Herp Rehabilitation Journal

jurassicjunior @ 2004-07-09T15:01:00

2004-07-09T20:02:34Z

Bart Simpson is feeling quite brave with the glass seperating him from Beardsley's wrath.

jurassicjunior @ 2004-05-18T16:45:00

2004-05-18T22:10:38Z

This subadult Podocnemis Unifilis was confiscated along with other of its species by TX Fish & Game as they were discovered in suitcases, bound for Japan without proper documentation. Some were given to the local zoo, Moody Gardens aquarium and to GCTTS. Shown is a subadult male in his temporary set up until I can move him to an outdoor pond. Podocnemis species are protected under the Endangered Species Act and are available for exhibition/education permitted use only.

Juvenile male Red-foot tortoise confiscated along with the podocnemis. He's under 3", somewhat shy but grazes well and is in general good health.

GAMERA! I pulled this common snapping turtle off a busy road in my neighborhood, amazingly unscathed as SUVs drove over her. She's under 4" and very docile. I'm keeping her well-fed and plan to use her for my educational programs through the summer, then release her into a safe, remote cattlepond where she won't end up on the road again. With the flooding from the past week, I've pulled RES off the road daily and put them into the nearest pond/lake. Others haven't been so lucky and several broken turtles are spotted daily, mostly RES but also softshells and snapping turtles.

jurassicjunior @ 2004-05-17T12:16:00

2004-05-17T17:28:57Z

Beardsley and friend.

A pair of adult male Emydura subglosa, refered to as pink-bellied sidenecks. They were turned in to GCTTS when the owner discovered that he couldn't take them on an airplane in only a cardboard box. I just don't have the space to keep them and placed them with another GCTTS member with a naturalistic pond. I found them attractive but very uninteresting to observe as they were statue still when I watched them and only ate when I shut off the lights.

Bettie's first clutch, most likely infertile as they almost immediately collapsed and became incredibly stinky in the incubator within two days.

Bettie with bouquet.

jurassicjunior @ 2004-03-31T14:22:00

2004-03-31T20:26:36Z

Bettie in the spring sunshine. She's very washed out due to the camera flash, as she's actually very Sandfire red x gold with blue gray sidebars. Beardsley keeps bobbing at her, causing her much consternation.

jurassicjunior @ 2004-03-31T12:38:00

2004-03-31T18:45:07Z

Diamondback Terrapin is thrilled that spring is finally here. Now, to get that algae bloom under control...

This very hungry little anole was sneaking up on a fluttering leaf. Surely he has better hunting skills as it made it through the winter. It has some competition, as there are at least ten anoles of various sizes in my yard alone. One is a Cuban Knight anole, which will probably eat the rest eventually.

jurassicjunior @ 2004-03-17T14:43:00

2004-03-17T20:51:35Z

White (leucistic, not albino) American alligator at Houston Zoo

American Alligator resting its head on an adult female river cooter, Houston Zoo

Yearling Chinese Golden Thread Turtle

Pink-bellied sideneck Turtle, yearling

Rhinocerous iguana, Houston Zoo

Beardsley and Bettie, awake from winter shutdown

RES Fungus Update

2004-01-10T04:06:42Z

10/06/03

10/29/03

1/04/04

A few months of outdoor sun, Nolvasan scrubs and an intense rotten scute removal reveals a much healthier shell. The pale pinkish spot in the middle is exposed bone, but a healthy shell can't be removed with a fingernail thus I had to pull off all the necrotic shell I could to get the medicated scrub into the affected areas.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-11-25T11:02:00

2003-11-25T17:25:18Z

Adult male Leopard tortoise, adopted to a GCTTS member in San Diego, CA this week. This species spent millions of years evolving to life in the arid African savannah and needs a home with low humidity and intense grazing availability.

The same Leopard showing his pyramided shell due to an improper diet of fruits, vegs and dog food. A corrected diet of grazing broadleaf weeds, bermuda grass, timothy hay and cactus pads will hopefully keep his liver functioning well, as improper diet leads to organ shutdown.

The subadult Leopard tortoise which was also remitted to GCTTS for placement. This tort is in better outward health due to its youth, but would quickly resemble the older tort under the same diet.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-10-31T13:50:00

2003-10-31T19:59:59Z

Tattoo, yearling three-toed box turtle. She still has some fungus on her shell from being kept too moist.

Older Leopard tort.

Something more exotic...

2003-10-31T03:46:56Z

I'm now caring for this 4 year old male Leopard Tortoise whose owner died. The tort is in good shape (on the outside atleast) despite his being raised in a humid environment unlike the African savannah his kind spent billions of years adjusting to, and his being fed vegetables, fruit and dog/monkey chow-- all far removed from his natural diet of grasses and weeds with zero animal matter. The older Leopard housed with this one is showing signs of liver failure, most likely due to the high proteins. For this species, as with most grazing torts from arid regions, a diet of dandelions, bermuda grass, timothy hay, natural weeds, cactus pads and hibiscus flowers along with any native regional plants produces the healthiest tortoise.

