Stories from the Rescue Files

Shell E

Shell E is a wild box turtle who arrived here on her own, bleeding from the wounds caused by someone's dog using her for a chew stick. These needy animals seem to always show up at my door, it must be fate. Naturally the day she arrived here was a Sunday in May of 2001, when all the vets are closed. I brought her inside, cleaned her up, bandaged her wounds and waited for Monday morning.

Monday I took her in to see our veterinarian who was willing to try to repair her broken shell. Luckily for Shell E her most dangerous break was located along the marginal scutes of her left side. There was damage to the marginal scutes around most of her carapace, but none of that dog tooth damage caused bleeding. A few scutes were missing in the caudal area of the carapace but also not bleeding.

The main problem was to repair that break which was rubbing against her skin under the shell causing her to seep blood and obviously causing pain. Wire sutures did the trick for her. The vet drilled corresponding holes in the carapace and the plastron in order to pull her back together; then he connected her with wire suture.

The amazing thing was this wild animal knew she was being helped. She fought us until the repair began. Then she stopped fighting because once that piece of shell was pulled away from her skin where it was rubbing and cutting her she immediately felt better. She knew she was being helped and visibly relaxed as the repair went on. Since that time, she behaves like a pet. She knows her humans; she does not feel threatened by humans. She does however remember what a dog is.

One day she will be returned to the semi-wild. Because we live in her natural habitat she will return to the great outdoors to live but it will be a captive outdoor area, a sanctuary for box turtles. This won't happen until she's completely healed.

Here she is, Shell E: You can still see a bit of pink color where the wounds were fresh.

Jan McArthur, RVT