Florida Softshell Turtle




Tampa Bay
Turtle & Tortoise
Society, Inc.


Pancake Tortoise



Monthly Newsletter
June 2021 Issue
Meeting Date: June 12th 2021, starts at 7:00pm.
Guest speaker: Jeremy Thompson on Hingeback tortoises. Jeremy was instrumental in the formation of
"The Kinixys Cooperative", an organization dedicated to the Hingeback Tortoise species

Misc Notes
Please update your email information with Ralph Till at rascal1843@aol.com. We only use this
information for club business and it helps for club members to stay up to date on any last minutes
changes that may occur. It will also help ensure that you receive your electronic copy of our
monthly newsletter.
If you would like to submit an article or pictures to be published in the next upcoming newsletter,
please email it to Kim at sparty@tampabay.rr.com. Please submit by the end of the month to be
published in the next month’s newsletter.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of the officers listed below:
Elected & Appointed Officers
President - Ralph Till
727-515-7443 Rascal1843@aol.com
Vice President – Mark Randall
20smoke@mindspring.com

Treasurer/Membership - Ralph Till
727-515-7443 Rascal1843@aol.com
Secretary/Public Relations - Kim Illum
sparty@tampabay.rr.com

Newsletter Editor – Mark & Kim Illum
sparty@tampabay.rr.com
Facebook Coordinator – Ralph, Mark R & Kim
https://www.facebook.com/groups/704741876316303/
New Website under construction:
http://www.tbtts.org/



RALPH'S RAMBLINGS
Hello Everyone,
Well it's starting to look like we'll be able to meet in person (at the Moccasin Lake Nature Park classroom)
real soon. As most of you are aware, a lot of the covid restrictions have been lifted so we can get back to
normal. Hooray!!!!!
Because Repticon Tampa is the same weekend as our next meeting, we're going to continue with Zoom
for at least this month. This actually works out for the best as our guest lives in a different time zone. Our
guest for this months meeting is Jeremy Thompson. Jeremy was instrumental in the formation of "The
Kinixys Cooperative", an organization dedicated to the Hingeback Tortoise species. I've had the pleasure
of knowing Jeremy for several years and his passion for Kinixys is unparalleled. He will touch on why he
works with this species and discuss some of his successful techniques. This is a MUST see. The Zoom
link will follow shortly.
I'm very pleased to be able to pass on to the membership that we sent a donation to several VERY hard
working and deserving turtle/tortoise rescue/rehabbers. The donated amount was $250.00 to each group.
They are Central Florida Wildlife Center, Turtle Rescue USA, and Swamp Girl Adventures. As we have
seen in some of their presentations, it can be quite overwhelming at times. I feel no one is more
deserving of assistance than these fine organizations.
In last months Rambling's I announced that I will NOT seek re-election of any position in the Club for next
year, I feel that some new direction is important for continued growth. My plan is to assist whomever with
any transition, and then just fade away. Elections are held in November and I would expect that we
should be 100% back from all of the covid restrictions by then and can meet in person. I know that we
have many knowledgeable persons in our club that would excel in any role.
That's enough for now, remember our next meeting is on June 12th, 2021 at 7:00 est.
Enough for now, see you all on the 12th.
Thank you,
Ralph Till
Rascal1843@aol.com








Upcoming Club Speakers

July 10, 2021 – TBD
August 14, 2021 – TBD
September 11, 2021 – No speaker, this is our annual auction - pending
October 9, 2021 – TBD
November 13, 2021 – No guest speaker, this is our annual election night (current members only)
December 11, 2021 – No guest speaker, our annual Christmas party (current members only)

NOTE: If you would be interested in doing a talk, pls contact Ralph Till at Rascal1843@aol.com for
additional information.
Upcoming Club Events

Upcoming reptile shows
Repticon Orlando – May 1st & 2nd 2021
Repticon Tampa – June 12th & 13th 2021
Repticon Sarasota – June 26th & 27th 2021
Repticon Orlando – July 17th & 18th 2021
Daytona National Reptile Breeders Expo – August 19th – 21st 2021
Repticon FIRE show – TBA
Repticon Kissimmee – September 25th & 26th 2021
Repticon Tampa – November 13th & 14th 2021
Repticon Orlando – December 4th & 5th 2021




Turtles/Tortoises Videos
Box turtle trying to get an escaping worm:

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaGonzalezUromastyx/posts/3945263312223436