Bettie in the bushes near the Leopard. She's not a bitty Bettie any more and she'd swallow little Bart whole if she could find him.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-10-29T19:29:00

2003-10-30T01:47:42Z

Mud, musk and red eared slider hatchlings enjoy some sun on their shells as I thoroughly bleach their rubbermaid bin. I usually use a weak bleach solution or Nolvasan scrub weekly, and in this case I had overfed some chopped fish and the odor and fat residue was overpoweringly foul the next day. I need to feed such items in a seperate plastic container. Yuck.

Jaws demonstrates why we chose his/her name. He/she prefers being in an opaque bin instead of a glass tank and I don't handle him/her much other than for a soak or to check weight every few days. I'm hoping it's a light phase female.

Fungus Update

2003-10-29T19:21:26Z

Another case of moderate fungal infection on a red eared slider kept indoors. Note the diseased scute near my thumb, as the rotten shell has to be gently removed (I use fingernails) and antifungal cream applied. If there is cheesy material underneath, it's a bacterial infection needing injectible antibiotics from your vet.

Eastern Box

2003-10-29T16:31:03Z

Bottom shell (plastron) showing moderate shellrot needing Baytril injectible antibiotics.

Handsome male close up, age unknown but estimated atleast ten years old. Easterns have almost a parrot look to their faces.

New Rehab Turtles

2003-10-28T18:11:57Z

Mature male Eastern box turtle, turned in to GCTTS by the owner. He is extremely aggressive towards any turtles, regardless of sex, due to being kept in an overcrowded situation with another dominant male. Unlike popular myth, turtles are not always peaceful and are easily overstressed and violent towards each other when overcrowded.

Hatchling Mud turtle, probably under a year old, from a rescued GCTTS female. Note his size in relation to my fingers... these turtles mature at 3" to 4" depending on species and need an environment similar to the box turtle, with a shallow "pond" and leaf litter to hide in. At this size, I'm keeping them in an aquatic environment of enough water to cover their shells with a sloped sandy bank and a cave for hiding. Despite their tiny size, they eat every crumb of earthworm, fish, pinky mouse and cricket/etc and are most active at night. They cannot be kept in water deeper than a few inches as they WILL drown.

Plastron and carapace of a stinkpot turtle, aka musk turtle, approx. an inch long at a few months old. This species reaches an adult size of under 4", is a strong swimmer and sprays like a skunk when disturbed (although he didn't spray *this* time). Similar to the mud turtle above, although the musk shell has a knobby ridge on his keel. I'll try for better photos outdoors, as he's stunk up my house/hands/clothes more than once. He was surrended to GCTTS as a wildcaught turtle and lives with the muds.

Ornate box turtle sub-adult male, wildcaught in the Bear Creek Park area of Houston, turned over to GCTTS as he was fighting with the three toed box turtles he was housed with, all wildcaught and all with mild to moderate bacterial shellrot, which is contagious. He is still being treated with injectible antibiotics, as are most of the rehab turtles pictured, and I've adopted him as a permanent education animal.

New Beardie

2003-10-16T17:00:04Z

He's Jaws, my new Bearded Dragon, taking his first bath. Normally he gapes and lunges when I even look at him, but the water really caught him off-guard.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-10-08T11:32:00

2003-10-08T16:38:01Z

Mature 7" female red eared slider, kept indoors and showing moderate shellrot. She'll be treated with topical antifungal, allowed to dry in a pen so she can also dig a nest if eggbound, then released possibly next summer if in excellent health.

2.5" red ear slider with severe fungal infection on top and possibly compounded by bacteria infection on lower shell. This hatchling was kept indoors as well. Treatment includes topical antifungal and possible antibiotic injections, overwintering in a hospital tank and adoption/release when well in '04. Such disease can be avoided with a natural outdoor habitat, avoiding poor quality water and adding sea salt.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-10-06T10:59:00

2003-10-06T16:21:32Z

A poor quality photo of a handsome adult male Mississippi Map turtle, recovering from an advanced fungal infection of the shell due to being housed indoors. Map turtles are shy and don't bask as the sliders and cooters do but have beautiful shell patterns and unusual carapaces and make an interesting addition to the turtle pond, although the females do reach large size (10" average") and need land access even if kept seperately from males. This turtle is available for adoption by GCTTS.

Subadult red eared slider female showing a systematic infection of the shell. Note the roundness and whiteness of the spots, as underneath the hard scute is a bacterial infection needing injectable antibiotics and removal of the injured scutes to allow healthy growth. This turtle was kept since hatchling size in a twenty gallon tank with another of similar size, both equally affected with rot due to poor water quality, diet and lack of UV. These turtles are currently being rehabbed by GCTTS and will most likely be released to an authorized nature preserve next summer when deemed healthy.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-08-25T11:15:00

2003-08-25T16:52:19Z

Splashy the handsome cooter.

