"CHIP"
While driving to work in early October I found "Chip" sitting on the road. He had been hit by a car only moments before I found him. The front third of his carapace was shattered into three pieces! I could see inside his body cavity. I thought he was dead at first but then he moved his head and looked at me--I could not believe that he had survived with such horrible damage to is shell. I gently removed him from the road and looked closer at his damaged shell. I discovered that his carapace was broken into three pieces that were barely attached--it was so sad that it brought tears to my eyes right there on the side of the road. It is unbelievable to me that on such a straight, quiet stretch of road that passes through a State forest, that a driver would still hit a turtle attempting to cross the road! The other horrifying possibility is that the person hit this turtle on purpose! For a person to attempt to kill a defenseless, slow moving animal in such a way is the absolute bottom of humanity. I honestly hope that that is not what happened in this case. Whatever the case "Chip" was in sad shape so I conducted a makeshift repair using electrical tape to hold the pieces of his shell in place until I could get back to Earthshine where I had adequate first aid to "fix" his shell in the correct manner.
Once back at Earthshine I cleaned his shell, applied antibiotic ointment and then an epoxy shell patch (the white substence on Chip's shell--this will be painted soon to better match his shell) to hold the shell in place until it can heal. I also discovered that Chip's left eye may have been injured in the accident as well as an area of torn skin behind his head.
The next day Chip visited the veterinarian who prescribed antibiotics and a special wash to keep Chip's skin injury clean until it heals.
UPDATE: Early November. Chip is doing very well and will spend the winter at a special turtle rehab facility in Asheville, NC where he will be able to be kept warm all winter so he can heal. In the spring he will move back to Earthshine and live at the Earthshine R & R until he heals enough to be released at his discovery location--this may take awhile but turtles have amazing powers of regeneration and immune strength so hopefully Chip will one day roam the forests again.
Rose and Chip bask in the October sun.
UPDATE: April 2008. Chip died in late March due to the severity of his injuries. Let the video below serve as a memorial of his life.
CLICK HERE FOR HOMEPAGE
Once back at Earthshine I cleaned his shell, applied antibiotic ointment and then an epoxy shell patch (the white substence on Chip's shell--this will be painted soon to better match his shell) to hold the shell in place until it can heal. I also discovered that Chip's left eye may have been injured in the accident as well as an area of torn skin behind his head.
The next day Chip visited the veterinarian who prescribed antibiotics and a special wash to keep Chip's skin injury clean until it heals.
UPDATE: Early November. Chip is doing very well and will spend the winter at a special turtle rehab facility in Asheville, NC where he will be able to be kept warm all winter so he can heal. In the spring he will move back to Earthshine and live at the Earthshine R & R until he heals enough to be released at his discovery location--this may take awhile but turtles have amazing powers of regeneration and immune strength so hopefully Chip will one day roam the forests again.
Rose and Chip bask in the October sun.
UPDATE: April 2008. Chip died in late March due to the severity of his injuries. Let the video below serve as a memorial of his life.
CLICK HERE FOR HOMEPAGE
UPDATE: Early November. Chip is doing very well and will spend the winter at a special turtle rehab facility in Asheville, NC where he will be able to be kept warm all winter so he can heal. In the spring he will move back to Earthshine and live at the Earthshine R & R until he heals enough to be released at his discovery location--this may take awhile but turtles have amazing powers of regeneration and immune strength so hopefully Chip will one day roam the forests again.
Rose and Chip bask in the October sun.
UPDATE: April 2008. Chip died in late March due to the severity of his injuries. Let the video below serve as a memorial of his life.
CLICK HERE FOR HOMEPAGE
UPDATE: April 2008. Chip died in late March due to the severity of his injuries. Let the video below serve as a memorial of his life.
CLICK HERE FOR HOMEPAGE