baby snapping turtle
In our pre-cell-phones-with-camera-days, we came across a baby snapping turtle while doing one of our favourite walks at the Fyke Nature Center/Celery Farm. Each spring, female snappers from the pond would lay eggs in the piles of wood chips around the preserve.
Our baby snapper was, like me, directionally challenged — it was heading into the field, away from the pond. We set it in the right direction, each holding it briefly in our hands.
Turtles rank up there as one of my favourite repitles. We love watching them do their “turtle-cises:” pilates/aerobics/excericses (with their legs moving, bodies staying still) on logs sticking up out of the water into the warming sunlight.
Large aquatic turtles have an affinity for me. From the first encounter in the early 1980s at the Vancouver Aquarium to more recently visits to James A McFaul Environmental Center, turtles in bigger tanks will follow me as I walk along their exhibit. If I stop, they “treadwater” to look at me. Okay, so there is the concept of motion, but they do seem attracted. Perhaps I was a turtle in one of my past lives . . .
On this national repitle day, who is your favourite reptile? So many to chose from, 1046 (give or take)!
October 22, 2021 at 2:50 am
I like turtles too but my favourite repiles are lizards and salamanders.
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October 27, 2021 at 12:49 am
I like salamanders, too. Haven’t met too many lizards.
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October 27, 2021 at 2:51 am
Lol lizards are so fast, Salamanders are slower but sometimes too big to approach but beautiful 💜
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October 21, 2021 at 12:02 pm
Ohhhhhhhh stunning!! I LOVE turtles – not just the chocolate bites – but the real thing, they are so super amazing – so incredible, so resilient, such a force of nature, for how they manage – I mean, it’s mind blowing, totally mind blowing. And they’re some of the oldest creatures on the planet! Whoot!
I think it’s beyond amazing and so special that you’ve had such awesome sightings, viewings, interactions, both in the wilds of the outdoors or in enclosed spaces. You’ve mentioned before how they seem to engage and interact with you, even if separated by glass …. and I think that’s pretty cool. At any rate, it certainly seems to me that you bond – and are lucky to have such endearing memories that mean so much to you. So wonderful — I know you treasure them deeply. :)
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October 23, 2021 at 12:39 pm
I remember our chocolate turtle conversations. And, had meant to tell you, the local Walgreen’s (no relation to Wall Drug) drug store has been selling dark chocolate king size turtle “bars” — four lovely gooey chewy ahh moments! I won’t fess up to how many I’ve bought since I discovered them — at least they were usually on sale 2 for . . .
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October 23, 2021 at 1:26 pm
hahahahha! Brilliant! that’s a bonus – and you’re secret is safe with me …. I’m still on the look out for the dark choco version — haven’t chanced across since way back when they introduced it as a limited edition thing …. but the traditional ones are delish! I like the “one-bite” size – just right to pop in the mouth and savour!
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