" First Love / Clemmys guttata Story "

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Inspired by @Mark84 .. for @Anthony P -

This story started in 1999 .. and continued on until 2008 - and was revived in 2011 for a short time.
Most likely this will go on for some time.. any and all questions / comments are always welcome -- anyone who starts getting technical or starts talking "scientific" will suffer the wrath of The Turtle GOD! ... and you don't want that :eek:

Not sure where to start - how about the end first.. and then how it began.. the process...

April 2007 these little F2 ( 2nd generation ) hatched - yes that's a nickel -



They came from eggs like these -



Laid by a female like this - she's 4" SCL -



And this is the simple set-up that started all this -



Over the 8-9 year span many things were learned.. many sights seen and many people met.

Next we'll take a look at some of the " habitats " these incredible creatures live in.. in the wild .. and captivity!

 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
This is a road that runs in front of this old "Plantation".. on the way to Edisto Island, SC -



The back side of the old Mansion .. imagine if those walls could talk?!

Behind locked gates -



And looking thru the gates -



We're about to look down the road and see what it looks like on both sides of the road!


 

Pearly

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
5,287
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas, Austin area
Inspired by @Mark84 .. for @Anthony P -

This story started in 1999 .. and continued on until 2008 - and was revived in 2011 for a short time.
Most likely this will go on for some time.. any and all questions / comments are always welcome -- anyone who starts getting technical or starts talking "scientific" will suffer the wrath of The Turtle GOD! ... and you don't want that :eek:

Not sure where to start - how about the end first.. and then how it began.. the process...

April 2007 these little F2 ( 2nd generation ) hatched - yes that's a nickel -



They came from eggs like these -



Laid by a female like this - she's 4" SCL -



And this is the simple set-up that started all this -



Over the 8-9 year span many things were learned.. many sights seen and many people met.

Next we'll take a look at some of the " habitats " these incredible creatures live in.. in the wild .. and captivity!

These are the tiniest-cutest babies I've ever seen!!!
 

Pearly

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
5,287
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas, Austin area
This is a road that runs in front of this old "Plantation".. on the way to Edisto Island, SC -



The back side of the old Mansion .. imagine if those walls could talk?!

Behind locked gates -



And looking thru the gates -



We're about to look down the road and see what it looks like on both sides of the road!


The place looks like there's magic there:) i love old plantations
 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
@Pearly .. yeah imagine on those grounds with a metal detector and a shovel?!!!

[ again .. on the way to Edisto Island, South Carolina - maybe 10 miles away ]

One of the 'sites' in that area -

Anyway.. backed up and got this view -



And one of my ALL TIME favorite pics -



On down the road -- wonder if there are spotted turtles in there ??? - :rolleyes:





It just went on and on!

AND .. then I saw them - ( signs.. signs.. everywhere signs ) -



Now here I am with this 2' dia. net on a 12' long handle.. at the edge of this --- with this 'name' on the front plate of our car - [ talk about stupid ] -



AND OUT OF THE SKY DROPS THIS HUGE 'DUALLY' TRUCK.. with an even bigger "native" African American 'good-ole-boy' South Carolina Wildlife Officer hangin' out of it - with a gun pointed at me [ the end of that barrel had to be 3" in dia. ].. and roars ( must have been heard in Cincinnati, OH ) --- WAAUDOINBOY?!?!

One of those " You'll never forget it " moments...


 

Pearly

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
5,287
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas, Austin area
@Pearly .. yeah imagine on those grounds with a metal detector and a shovel?!!!

[ again .. on the way to Edisto Island, South Carolina - maybe 10 miles away ]

One of the 'sites' in that area -

Anyway.. backed up and got this view -



And one of my ALL TIME favorite pics -



On down the road -- wonder if there are spotted turtles in there ??? - :rolleyes:





It just went on and on!

AND .. then I saw them - ( signs.. signs.. everywhere signs ) -



Now here I am with this 2' dia. net on a 12' long handle.. at the edge of this --- with this 'name' on the front plate of our car - [ talk about stupid ] -



AND OUT OF THE SKY DROPS THIS HUGE 'DUALLY' TRUCK.. with an even bigger "native" African American 'good-ole-boy' South Carolina Wildlife Officer hangin' out of it - with a gun pointed at me [ the end of that barrel had to be 3" in dia. ].. and roars ( must have been heard in Cincinnati, OH ) --- WAAUDOINBOY?!?!

