Other Turtle Discussion :: I found my turtle....dead

[jenaero]

i saw them. Check your PMs.

[marisa]

A turtle's heart can continue to beat for quite a while after the turtle appears dead. I'm not trying to raise hopes here, just want you to be sure...

[TexasJagsFan]

I'm sorry, but you said she died 3 months ago?

If she is showing signs of life after being dead? that long, that is truly amazing.

[jenaero]

no, he lost her..like she crawled away 3 months ago.. From looking at the pics, I think there's a good chance she's alive..

[TurtleBot]

My hopes are with you

[marisa]

Well, that would be good news. From the way G initially described the turtle, I imagined almost a skeleton.

[TexasJagsFan]

Oh okay. Either way it's still truly amazing. Best of wishes to you.

G- Have you been able to find a vet yet?

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

well she started to smell, so i buried her. she was almost a skelton, when i looked were her body is supposed to be in her shell, it was almost half empty. poor thing must have been living off of bugs and such. no water around here though.

[marisa]

I'm really sorry this didn't turn out better...

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

well my mom made me unbury her (eww). so now i have her back in the shallow water tank, in the back yard. i was just wondering, wat if she is hibernating? how do you wake up a turtle from hibernation? she is still really flexible though. how long dose it take for a dead turtle to stiffin up?

[marisa]

Why was she dug up? You live in CA--are you in the mountains? What is the temp there? No, I don't think she's hibernating.

How long has it been since you discovered her? There hasn't been any response to anything you've done at all? How long was she buried for? No movement whatsoever? If the nose is under the water, nothing? If you gently put on the neck, is there any sign of life (will the head come out of the shell?) I don't know why she hasn't stiffened, unless she's beyond that...

If there's absolutely no response, tomorrow I'd find a nice peaceful place and bury her--bury her deep enough so no animals can dig her up. She had what I think probably was a bad death--let her rest in peace.

[jenaero]

I thought about suggesting digging her up too but I didn't want to make you think you buried a live turtle because it sounds like you didn't. I can understand how your mom feels though because I waited until the last possible moment to flush my goldfish. Each time one died, I waited about 20 min just to make sure there was no movement. If I were in your situation I'd probably keep her in the water until the smell made it evident.

[TexasJagsFan]

I still would contact a vet, they may be able to do something?

[STRAYKINGFISHER]

I would put her back in the ground and let her rest in peace. Sorry about your turtle, I was hoping you would find her in better conditions.

RIP donna.

[GouzlanTheAmerican]

Well my parents just cant decide wat to do. i already know she is dead. her eyes are clody, starting to smell, not stiffining up though. i live in cali by the coast. no responses watsoever, she was buried for about 10 minutes. her noise was above water, no sings of life watsoever. anyway i buried her right were i lost her, i filled the hole with some water. made it nice and deep so that animals cant get to her. poor thing, died of dehydration. anyway i am trying not to be saddened, and move on. but even if she was just a pet i still loved her.