08/17/2026
I always stop to help a turtle across the road, but this case was a little different.
We get quite a few turtles traveling through our yard every year, but this particular girl had been hanging around the same area for the better part of a week. It was almost like she wanted to be noticed. 😂 When I finally saw her extend her head, I realized why. She had what looked like two large abscesses on either side of her head, which was essentially a double ear infection, or aural abscesses. These aural abscesses aren’t just a cosmetic issue. They can be extremely painful, make it difficult or even impossible for a turtle to eat, and if left untreated can lead to serious complications and even be fatal.
We were able to find a local wildlife rehab that could take her in, and shortly after arriving, she had surgery to clear up the infections. They kept her for a couple of weeks to recover, and eventually we got the call that she was ready to come home. So today, we got to release her right back where we found her! We’re just happy we were able to get her the help she needed and give her a chance to recover and return home. Hopefully, she’s back to living her best turtle life!
And of course, huge thanks to the wildlife rehabbers who took care of this girl and do this kind of work every day. I’m just happy we could play a small part in getting her healed up and taken care of.