Armed & Extremely Dangerous

happy birthday to my Texan honcho in SF!

My Cousin: The Hinge-Back Tortoise

The Hinge-back Tortoises, as they are commonly called, develop a hinge that allows them to close the rear of their carapace, protecting their back legs.

Hinge-back tortoises appear to be typical tortoises on first inspection but Hinge-backs are considerably longer than they are wide, more closely resembling a Red-footed Tortoise than a Leopard Tortoise, for example. In overall size this species are on the smaller end of the tortoise range.

Hinge-backs possess the elephantine feet associated with tortoises, although the front feet are not quite as blunt as the rear. Their forelegs usually have a series of enlarged, downward-pointing scales while the rear legs lack these scales. In these chelonians the head is only of medium size, while their tail ends in a nail-like spike. Of course, the Hinge-back's distinguishing characteristic is the unique hinge that develops in adults at the rear of the carapace, between the seventh and eighth marginal scutes.

Hinge-Back Tortoise enjoying a salad!

The carapacial hinges allow the tortoises to clamp down the rear of their carapaces, giving increased protection to their tail and legs. Hinge-backs also have effective defenses for their front legs and head. When threatened, a tortoise can retract its head quite far. Its front legs then seal the anterior opening in the carapace; the knees meet in front of the head with the feet pointing to either side. The enlarged scales on the forelegs face outward in this position, protecting the legs themselves and effectively closing the tortoise off from the world.

The Hinge-backs inhabit a diverse array of habitats in central and southern Africa, primarily in grassland and savannah regions, although some individuals can be found in coastal forests. These regions often go through times of drought, and Bell's Hinge-back burrow underground to survive these periods. This tortoise has large anal sacs which can be filled with water, taking up a large percentage of the abdominal cavity, to help it during the dry season. This stored water may be used by females when building nests to help loosen and moisten the soil in and around the nest.

Hinge-backs are omnivorous feeders in the wild. In addition to greens, they consume snails, insects such as millipedes and beetles, and will scavenge corpses when encountered. In captivity they will eat a wide variety of vegetable matter, including green beans, broccoli, squash, mushrooms, and bananas. They readily take mealworms and mealworm beetles, cooked chicken, and liver. Earthworms are relished; they are grabbed, whipped from side to side, and swallowed rapidly.

BFFs

King of the Sea

Log of Life

"Snap" This Up!

Snapper sculpture, a lovely addition for any home!

Nature's Mysteries

Here is two-headed Red Ear Slider enjoying his/their day:

Spot!

Diamondback Terrapins with spotted legs are gorgeous - even sexy!

Learn how to help save these endangered species at the Turtle Survival Alliance

My Cousin: The Beale's Eyed Turtle

The Beale's Eyed Turtle (Sacalia bealei) is a species of turtle in the family Geoemydidae, named in honor of Thomas Beale, a Scottish naturalist and merchant in China. Most commonly called a "four-eyed" turtle, the spots on the head of this species appear to be another set of eyes.

The Beale's Eye grows up to around 6 inches in length and in the wild, they feed upon carrion, snails, beetle larvae, earthworms, water plants and fruits. They can be found in woodland streams and brooks in southern China from Fujian to eastern Guangdong Province.

This species is listed as endangered by the IUCN, since these turtles are hunted for use in folk medicine.

Burning Man Turtle Car

Henrí: The Cat is Sat

Hawksbill Harry Says Hello

Hawksbill turtles have been hunted extensively for their shells which make attractive tortoise-shell jewellery, brushes, eyeglass frames and rings. In some parts of the world such as China and Japan, the hawksbill turtle is also eaten as a delicacy. So badly decimated are the hawksbills that these turtles are listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Don't Try This at Home

... or anywhere, for that matter...

(not sure what is going on in the rear portion...)

Loggerheads Come Ashore

Watch as thousands of loggerhead turtles make their way to the beaches to nest in Oaxaca, Baja California. You can learn more about loggerhead sea turtles at Turtle Time, Inc.

Goombah's in Town

He doesn't seem happy. I don't have an answer to make him happy. Trouble ahead.

A Little Nekkid to the World

It's Summer. Join Me For a Dip.

T-Rex Cozy

Mama goes to all this trouble to help me disguise myself from Fritz.

Henrí: Black Cat Ball

Real Red Ears

... and that's why I'm called a Red Eared Slider!

Houston, We Have an Egg!

Here is the excitement of an Eastern Box Turtle laying an egg:

Brothers in Arms

Severely happy Hawksbill turtles swim the water near Kuala Lumpur

You Can Call Me Handsome

Not many do, though.

Henrí: Artíste

Hatchlings Escape Florida Keys, Make Run For It!

Live-streaming webcam catches loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings emerge from their nest in the Florida Keys!

Hip Hop Appotamus!

The Amazing Leatherback

Summer Sunnin'

A perfect day in the life of a perfect turtle...

Color Me Bad



Click HERE to download several turtle coloring pages!