Box Turtle goes rolling down the driveway:

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaGonzalezUromastyx/posts/4011411538941946


One very lucky box turtle:

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaGonzalezUromastyx/posts/4033609916722108


Turtles/Tortoises in the News
100-Year-Old Galápagos Giant Tortoise Found on Fernandina Island is Indeed Member of ‘Extinct’
Species:

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/fernandina-giant-tortoise-confirmed-rediscovered-from-2019-
tests/?fbclid=IwAR09e_Q2mypdfAFrll2SW_VKEZB5Sth4kLBhC1JcwS4vZejknT_NBNmQsQo
400-pound loggerhead turtle killed on Florida roadway:

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/400-lb-loggerhead-killed-in-
roadway?utm_campaign=trueAnthem_manual&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&
fbclid=IwAR2R6vfjSsQ6_lCFg4KLdk1cpEtfCKBUvP-LSHaJvUDNtt0Y9ZKdJxj29Xo
Judge halts Georgia dredging plan over threat to sea turtles:

https://apnews.com/article/georgia-turtles-business-dredging-environment-and-nature-
9724627e8e60bfb21f5c1b90e15af226

Kidz Korner
I am reposting this one again because I forgot to put the 2nd page with this. Sorry about that.




Turtle/Tortoise Tender Tales (rescue stories)
This story come from Turtle Rescue USA with help from Swamp Girl Adventures Reptile Rehabilitation:




Cage the sulcata lived in Prolape Prloape coated in honey with tissue hanging





Cleaned up better Dead tiuusue cut off Healthy Looking Put back in place

Turtle Rescue USA had a sulcata that was surrendered on 4/30/21. He was 16 lbs, approx. 7 yrs old and spent his
entire life living in that tank pictured above. The owners got him from someone else who could not properly care
for him. He out grew that tank and they could not give him the proper housing he needed. I put him one of my
outdoor enclosures (50ft x 30 ft) and he was having the time of his life, grazing, hiding in all of the hide houses
around the enclosure, hiding in the tall grass. About a week later I had to split that enclosure in half as I getting
another sulcata who was 50 lbs, approx. 25 yrs old, never lived outdoors either and turned out to be female. A few
days later the boy was getting ready to leave to go to his home and I gave him a final check over before he left.
Well when I lifted him up, there he was with a prolapse. I reached out to the adopter, told him what happened and
then contacted Amanda. I got him cleaned up and removed some debris the best I could as it look like there was
an open wound and the shell cut the organ as he was possibly trying to pull it back in. Amanda advised me to put
honey on it as honey is an anti-inflammatory with some antibacterial traits plus it will also keep it from drying up
overnight which was the main focus.
Since Kim with Swamp Girl Adventures and Reptile Rehabilitation was closer to me then Amanda the next morning
I had my son drive the tortoise to meet up with Kim. Kim took the sulcata in for treatment where she was able to
clean him up better, she cut off the dead/loose tissue and got everything back in place. However, every time he
went to the bathroom he prolapsed again. Kim had x-rays run to make sure that there wasn’t a bigger problem like
kidneys stones pushing on any organs or any type of impactions. His x-rays came back clean. Slowly he has stopped
prolaping when he goes to the bathroom. He is still with Kim for observation but it has been about a week now
where he has been good.
So what happened? Well we are not sure as this is a mystery. It could be several things: his whole world changed
from that cage to having a huge outdoor enclosure and he got overly excited. A girl moved in next door and that
excited him as well, because it was only a few days later that he prolapsed (which I am not sure if the females emit
some kind of smell because I can tell you whenever a new girl is around my male suclata goes crazy and my recue
enclosures are 2 enclosures away from my personal sulcatas and they can’t really seem them). It could have been a
mild case of dehydration. All we know is that this little fellow is so beyond excited to be outdoors, it was an
amazing thing to watch his first day out there. He had to go into every single hide house, he would go into the 1
st

one, check it out, come out and go into the next one, check that one come back out and move on to the next one
and so on. His first bite of grass, he had a hard time getting out of the ground but then once he knew what he was
doing, there was no stopping him. He was reaching up to eat the low lying mulberry leaves. It was great watching
him become a tortoise. Once he comes back to me, I will keep him for a week or so before looking for a new
home for him.
A huge thanks to Kim & Crew with Swamp Girl Adventures and Reptile Rehabilitation to giving this sulcata the help
he needed in a moments notice. Kim currently has over 50 native turtles/tortoises in her care requiring daily
treatment. It really does take a village to get these animals the help that need.

