Jackie the Turtle: May 29th, 2008 - May 31st, 2009
May you rest in peace, my friend.
We came home from the dog park today to find Jackie lifeless in her habitat, nictitating membranes down, floating peacefully.
Jackie on her first day.
Her life was a struggle, as most lives are, but I was hoping that since we gotten her through the winter she could get back outside to her turtlearium and back into the real sun, exercise, and real food, but her first foray out seemed to be more of a strain than a boon. Previously she had started showing some signs of weakness. Really beginning to be noticeable a few weeks after the dog-incident; her shell was softening and losing more skutes in the damaged area, but she seemed to be pretty active and on her feed.
Her shell damage and internal duress were a strain I'm sure, and with many animals they tend to instinctively hide any signs of illness or weakness to protect themselves from wary predators for as long as they can, until really they are close to collapse.
I feel badly for her, we did what we could, and she made it through her initial eye infection and was going like a trooper going into last winter. It just goes to show how the first year mortality is such a tough hurdle. I'm not sure what else we could have done, except for intravenous vitamins, perhaps. How far do you go? And hindsight is even better than 20/20.
Best wishes my friend, we will think of you fondly.
Peace. We love you.
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