work and perserverance paid off. And now she's living like a Queen in a tropical paradise. Thank you on behalf of Fern and all the other critters you've saved.

[gusfish1]

thank you

i want a mud turtle

dont know where to get one

[gusfish1]

whats the difference between a stinkpot musk turtle and a mud turtle?

they look alike

[BauriBob]

@gusfish1 Musk turtles have a smaller plastron, different stripe configuration on the face, and a more pointed nose. Musks give off a characteristic musk odor when frightened. Muds are just as likely to be found in drainage ditches and other temporary bodies of water as they are in lakes or streams and often travel across land to find new watering holes. Musks are better swimmers and are rarely seen on land and are usually found in permanent bodies of water like lakes, streams, and ponds.

[the4halo3]

wow you are the best your like a turtle superman

[MicroMouse007]

aw thats nice, she suda died if u hadnt taken her :( god job

[zxrninja636]

wicked video i love the wrk you do and your so gd at it keep the gd wrk up!!:)

[jkl1041]

a happy ending indeed phenominal job and a great recovery for fern she is beautiful

[laura13617]

Wonderful video:) great job Bob!!!! Fern should be very happy:) 

[dazzleglass721]

i am so glad and thankful for what you do :) without you i dont know how good of a chance of living she would have :')

[tc9er]

great video, thank you for sharing. how does she get along with muddy? Do you ever have problems with females getting along? I have musks and my females get along splendidly but, the male is always causing problems. Anyway, I hope to see more updates on fern and the rest of your turtles.

[BauriBob]

@tc9er Both males and females can show aggression and can injure each other. Males are worse of course and as they mature they may harrass females into hiding or basking all the time. My main tank has one male and three females. The females occasionally nip at each other during feeding but that is all. Make sure your tank is large enough and has enough hiding places for the females. In the wild turtles have plenty of space to get away from one another. But they fight there too.

[EddieBrockVenom]

nice house is nice

[1Tankado1]

I hope she continues to improve .

Good luck...

[RoboHamsterify]

OMG YEAY NEW VIDEO!!!!!!! >:D

[Tarantulaboy1997]

...Very touching video. I have decided to take ain 2 rescue RES that my friend littler brother has had them in a 6 inch BUG CAGE for 3 years. They are afraid of people, I think have a little shell rot, since they didnt have an area to bask. They are about 4 inches each! its really sad when people get animals and have no clue what they are doing with them great vid. :)

[rennybarr]

Very enjoyable video. Great job bringing her back to life! Always enjoy your videos.

[Boneyman]

Here's a thought on the issue with her missing the salmon. I had the same issue with my male RES and at the time it had an infection in one of his eyes. So since he was only using one eye I assume that it didn't have depth perception since that is the case with humans. You did mention that she had damage to one of her eye socket so that could have been part of the issue. I hope it's all better now, it sure looked better in the video.

[BauriBob]

@Boneyman unfortunately that is one of her remaining problems. I talked to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon Key about this. When that happens to a sea turtle, they actually cover one eye to see how that effects them. But that is a little hard to do with a 4" mud turtle. She does sometimes nail the food on the first try but only if it is a fairly large piece of food. One clue is that her head is still a bit off center. So her problems may be more than just visual.

[TheMuskTurtle]

it kind of reminded me of 2 face from batman?? thumbs up if u agree.

[KyleHiggins15]

Great job :)

[Brawlandpals]

I wish I had a tank big enough to do that :)

[HomelessShelterRice]

very good BauriBob.. what a great achievement. im sure the feeling of knowing that Fern is doing better is beyond imagination. :) 5 Stars!

[perpetualwandrer]

You are amazing! Great work on the rehabbing, I am glad she is doing better

[avisaltic]

im glad you did that ! so she wi9ll be released maybe? and i also wanted to know a range of how many gallons your tank is?

[BauriBob]

@avisaltic it is not likely she will recover fully, so she will not likely be released. My tank is 8' x 3' and is 17" high. Water depth is 12". Total water volume is 200 gallons.

[Rsour4Life]

what a lucky turtle, nice job bob