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Post by smokeyoshi on May 5, 2014 9:30:38 GMT -5
Recent pics of Dar feeding the pond turtles Momma (Big Momma Moss) in front, Ruby waiting her turn   Momma  Ruby  This is Jordy, a female soft shell turtle, eating from a spoon.  Dar doesn't really trust her 100%. She's never bitten me, but Ruby has latched onto my finger twice in the past week. She's usually very gentle. We feed them bread, chicken hot dogs and catfish pellets. Maybe the smell of hot dog on my fingers confuses her, but I'm a bit leery of her now. Missing from the regulars in the pics is Sheldon, Momma's beau. This spring we also have seen and fed 2 smaller soft shells (Itty Bitty and Sea Shell) a red-eared slider (Red), and a very large female soft shell, Gamera. She has to have an 18 inch shell and probably weighs a good 30 lb. |
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Post by huronna on May 5, 2014 22:37:55 GMT -5
Amazing that they seem to know you and come right up to you
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Post by smokeyoshi on May 6, 2014 11:52:39 GMT -5
they do know us for sure. but we figured out they don't like pink. whenever Dar wears a pink shirt they stay back
Today is her day off and the buggers haven't showed up yet.
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Post by dee517 on May 6, 2014 17:57:20 GMT -5
I love the pictures! I didn't know that turtles has color preferences. I guess if I ever have a turtle friend I'll make sure not to wear pink.
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Post by smokeyoshi on May 7, 2014 10:47:39 GMT -5
This morning we watched Zilla (Godzilla) transition from the small pond in back to the bigger pond in front where the other pics were taken.
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Post by furballlover on May 8, 2014 5:42:24 GMT -5
That is so cool. Pics are great!
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Post by smokeyoshi on May 13, 2014 19:42:52 GMT -5
Here's a vid of Magenta (Maggie)and Ruby  |
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Post by huronna on May 13, 2014 23:37:44 GMT -5
yum yum....tastes good
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Post by smokeyoshi on May 26, 2014 7:57:43 GMT -5
This morning when Dar went out to feed the turtles there was a Little Egret in the feeding area chasing fish. She set up the chairs and he just stood there watching her. After a few minutes we offered him some bread and pond pellets, which he politely declined, but when a piece of hot dog was offered he snatched it right up. After a few attempts, he started taking bits from my hand. This is a wild bird, and the stupid "domestic" ducks on the pond don't even do that, with one exception. It's quite a feeling having a wild animal trust you like that. If he comes back, he'll be dubbed "Little E," as we are NASCAR fans.  |
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Post by smokeyoshi on May 26, 2014 13:38:02 GMT -5
Red is a male red eared slider who we only see occasionally, but will come up to be fed. He appeared late last week with a fish hook in his mouth. Today I had a pair of wire cutters handy. I coaxed him in and pinned him to the beach and was able to remove the hook with one gentle tug. I had to work fast and I was alone, so no pics, but it felt good to help him out. I just hope he's not too scared to come back. He did circle around not too far off the shore for a minute later today, but feeding time was over. We removed a hook from a small soft shell turtle a couple years ago and it took him a while to forgive us, but he's back.
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Post by smokeyoshi on May 27, 2014 15:07:02 GMT -5
And Red was back this morning. I'll try to get a pic of him tonight.
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Post by dee517 on May 27, 2014 15:25:32 GMT -5
Of course Red is back. You are his hero!
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Post by smokeyoshi on May 28, 2014 22:04:23 GMT -5
Here he is this morning with Jordy  And with most of the gang [  Most of the fish you can see are bream, but there are usually a couple bass with them, and tilapia a few feet out in deeper water. Last summer we were hand feeding a bass, but he must have been caught. One of the neighbors has stocked the small pond behind us with some fish he caught, and I have seem a couple big bass in there. |
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Post by smokeyoshi on Jun 9, 2014 13:33:23 GMT -5
Jordy is a thief! today he grabbed the spoon out of my hand and swam off with it. Stupid me, it was one of the matched set and not an old beater. Can't even trust a turtle.
And it turns out Red is a she, judging by her short tail and claws.