We all also wanted to send a huge thank the Tampa Bay Turtle & Tortoise Society for the donations giving to us. By
helping us with donations, it helps us to help the chelonian world. We can’t do it with out donations.


Huge Thanks to : Kim & Crew w/ Swamp Girl Adventures Reptile Rehabilitation
To see more of the rehabs we currently have and some out the out reach programs we done, please visit:
http://www.swampgirladventures.org/
Also like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwampGirlAdventures/

Regards, Amanda & Kim
Central Florida Wild Center/Turtle Rescue USA
www.turtlerescueusa.com
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turtlerescueusa








Classified Section
You may place your animals, items, services that you have for sale in the club’s newsletter. Ads will
run month to month and you must renew it for every month that you would like. Ads are free to up
to date/paid members, or $5.00 per month ($8.00 for 2 months) for non-members.

Adoptions
Looking to re-home out your reptile? Place a free ad for any reptile that you are looking to adopt
out (free ads are for reptiles which does NOT have a re-homing fee).

Advertising Rates
1/8th Page = $8 per issue or $75 per year (savings of $21).
1/4th Page = $11 per issue or $100 per year (savings of $32).
1/2 Page = $16 per issue or $150 per year (savings of $42).
Full Page = $25 per issue or $225 per year (savings of $75).
Pricing includes art/graphics/color, however you send the advertisement will be published in our
electronic newsletter.

Please email over the Classified/Adoptions/Advertisement info by the end of the month to: Kim at
sparty@tampabay.rr.com
All payments for advertisements should be sent directly to:
Moccasin Lake Nature Park
c/o Tampa Bay Turtle & Tortoise Society, Inc.
2750 Park Trail Ln.
Clearwater, FL 33759








Ed sent me this to put in the newsletter. He saw this on a Facebook Turtle & Tortoise group and thought
that it would be neat to share with us. Thank you very much Ed for sending this over.







Other Herp Societies
The Turtle & Tortoise Club of Florida – Orlando Chapter
Meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7pm
Location: Oakland Nature Preserve, 747 Machete Trail, Oakland, FL 34787
Suncoast Herpetological Society Inc.
website: http://www.kingsnake.com/suncoastherpsociety/SHSHome.htm
meets on the 4th Saturday of the month at 6:00pm.
Location: Moccasin Lake Nature Park 2750 Park Trail Ln. Clearwater, FL 33759
Central Florida Herpetological Society
website: Centralfloridaherpsociety.org
meets on the 4th Sunday of every other month at 2:00 PM but you want to be there between 1:00 -
1:30 PM for parking
Location: Orlando Public Library, Downtown Branch, Anderson Room 3rd Floor, 101 East Central
Blvd Orlando, FL 32801
Calusa Herpetological Society
website: calusaherp.org
meets on the first Thursday at 7:00 PM
Location: In the Iona house at the Calusa Nature Center
Jacksonville Herpetological Society
website: jaxherp.tripod.com
meets first Wednesday of every month at 7:30 PM
Location: Museum of Science and History (MOSH), Museum circle, Jacksonville, FL





Membership and Newsletter subscription form
Annual membership fee: $20.00 per year, and the membership includes:
- Electronic Monthly newsletter sent to your email address
- Free Classified’s in newsletter (members only) as well as low cost
advertisement rates.
- Annual Auction, Christmas Party, and Office Elections
- Monthly Meetings in an indoor classroom setting that consists of the
following:
- Different guest speaker each month
- Raffle Prizes
- Info about upcoming events/reptile shows/field trips/etc..

Date/Time: Meets the 2nd Saturday of every month at 7:00pm
Meeting Address: Moccasin Lake Nature Park 2750 Park Trail Ln.
Clearwater, FL 33759
NEW: We now accept PayPal for membership fees: president@tbtts.org
Complete the form below and bring it with you to the next upcoming meeting
or mail it along with payment to:
Moccasin Lake Nature Park
c/o Tampa Bay Turtle & Tortoise Society, Inc.
2750 Park Trail Ln.
Clearwater, FL 33759
Check one:
_______ New Membership _______ Membership Renewal
Name: _________________________________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zipcode: ___________________________________________________________________
Email: _______________________________________ Phone#: ________________________________

NOTE: We would never sell or trade your information. This information is strictly for club use only.
Answer Key