For those that don't know, I volunteer at an Aquarium one a week. I just switched days from Saturdays to Thursdays. So today was a VERY eventful day.

I got to help take care of one of our aligators who had a pretty nasty bite by one of our turtles...and then the big news......I got to "ride" a Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle. Let me explain.

Daisy, the turtle, got curious today and ended up chewing a piece of rope off of a tending pole and swallowed it. This happened about 4:30 as the aquarium was getting ready to close and everybody go home. My shift usually ends at 5, but I volunteered to go with her to the animal hospital.

The lady I work with drove the van while I got to ride in the back holding onto Daisy trying to keep her calm. Now Daisy is a pretty good sized turtle...and I'm not exactly a super model so I though I wouldn't have much problems controlling her.

Let me tell you how WRONG I was. I was literally laying on top of her trying to keep her in place while she was dragging me all over the back of the van. (I'm laughing about it now but...ow wait, I was laughing then to)

I called my parents to let them know I wouldn't be able to make dinner with them tonight and my mom asked me why where was I. I asked if she wanted the truth and she said yes. I started laughing and told her I was in the back of a van laying ontop of a sea turtle. My mom was quiet for a minute and said "You're what?" THe lady who was driving started cracking up laughing. I said man this is so crazy I can't lie about it. My mom started laughing and told me she was looking forward to hearing the story.

So anyway, I "rode" Daisy to the vet, and I "rode" Daisy back from the vet once the drugs started wearing off. I gotts tell ya, she was pulling me every where and hitting me with her flippers :lol: Oh man, I just bet it was funny to watch.

Anyway, I finally got home about 10 tonight and I'm exhausted and sore now. Hope you enjoy reading this, b/c I enjoyed it while it happened.

Oh by the wat, Daisy is fine, the Vet was able to scope her and pull the rope back up. By the way, I got to help with that procedure :) When the pictures are developed, I'll post some on here.

D

:lol: Are we gonna look inside a sea turtle's tummy? Up close?? :eek: :lol:

i would have stolen it and used it as a transportation device.

LOL!

What kind of mileage does she get?

That is SOOOO cool!!!

That's awesome! I'd love to see pics.

And how does a TURTLE bite an alligator?! lol.

Very cool!! You're really lucky!!

My brother once took a vacation in Sri Lanka (well - not a real vacation, but it was just as expensive). You pay to go and sleep in a hut on the beach around the time sea turtles hatch from their egg nests. Then, its your job (at night) to help the little guys make it to the water safely.
There's no washrooms or running water and its all quite primitive, but for those who love animals - and especially endangered ones, its an incredible experience and priviledge to be a part of it!

That's a great story!

Cool!

Very cool!! You're really lucky!!

My brother once took a vacation in Sri Lanka (well - not a real vacation, but it was just as expensive). You pay to go and sleep in a hut on the beach around the time sea turtles hatch from their egg nests. Then, its your job (at night) to help the little guys make it to the water safely.
There's no washrooms or running water and its all quite primitive, but for those who love animals - and especially endangered ones, its an incredible experience and priviledge to be a part of it!

That's a great story!
Wow! I know what my next adventure after Americorps is!

Would it be possible for you to get me more information?

LOL! That's hilarious, Dannie! :lol: Why didn't you video-tape it??? :mad: ....... It could've won something on America's Funniest Home Videos. :p

So now... tell us the story about the time you got bitten by that fish again? :D

Wow! I know what my next adventure after Americorps is!

Would it be possible for you to get me more information?

Now that I look again - I was wrong - wasn't in Sri Lanka - I think it was Costa Rica. He did it in the mid-80s, so I'll have to ask him how he found out about it. In the meantime, I'm googling stuff to see if I can find anything. Here's one website that might interest you. Also - that polar bear observation trip in Churchill, Manitoba is a good one. They get a lot of Americans in it. They come right into town in the spring looking for food.

http://away.com/activities/nature_observation/index.html

here's another link:

http://www.cccturtle.org/program.htm

LOL! That's hilarious, Dannie! :lol: Why didn't you video-tape it??? :mad: ....... It could've won something on America's Funniest Home Videos. :p

So now... tell us the story about the time you got bitten by that fish again? :D

I'm sorry I do not recall that story. :D

If we would have had a camera at the aquarium I'm sure it would have been video taped. I've actually got several bruises on my arms and legs from her hitting me with her flippers, but I don't mind. I wouldn't want anyone taking me out of my nice water environment into a van and down some bumpy roads either.

Yes there will be pictures inside her mouth. I'll be getting copies of them all. I don't know when I'll get them but I will post them when I get 'em.

D

What kind of mileage does she get?

Well...if we count the mileage she went being in a van..... ;)

I gotta say, I never realized how strong they were. she would just flap her front flippers down and pull us wherever she wanted to go. It was nuts.

D

That's awesome! I'd love to see pics.

And how does a TURTLE bite an alligator?! lol.


How does a turtle bite an alligator??? Very carefully. :lol: Spike is a VERY aggressive Alligator Snapping Turtle. Snap is a juvenile American Alligator and pretty much a wuss. I don't know what the situation was (wasn't there somebody else saw it and told us) but Spike took a pretty good chunk out of Snap's lip. He'll be fine though. We cleaned him up and put him back on exhibit that day. The vet says we might need to move Spike to another exhibit by himself so he won't bite anyone else.

D

That is so cool, by the way this they name the turtle after Daisy Duke

That is so cool, by the way this they name the turtle after Daisy Duke


No idea. Daisy already had her name when she came to our aquarium 15 years ago. No idea who named her.

D

LOL, that's awesome! I'm almost envious, I've always wanted to be involved with something like that. Oh well, I guess I'll stick to rescuing dogs and kitties :D