Category: Animal Stories

What could be better, amongst high tech aficionados, than 3-D printing? Why, 3-D printing that makes life better for reptiles, of course!

A recent article shone a spotlight on a scuted creature in distress that was assisted in a very hard-shelled way by this new technology. It seems that Moses, a Gulf coast box turtle at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport, was utterly immobile, as it was missing its two back legs. Cue a colleague of its keeper, who goes by the redditor moniker of jawscritters, as well as jawscritters’ enthusiastic reddit 3-D printer community. Their suggestions led to Moses being equipped with a 3-D printed wheelchair that allows him to scoot around with ease. The rear wheels are held in place by means of a harness strapped over the domed creature’s shell.

And it really does mean the turtle goes…zoom!

The article details other recent creative tech solutions to reptilian problems. One creation mentioned was a LEGO wheelchair designed to help heal a turtle’s cracked shell without the risk of further injury. A LEGO car kit replaced another turtle’s missing back legs with a pair of wheels that would be the envy of many a toy-car enthusiast. And a 3-D printed harness helped weigh down yet another turtle suffering from…well, bubble-butt syndrome (Yes, it afflicts turtles too, though differently than it does humans).

Even better for others who might find a terrapin in similar need: the designs used for Moses’ wheelchair have been made public online, so they are available to all.

Let’s hear it for those who put their love of tech to such a kind and worthy cause!

Shortly after the Covid lockdown, RARN got a phone call from a worried resident of Woodland Hills. The person had found a gravely injured turtle—an adult female map turtle, “Mappie”, to be precise—in their front driveway. They had no idea what to do but found RARN and soon brought the animal in. Mappie’s front feet had been chewed off by some predator, probably a raccoon. She was no doubt in pain and would probably have died if the neighbor had not contacted RARN.

Sabine Bradley, RARN’s president, had cared for similar wounds on a red-eared slider before and knew what to do. Mappie was put on the antibiotic Baytril (using the correct dose for her size) and was kept spotlessly clean. During the day Mappie was brought out of the water and put into a container with a towel to let her dry out and give the wounds time to heal. Slowly but surely (well, she IS a turtle!) Mappie’s injured tissues dried up and fell off. She was getting better.

A few weeks later, because the neighbor had put out flyers about finding a stray turtle, RARN got another call: Mappie’s owner, who lived next door to the neighbor! He had a large outdoor pond with a number of turtles and was horrified that his turtle had been taken or had wandered away. Sabine told him she was happy to give Mappie back but she could not release her in her present condition; she was still too injured and needed continued doses of antibiotic. The owner was content to wait until his turtle was ready to come home.

That just happened last weekend! Five months after Mappie had her very sad adventure, she had a joyous homecoming. And she came home to a brand-new, beautiful indoor pond. Her owner decided it was too risky to have his animals subject to predators outside.

Here is a picture of the happy reunion!

Hi, I’m Godzuki, a common green iguana (Iguana iguana) from Central America.

Know why I’m smiling?

Because I made it! When I was about three months old, I was picked up off the streets of West Hollywood by two kind gentlemen. They kept me warm and safe until they could leave me with RARN. Boy, was I sick! A lady treated me in her home for malnutrition, severe dehydration, and a bad case of intestinal parasites.

For the past 21 years I’ve had fresh fruits and vegetables to eat, some direct sunlight, a daily warm shower or two, and plenty of high places to climb to, which I love. But the missing spines on my back show I didn’t get the kind of care and food I needed when I was very young.

I would never have survived those mean streets of Hollywood without RARN. Literally.

See why I can’t stop smiling?