DonnaM Posted March 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 Jessica is slowly making progress. She is NOT happy at having ointment applied before she goes into dry docking. Last weeks photos. Todays photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saphirecat Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Dear donna The mairehau esol children are not able to visit you next week, because Mrs Bastin's father died and she had to go to Hastings. She will email you about a new date to visit.We still want to come and see you. We like the photos of Jessica because we read the story about her flying from Napier. from Ali jan sarwari room 10 :nfs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted May 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 Dear donna The mairehau esol children are not able to visit you next week, because Mrs Bastin's father died and she had to go to Hastings. She will email you about a new date to visit.We still want to come and see you. We like the photos of Jessica because we read the story about her flying from Napier. from Ali jan sarwari room 10 :nfs: I'm so sorry to hear about that Ali. I look forward to hearing from you and having the class visit when she is back with you again. :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saphirecat Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 Dear Donna My students, have some questions to ask you for their project. shaniqua How old is the oldest turtle thay you 're looking after? How old is Jessica? How many times do you feed them a day? What do they eat? Simagul How many eggs does the turtle lay ? Where does the turtle lay her eggs in the tank? How did Brave heart get hurt ? Thankyou so much ! From theEsol students at Mairehau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 Dear Donna My students, have some questions to ask you for their project. shaniqua How old is the oldest turtle thay you 're looking after? Mozzie is 34years old How old is Jessica? Jessica is about 3yrs old now How many times do you feed them a day? Small turtles are fed once per day. Adults every 2 or 3 days. Sick turtles are fed small amounts several times a day What do they eat? A fish based diet. Snakenecks eat lots of live food like feeder fish, worms, woodlice and also fish fillets and frozen Hot House turtle food. REs turtles also eat pellet turtle food and various aquatic plants and afew types of veggies and dandelion leaves. Simagul How many eggs does the turtle lay ? Mostly they dig a nest so I don't see them. Sometimes they only lay one or two. The most I saw was a RES who lay 19 eggs along with 2 round calcium ball type things. Generally it's about 15 or so, but that information would be easy to locate on the internet. Where does the turtle lay her eggs in the tank? Sometimes they have laid eggs in the water. Mostly they are outside in ponds so they can dig in the dirt and lay eggs in a nest. They don't hatch out, just turn into compost How did Brave heart get hurt ? Braveheart was found wandering the streets. He has a condition called Metabolic Bone Disease due to his poor diet and inadequate environment as he was growing. When his neck started to swell he had a vet visit and the needle used to get some fluid out of the lump accidently was pushed through into his oesophagus. Due to the metabolic Bone Disease he probably has a clotting/bleeding disorder and thats why he took so many weeks before the bleeding eventually stopped. He's doing well now. :love: Thankyou so much ! From theEsol students at Mairehau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saphirecat Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Dear Donna Thank you so much for answering our questions , it's really helpful for our project. We think that you are so caring to Braveheart , were the turtles warm in the snow? Are they okay? We hope they're all are okay When we come , we will bring some worms. We wondered how much it costs to feed one turtle for a week ? Also how are you getting on with your broken foot ? Thankyou from Shoniqua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madDC4 Posted June 9, 2012 Report Share Posted June 9, 2012 I think it is great that you have such a love for these animals! Top work! Nasty to see some of the wounds but is Great thread to read :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saphirecat Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi Donna We left two questions for you last time? We have been following the story of Bibi and Poldhi the 2 tortoises who have "broken up" after 115 yrs in an Australian Zoo. ( Press article ) The two galapagus tortoises.. Do you have any idea why they might have fallen out ??? We are interseted in this. Many thanks Judi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 I am sure it was because the male did or said something wrong :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#!CrunchBang Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 I am sure it was because the male did or said something wrong :slfg: Clearly, She took a chunk out of his shell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Hi Judi I'm afraid I don't have many answers for you. I don't know that anyone has the correct answer about the 115 yr old tortoises? :dunno: I think Caryls got the right idea! :sml2: Food is a tricky one. I haven't had to feed one turtle, ever.....I started with 2 and that was along time ago. Food is generally bought in bulk and so will last for many months. Like a container of pellets may cost $48 but last for months. In the summer I worked out one week I had used 2 x 1kg bags of Hot House turtle food ($40 each at petshop) $20 raw fish, pellets...not sure of cost, 3 hydroponic lettuces at about $9, half a container of dry fish (approx$20 worth), $15 worth of 02 weed, free stuff I have here...pond snails, dandelion leaves, watercress, a few feeder fish, worms, plus all the tanks and ponds have one or two cuttle bone in them at about $3 each if I get them from the supermarket. It was alot! At the time I