One of those " You'll never forget it " moments...


And...,and?.... What happened????
 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Pearly I obviously survived it -- actually he didn't catch me trespassing or I would probably still be there. He told me to get back in the car.. and don't get out again! I asked him if I could get my net.. which he allowed me to do.

This is about Edisto ( no commercial motels.. only private owned rentals / timeshare and camping ) - a great place to visit to walk the beach and pick-up seashells!!!

http://www.edistobeach.com/

One of the 'sites' in that area - http://www.cypressgardens.info/ .. what a shock to find it was flooded - have many pics and memories from there - [ don't let that 3rd one scare you! ] - this first one was taken from a row boat out among them!












Back to the "Spotted Turtle" story next.

Pearly - wonder why you're the only one participating? Everybody afraid of 'the wrath'...???
 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
While visiting "Cypress Gardens" in 1999 - they were in the process of creating an alligator display. Thru a series of events I met the Director of Herpetology of South Carolina who had an interest in a pair of Leopard tortoises I had at the time. Arrangements were made with Cypress Gardens to trade for 1.4(?) spotted turtles. That's when it began!

Early 2000 those females laid something like 20 eggs. And they did virtually the same thing in 2001!

This is a sampling of the 2 & 3 year olds' -




The "Alpha" Male - note how dark the face -



Somewhere during his growth he had a 'bite' taken out of a marginal scute.. didn't stop him -



And this Female beauty -



Not the best 'face' pic.. but note the difference in colors -



Actually I liked the SC locale best because of face/head colors and much fewer "spots" on carapace.

You'll see what I mean next!!!

@Pearly isn't the only one that likes these spotted turtles... come on guys.. say something?!?
 

Pearly

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
5,287
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas, Austin area
Pearly I obviously survived it -- actually he didn't catch me trespassing or I would probably still be there. He told me to get back in the car.. and don't get out again! I asked him if I could get my net.. which he allowed me to do.

This is about Edisto ( no commercial motels.. only private owned rentals / timeshare and camping ) - a great place to visit to walk the beach and pick-up seashells!!!

http://www.edistobeach.com/

One of the 'sites' in that area - http://www.cypressgardens.info/ .. what a shock to find it was flooded - have many pics and memories from there - [ don't let that 3rd one scare you! ] - this first one was taken from a row boat out among them!












Back to the "Spotted Turtle" story next.

Pearly - wonder why you're the only one participating? Everybody afraid of 'the wrath'...???
I love a good story straight from the storyteller's mouth. That's the inner child in me. So, please carry on:) p.s. Love the butterly& catterpillar picture. Too funny!
 

Pearly

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
5,287
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas, Austin area
While visiting "Cypress Gardens" in 1999 - they were in the process of creating an alligator display. Thru a series of events I met the Director of Herpetology of South Carolina who had an interest in a pair of Leopard tortoises I had at the time. Arrangements were made with Cypress Gardens to trade for 1.4(?) spotted turtles. That's when it began!

Early 2000 those females laid something like 20 eggs. And they did virtually the same thing in 2001!

This is a sampling of the 2 & 3 year olds' -




The "Alpha" Male - note how dark the face -



Somewhere during his growth he had a 'bite' taken out of a marginal scute.. didn't stop him -



And this Female beauty -



Not the best 'face' pic.. but note the difference in colors -



Actually I liked the SC locale best because of face/head colors and much fewer "spots" on carapace.

You'll see what I mean next!!!