Summer Mutant Ninja Turtle Turtle Movie Alert!

This important Movie Alert is being re-posted from Tortoise.com:

Dear Parents:
We're asking you to save a turtle's life and perhaps even your child's. In August, your children will be enjoying another edition of the extremely popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. This will include a whole new generation of kids who missed the 2007 animated film. It's fun and great entertainment.

But, we are writing this to ask for your help. Since the first movie was released in 1990, hundreds of thousands of live turtles, mostly water turtles called red eared sliders, were purchased for between $10 and $25 after each ninja movie was released. The result? Many, if not most, were dumped and even deliberately killed or flushed down the toilet. Remember people buying thousands of dogs that ended up in shelters after 101 Dalmatians came me out? Same problem.

Unfortunately, children do not realize that real turtles do not fly, perform stunts or do any of the exciting moves fictional movie turtles do. Parents, trying to please their children, purchased live turtles which ended up languishing in tanks. Or, when the kids realized after a few weeks that these were not ninja turtles, the turtles were dumped illegally into rivers and lakes as well as dumpsters, flushed down toilets or relinquished to shelters and overcrowded rescues. It's estimated that 90 percent died. As an aside, zoos do not take turtles.

Turtles have been around for 200 million years and outlived the dinosaur. Is this the way we want to treat our precious wildlife? Most of these turtles are taken out of the wild and sold to pet stores, breeders and mercados for profit.

Here's the bigger problem. Turtles carry salmonella which can make a child very, very sick and can even kill them. That's why turtles less than four inches were banned from sale in the U.S. in 1974 and still are...tiny turtles easily fit into a child's mouth. Children also tend to touch the water and don't wash their hands. It's an ugly problem. A nine month old baby in Los Angeles got salmonella meningitis from a turtle after its parents touched it and then held the baby. We do not recommend live turtles or tortoises for children under 13 because of salmonella exposure and because the kids lose interest almost immediately.

What can you do to help? Buy Ninja action figures and toys instead of live turtles and save a turtle's life, and perhaps even your child's.

Thank you. (Please spread the word and forward this email.)

Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson, Co-founders 
American Tortoise Rescue
www.tortoise.com

Siebenrock’s Snake-necked Turtle

Before you say "ew," learn about this snakey carnivorous turtle who can shoot water from his nose!

Learn more about the Snake Necked Turtle and all his friends at the Reptile & Amphibian Discovery Zoo. Just click here.

My Cousin: He's Got Balls! And Loads of Energy!

Post by Harold Whiting.

Anything for a Berry

 

My Green Fur Coat

 

Enjoy Fireworks in San Francisco Without The Fog!

oh, my heart ♥

Never Tired, But Always Exhausted

Doesn't matter what season it is, I'm exhausted.

Red-Eared Albinos!

Which Came First?

The turtle or the egg?

don't have all the answers, but this little guy sure is cute!

I Own This Spot

one of my faves to catch some rays...

The Galapagos Turtle

Courtesy of BBC's "Life in Cold Blood" series:

Hop on Pop

Happy Father's Day!

R.I.P "Hole"

(Courtesy of American Tortoise Rescue)
Hole was named after a prominent hole someone cruelty drilled in the front of his shell to tether him years ago.  He arrived at American Tortoise Rescue 20 plus years ago after being caught in the wild near his gulf coast home and shipped to a pet store in Los Angeles.  I received a call from the pet store manager asking me if I would come in and look at one of the turtles who had been pretty much unresponsive all week - not eating or moving. 

From the beginning, it was touch and go, but he made it and became one of the rescue's favorites.  He lived outside year round always showing up for worms and loving his soaks in a plant saucer. His eyes were bright red with some white around the edges telling us that he was old. (Red eyes turn whiter as they age.)  He was always a bright spot in our daily routine and was never a problem.  During the more than 20 years we had Hole, his eyes turned completely white from red.  We guessed his age at around 50 years or more. 

Sadly many of these wild caught turtles and tortoises die from stress or shortly afterwards  en route to pet stores or breeders or even well meaning people who don't know buying turtles and tortoises is a bad thing.

You can make a tax deductible donation in Hole's memory by sending a check to American Tortoise Rescue, 30745 PCH, #243, Malibu CA 90265.  All monies go directly to the housing, feeding and medical care of turtles and tortoises.

(TAX I.D. # 93-1219374)

Caught on Camera

Late night clandestine meeting with my mate seemingly caught on surveillance camera.

Fresh Wax!

Henrí: Bored of Cat Food

The World Outside

From my vantage point, I'm not sure if I want in on the outside world.

Move Over Rover

I'm coming for you.

Fern

That's right. That's me under there.

My Fantasy Can Be Yours

Goombah's Back

Mutant Ninja Snails?

Careful, they are each armed and extremely dangerous!

Loggerheads Love Life!

Terp Ballet

Happy Earth (and Sea) Day, folks!

The Demon

It's 4:20 and Mama mocks me with her Photoshop.