Beardsley sunning in the Toad Patch, the unmowed grassy spot next to the patio where my three or so toads live. Mowing sends them into a panic and the gardners have run over a few, so I mow (or decline to) the back myself, as the same ones seem to come back every spring.

Bettie with shedding skin on head and legs. Shedding skin shouldn't be pulled on, especially when in its milky phase as shown here. Instead, try soaking several times weekly and allowing access to rough flat stones in the set up. Stuck sheds are a sign of too little humidity and sheds with raw spots could be caused by mites. Remove any shed from the set up and wash hands thoroughly, as salmonella can be transmitted through shed skin.

Bathtub Bettie, losing her flaky skin. She hates the tub but has an hour long soak twice weekly as she doesn't drink from a waterbowl, like many beardies. Instead, I make sure she has a daily misting and fresh fruits/vegs to stay hydrated.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-07-15T12:47:00

2003-07-15T18:07:44Z

Beanie, red-eared slider on left, and Splashy, river cooter, enjoy a midafternoon bask among water lettuce.

Crocodile lizards seized in an illegal shipment in Asia, destined for a dinner plate or as a traditional "medicine".

Sailfin lizard pair housed in a smaller set up than they ideally need. I wish the zoo would add smoked glass, as the male continously leaps at the glass and both have raw noses from scraping. I love the look of these lizards but can't devote the space necessary for their ideal care.

Texas Coachwhip, fastest snake in Texas and an awesome dusty pink hue.

One of the pair of new Komodo Dragons.

A GCTTS member's gorgeous Diamondback Terrapin, approx. one year old and under 3" carapace length.

One of the pair of Tokay geckos housed with the two Sailfin Dragons, this guy is always in the same spot, dangling from the inoperative basking bulb.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-07-10T15:30:00

2003-07-10T20:43:14Z

Bettie belly, her pattern leopard-like and neck dark as she could see Beardsley staring at her from the inside windowsill. Bearded dragon juveniles are easily stressed by dominant adults.

Lily's three-toed box turtle hatchling, Tattoo, eyes a mealworm from her mudhole. This was taken shortly after a heavy rain and I added more dry dirt to the pen, as overly wet soil can lead to fungal infections and shellrot.

Three-toed hatchlings Clora and Tattoo (the girls named them) enjoy an earthworm, though surely the earthworm enjoyed none of this. The light spots on the shell are fungus, probably from being kept too moist, although they do like damp soil to burrow in.

Beanie, red-eared slider, basks with water lettuce on his back.

Recent Bettie

2003-05-20T18:32:46Z

Bettie gaping in the evening sun. Beardies do this to release body heat and will retreat to a shady spot if overheated.

Bettie in her lookout spot at the top of a hibiscus bush. She also eats the leaves/flowers when the tortoise can't reach them.

Turtle Diseases

2003-05-19T18:31:41Z

The right side shows the beginning swellings of an ear infection, which appeared after this Eastern Box turtle spent the winter indoors and often accompanies an active respiratory infection. His treatment is injectible antibiotics, abcess drainage and an outdoor pen.

Systematic shell rot in a subadult river cooter, which appeared quickly after being placed back in the outdoor pond once he was overwintered indoors. Agressive treatment of injectible antibiotics and cutting away necrotic (dead) shell tissue, usually by a herp vet, is needed as the infection rotting the shell from the inside out and nothing applied topically can help. This shell rot is common among turtles kept indoors and in unsanitary conditions; this particular turtle was purchased at an Asian food market (an uncommon edible species but priced per pound nonetheless).
These illnesses are preventable by keeping the turtle in an appropriate outdoor environment.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-05-19T12:54:00

2003-05-19T18:05:45Z

Beardsley in forbidden potpourri basket

Beardsley the bobbing acrobat

Beardsley at his best

Bettie napping, taken several months ago when she could actually fit on the ivy branches.

Bearsley enjoys a soak when I clean the goldfish stocktanks.

Beardsley leaning against the fence, which usually happens on cloudy or windy days.

Beardsley sitting on the laundry. Bad lizard.

jurassicjunior @ 2003-03-02T12:40:00

2003-03-02T19:05:46Z

My apple snail has started leaving the tank looking for his daily greens. He was about the size of a quarter when I put him in the pond last spring and this photo is approx. lifesize. He kept leaving the pond during the first cold spells and now lives in one of the goldfish tanks until the pond warms up.

Beardsley has his ducky and towel in preperation for his bath.

Houston Zoo Reptiles

2003-02-24T16:42:29Z

Pancake Tortoise

Texas Tortoise 12 year old female

Spider Tortoise adult

Argentine Black and White Tegu

American Chuckwalla

Fiji Iguana, not the South American variety

Sailfin Dragon

Texas Rat Snake

Texas Spiny Lizard

Uromastyx, unsure of which variety