For the past few weeks we’ve noticed a box turtle hanging out in our backyard. Almost every day we would see him/her out and about looking for food. Plus…enjoying the sunshine. We always make sure to keep our distance from wildlife as we want them to remain WILD and healthy.
With that said…we started noticing some weird behavior. The box turtle was moving more slowly and often times just looked weak. Once we noticed that…we started to pay more attention. After about a week we called a local wildlife officer and had him come out to take a look. Yes…for a turtle! All life is precious!!!
He arrived the following day and checked out the box turtle. Well…guess what? He was indeed injured! His back left foot had a nasty looking infection and underneath his shell he had a slight crack. I’m so glad we called an expert to come out and take a look instead of just ignoring it.
The wildlife officer took the turtle with him that day to received vet care. I got a phone call the following day thanking me for caring. The officer said that I clearly saved the turtle’s life. His leg had 3 different bacterias growing in it along with a few maggots. The officer told me that the turtle is getting medical treatment and is expected to live. He’s at a rehab center getting all of the care that he needs.
If you see wildlife that appears to be sick or injured…please call your local authorities and have them come out. Don’t just walk away and ignore it. You can save a life by being observant and proactive!
Not everbody would have notice or made a call.
Thank you for your kindness and attention to this turtle. How fortunate that it can now get help and treatment.