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Post by smokeyoshi on Jul 30, 2014 9:24:37 GMT -5
Dee (duck) had a buncha babies. So far 9 have made it to 3 weeks old, out of 13.   These videos are super sharp on my computer but pb makes them look like you're watching through a wet window. |
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Post by dookcitygang on Jul 30, 2014 12:42:24 GMT -5
Cute little ducklings.
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Post by dee517 on Jul 31, 2014 12:11:38 GMT -5
This is the mama and babies we have been watching. Ours are not as cute as yours. Ours are all brown no yellow at all. We still enjoy watching them and their mama. We are relived to see them each morning because we have seen fat coyotes around the park.  |
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Post by smokeyoshi on Aug 2, 2014 19:58:29 GMT -5
Haha. we should have a duckie playdate
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Post by huronna on Aug 3, 2014 8:08:34 GMT -5
I can't beleiev I have not been to this thread in ages. What wonderful stories and photos of natures wildlife.
My one question is...most of the ponds in our area with wildlife have a certain much larger animal....the alligator.
So doing what you guys have been doing is definite not done around here. I even encountered one in the parking lot of the supermarket a few years ago. Thought I would have a heart attack LOL
Keep those photos coming
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Post by smokeyoshi on Aug 3, 2014 10:33:51 GMT -5
Whenever a gator is spotted in one of the ponds, which has only happened once in the 3 years we've been here, it gets reported and removed asap. most of the people living on the ponds have small dogs. It is a treat to interact with al of it. BUT, accidents happen. Last night Momma nipped me and this morning Gamara, one of the BIG soft shells, bit down on my middle finger pretty good. I should have listened to Dar and not be so trusting of her and just toss her food. Her head is over half the size of my fist and she must weigh 30 lb. In the pic above Momma is the biggest turtle but Gams is at least twice her size. I need to get pics of her. There has recently bee another one her size, who looks older. She has bright yellow eyes. I named her Goldeneye, after the James Bond movie and one of my favorite N64 games, or Goldie for short.
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Post by smokeyoshi on Sept 12, 2014 17:13:50 GMT -5
I was on my way out to run errands and I found a Yellow belly slider in the middle of our road. She had been hit by a car and her carapace was busted pretty bad, but when I picked her up she could still move all of her legs and neck. I called the Marine Science Center in Ponce Inlet. They rehab mostly sea life, including sea turtles, but they said they do all native Florida wildlife. So I ran her up there, about 45 minutes in pouring rain. I dropped her off (no prognosis until evaluated) and on the way home, maybe a mile from the center, I found this little one in the middle of the road, in the rain, at rush hour  It's a Florida box turtle. No idea what sex because it never emerged. here is the front door  |
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Post by smokeyoshi on Mar 14, 2015 15:44:31 GMT -5
Today while we were doing some outdoor work we met up with Sheldon moving to his summer home in the pond in front of our place.   Coaxing Sheldon  Dar helped him with about 15 yards of transport. He's notfond of being handled, but once back on the ground at water's edge he didn't just bolt. An hour later we saw him floating behind Momma, who we haven't seen in a while. Yesterday was the first time we've seen 4 of the soft shells in a couple months. |
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Post by huronna on Mar 15, 2015 9:09:02 GMT -5
OK, how can you tell who is who? Did you write their names on their shells LOL
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Post by Dar24 on Mar 16, 2015 5:57:50 GMT -5
When you spend so much time with them its surprisingly easy to tell them apart.. This particular turtle when I finally got a good look I noticed it was a male.. We only have ever spotted one male of this species in the Pond (Sheldon). Plus Momma and Sheldon are the only two that get that covered in moss scum.. Momma has a back foot missing so she is easy to pick out when she comes up for feedings.. But she has been coming for four years now.. We recognize her face even while floating in the pond.. They all have different stripe markings.. Shell Markings.. sometimes different eye color or a mark on the shell or face that helps us to know we are seeing the same turtle over and over..
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Post by furballlover on Mar 16, 2015 6:08:35 GMT -5
That is just so neat! I would love to have that in my back yard.
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