had 58 turtles here and some were getting extra food and others were wasting it and needing to be tried again later. I know I pretty much go through one bag of hothouse frozen food in 2 days when I open it...plus pellets and all the other things...but sometimes I use a bit less. At the moment there are 32 turtles here and 3 more coming over the next week. :facepalm: The cost of turtle food is very much dependant on what you feed them, where you purchase it and how often you feed. The 10 yr old turtle I received a couple of weeks ago was seldom fed, hadn't eaten since Feb earthquake, was only put in a bath to eat and drink when the people felt like it and was left wandering around the house and often lost for weeks or months at a time....they wouldn't have spent much on her :an!gry She didn't even have a tank to live in! My foot is much better thank-you. There was talk of having to pin the bones together as they havent joined, but as the pain is managable, we are leaving that option for now! I just don't stand on my toes! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted September 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 This female was one of two evacuated from the red zone after the Feb quake last year, placed into a pond and survived last winter ok. But this year the male has died over winter and she is only just surviving. It seems the pond is in a shady area...next to a fernery...so this has had a significant effect the longer they stayed in the pond. She has a blocked nose, blowing bubbles from her nose, was VERY cold when she arrived and barely moving. Her scutes are green and smelly and she is in a pretty bad way. So I have removed the smelly scutes...they were ready to come off, or I wouldnt have removed them, allowed her to spend some time in a warm room and then outside in a sunny spot so she can slowly warm up. Needs to be done very slowly. When I put her in some shallow water she just sat there, unmoving, which was the reason the owners had bought her to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikerbabe Posted September 22, 2012 Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 OMG.. you are an amazing woman!! these darling wee critters are so lucky to have someone like you to care for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikerbabe Posted December 1, 2012 Report Share Posted December 1, 2012 Turtle lady kids' hero... Well done Donna!!!!! :thup: http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8 ... -kids-hero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted December 1, 2012 Report Share Posted December 1, 2012 well done and well deserved. I have given all my turtle customers your info and all my turtles have gone to good homes (including several that are now living in a 3m x 5m indoor heated enclosure that replicates a north Queensland creek system ) also using your quotes I have organised with my bosses to rescue any turtles that come our way. !drool: !drool: !drool: thank you for your help and well deserved praise. p.s. do you have a donation line that I can advertise to our local turtle friends??? (including one very well off ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted December 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2012 (edited) Thank-you! Donations can be made through: BNZ Account name: Nature By Design Ltd-Turtle Rescue Acc Number: 020828 0091088 83. Turtle Rescue has recently been incorporated into the 'Nature By Design Ltd' Charitable trust so it's tax deductable Actually I think this is the first time I've put up that account, so thanks heaps for asking! Edited May 20, 2018 by DonnaM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lara3 Posted January 19, 2013 Report Share Posted January 19, 2013 Hey Donna Had a turtle handed in today owner found on the beach and kept for a year. It has such horrid shell rot mainly all over its plastron. What do you like using? i have used iodine and debrisol before. She is happy enough and eating. Top shell is good but very green must send you a photo. Its just groce the plastron like cottage cheese and reeky under the scabby areas. Dry docking her now she is a real escape artist thanks sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monzae Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 Amazing work, I would definitely come to you if I had a turtle in need. I'll take every lesson to make sure I do it right, planning on getting my first turtles in a little while so I'll keep up with my research. I have a 100 liter Blue Planet with twin T8 fluoro bulbs, are these good for turtles or should I get a reptile UVB lamp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 Aquariums are not the best thing for keeping turtles as they are not well ventilated enough and they cannot bask and dry their shells out. You will need UV and heat to encourage them to bask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaM Posted June 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 Aquariums are not the best thing for keeping turtles as they are not well ventilated enough and they cannot bask and dry their shells out. You will need UV and heat to encourage them to bask. I agree with Alan . Check out the website for some more info. www.turtlerescue.co.nz and you can email me on [email protected] with any questions as well. Best to start off with everything right....and then you won't end up with a tank you can't keep clean, or is smelly, and a turtle with longterm health issues :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monzae Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 Ok I'll graze the site. With my frogs in the past being in my Blue Planet tank, really well ventilated tanks imo. But I guess I should try and find something else, I do have a spare 50 liter plain glass tank, but then I would still want to use my 100 liter blue planet for some fish in that case.. the power bill D: maybe turtles aren't for me =/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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