@Pearly isn't the only one that likes these spotted turtles... come on guys.. say something?!?
Now quit sounding disappointed with my reading at ungodly hours of the night! You gonna hurt my feelings:) Normal people probably SLEEP at this time. I LOVE those little turtles. See, this world of reptiles is pretty new to me. Just kinda fell into it by default and had no idea I'd enjoy it so much. All this is new, and that's probably I find your stories so fascinating and enthralling, and keep wanting to hear MORE. Nothing beats a good story that's well illustrated! Love the pictures! I'm like a 50 yr old kid who can't get enough :) the older I get, the more I seem to enjoy stuff that I used to love in childhood. But... Wait a minute... I think that's normal part of the aging process
 

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Yes, please continue. Beautiful pics and you tell it so well, I almost feel I was on the same trip. That may also be why not a lot of postings from others. Thanks for the alert to it.
 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Thanks you two! .. I was trained by the best! And being a natural makes it easy -- some are.. and they take advantage of it for personal gain ( at the expense of others' ) -- some are and are able to "give-what-has-been-given them" to help / bring a smile.. to others.

Those that are willing to read and learn.. I have it all to share -- the "think-they-are's" [ just to be heard ] get not a micro-second.

*********

I mentioned earlier how I liked the SC locale best - this incredible beauty came to me later ( mid - '04 ) and I don't remember if she made babies or not(?)! THE ABSOLUTE PRETTIEST OF THE CLEMMYS GUTTATA I'VE SEEN!!!





Enormous spots in total symmetry - left to right -



 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
Love the orange colors and big spot size. My favorites are the orange to red colorations but prefer the high spot - big spot ones.

Those are fantastic turtles!!

Me too - @Markw84 - I was blessed over those 9 years to meet a few real gems in the "Spotted turtle" community.

As I recall [ 2000? ] Steve B lobbied to get C. guttata on the "Species of Concern" in South Carolina. We sat on his back deck and talked spotted turtles - he introduced me to those who knew/had spotted turtles to get me started.

And the two "C" brothers who gave me one of my first pairs.. and best breeder's. Before the designation they were Steve's "biggest enemies" because they had grown up in the territory and knew where all of the spotted turtles were - so they caught and sold untold numbers [ for profit ] .. and they couldn't be touched! Again before .. SC was open game.

Yes... the "good-ole-daze"!

LET'S SEE SOME BABIES......
 

Redfoot NERD

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
3,666
Location (City and/or State)
Tennessee
You talking to me? Or setting up your next post. I can show babies, but don't want to hijack your thread....

haha .. actually setting up the next post @Markw84

Sure.. do you know the locale of your 'spotteds' .. or are they a "mix"? A brief info would be good.

Let's compare baby pics --- I need a break anyway Mark...
 

Moozillion

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
10,744
Location (City and/or State)
Louisiana, USA
While visiting "Cypress Gardens" in 1999 - they were in the process of creating an alligator display. Thru a series of events I met the Director of Herpetology of South Carolina who had an interest in a pair of Leopard tortoises I had at the time. Arrangements were made with Cypress Gardens to trade for 1.4(?) spotted turtles. That's when it began!

Early 2000 those females laid something like 20 eggs. And they did virtually the same thing in 2001!

This is a sampling of the 2 & 3 year olds' -




The "Alpha" Male - note how dark the face -



Somewhere during his growth he had a 'bite' taken out of a marginal scute.. didn't stop him -



And this Female beauty -



Not the best 'face' pic.. but note the difference in colors -



Actually I liked the SC locale best because of face/head colors and much fewer "spots" on carapace.

You'll see what I mean next!!!

@Pearly isn't the only one that likes these spotted turtles... come on guys.. say something?!?
GORGEOUS!!!!!
I have considered keeping them, but figured I'd best start with an easy species native to my area.:p
 

Moozillion

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
10,744
Location (City and/or State)
Louisiana, USA
Thanks you two! .. I was trained by the best! And being a natural makes it easy -- some are.. and they take advantage of it for personal gain ( at the expense of others' ) -- some are and are able to "give-what-has-been-given them" to help / bring a smile.. to others.

Those that are willing to read and learn.. I have it all to share -- the "think-they-are's" [ just to be heard ] get not a micro-second.

*********

I mentioned earlier how I liked the SC locale best - this incredible beauty came to me later ( mid - '04 ) and I don't remember if she made babies or not(?)! THE ABSOLUTE PRETTIEST OF THE CLEMMYS GUTTATA I'VE SEEN!!!





Enormous spots in total symmetry - left to right -



YOWZA!!!! :):):)
 

New Posts

Top