Turtle power

One day a few years ago Baby Elaine (who is actually 23) said, “I want to have a turtle.” Why would I care? A few reasons, other than that I’m a mother and mothers are supposed to care.

1. Elaine rarely asks for things

2. Up until a few years ago, Elaine rarely talked.

There is probably a third reason that accounts for the first two – she’s the fourth of four very verbal kids and was, until the third left home, unable to get a word in edgewise. In short, guilt.

OK, so I’m thinking back to my childhood. Small turtle, big fish bowl, lives three to five years. Much like a hamster (except hamsters are mammals and don’t have to eat food in water.) Off to the store we went.

Shock #1. Turtles - $45! (Compared to hamsters at $7.99.)

#2. Life expectancy of a Red Eared Slider – 25 to 40 years! (Compared to hamsters of three to five.)

#3. Cost of start-up kit for a turtle – more than $200. (Compared to $49.95 and the store throws in the hamster.)

#4. Males grow to the size of a side dish (and I don’t mean food, here) and females to the size of a plate!

But here we were at the pet store and Elaine had already picked a turtle out. It was the hyperactive one – the yang to her yin, I supposed. She called it Trip, after Trip Tucker from “Enterprise” - the Star Trek prequel. Trip the character was from Texas, and so was the red eared slider, originally. Made sense to her!

Trip was the little turtle that grew, as did his maintenance and cost – filters are not cheap, nor are 60 gallon aquariums. And when Elaine, my hubby and I all wanted to go away at the same time, we had to take Trip to turtle day care.

You see, turtle care involves heaters, UV lighting, scooping, water cleaning, and “out of habitat” time - in addition to feeding turtle pellets and veggies and fruits from “the list.”

But Elaine was happy. She enjoyed walking into her room and having her turtle go “flail, flail, flail” – thinking it was feeding time. And eat he did! Trip the male turtle mysteriously grew to the platter size of a female.

Our turtle sitter explained to us that Trip was actually “Trippette” – a female.

Oh! Elaine continued to call her Trip – but I added an extra “p” in respect of her gender.

Alas, the time came when we couldn’t get our turtle sitter. All of us are going to be away for over two weeks this Christmas and our (St.) Frances (not her real name) was overbooked with commitments to family, fur, fins and scales.

Not willing to give up my holidays for a turtle – yes, I am self-centred – I suggested to Elaine that Tripp would have to find a new home. Besides, Elaine is hoping to move to Korea next summer and we’d have to rehome Tripp anyway.

I like the idea of turtles, but the demanding schedule of turtle care? Not so much.

I found three people willing to take Tripp off our hands, er, give her a loving home. The first was an exotic animal breeder in the North Bay area and I knew from people who know him, that Tripp would be well cared for there. Tripp’s offspring could populate northern Ontario – indoors of course, since red eared sliders cannot tolerate the cold.

The second was a lady who wanted company for her male turtle, who she felt was lonely. And I have no doubt that shell-y things can bond – you’ve heard of the story of friendship between the hippo and the tortoise – Owen and Mzee (www.owenandmzee.com.)

But Tripp is actually not a sociable turtle and is particularly aggressive toward males. Frances tried to have Tripp share the outdoor pool in the summer time with her friendly male. Tripp doesn’t play well with others.

The third was from a friend of mine. Her daughter had a birthday coming up and had expressed interest in having a turtle. I love these folks – and have spent time with them, and they with me, over cat cafés and cat adoptions. I suggested the mom talk to Elaine.

Elaine warned them that Tripp was a large turtle, but I don’t think the dad “got” how large until he arrived to pack up the accessories and Tripp. Elaine and I both held our breath. I acknowledge that many cultures see turtles are food animals, not friends – but we’d had Tripp for almost three years.

We ought not to have worried. I wrote a note to the mom letting her know that if for any reason they weren’t happy, the lad in North Bay would be happy to take her ... And here is the assuring note the mom wrote back.

“So far she is being enjoyed by the family very much. She is welcomed addition. We didn't know that having a turtle could be so interesting. She has established a walking trek in the house already. She seems to enjoy this trek very much, as do we.

Tell Elaine that I will get Betty (the older sister – not her real name) to send you some pictures. She was very happy clicking away as Tripp was unveiled to Heather (the birthday girl – not the real name.)”

PHEW! YAY!

Elaine misses Tripp a lot – she misses being greeted when she enters her room. I suggested she leave her door open and a number of our cats would be happy to purr at her from their various locations on her bed, the laundry on the floor, the stacks of clutter on her desk, and (sob) the empty space on her dresser.

I guess Elaine isn’t that lonely – her bedroom door still stays closed, and she has covered Tripp’s old spot with a shrine of turtle statues that she has been collecting over the years.

We learned from our hairstylist, Lynn at Cutting Corner (her real name and her real shop,) that there was an extreme makeover show with a turtle-obsessed gal. She was told never again to wear her turtle jewellery, turtle clothes, turtle shoes, turtle purse, etc. And was asked the question, “Don’t you think that (turtle wardrobe) was a little weird?”

The questions Elaine and I want to ask are, “How can we get in touch with this woman, and will she do a package deal?”

Jan Carrie Steven is a volunteer with Cat Adoption Trust Sudbury (CATS) and the co-ordinator of Small Things: Cats & Books & Things. For more information, go to www.smallthings.ca.