Tozo is in a Contest

My beloved cartoon turtle friend is in a contest. Please vote for the Skipper Strip repeatedly so someday soon I can see him in the newspaper!

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Hidden Harbor Motel

One Florida Motel has been converted into a hospital for sea turtles! It warmed my heart to read about this place where turtles get a second chance at life and visitors are welcome to see the action. I've still never been to Florida, but now I know one reason I'd really like to go.

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Pokey's First Softshell Turtle Friend

Pokey made a friend!  Lisa has a pond in her back yard where this Florida Softshell Turtle lives with a few chicken turtle friends.  Softshell Turtles like to bury themselves in the sand, but this one always comes out when Lisa wanders over to the pond because she brings bread.  Normally this turtle feasts on fish, frogs and other pond inhabitants, but we all have our empty calory indulgences, right? Perhaps this softshell was a duck in its past life and simply cannot give up it's bread addiction?  All I know is we shouldn't knock the food choices of one of the prime turtle food targets.  Softshell turtles are being hunted all over Florida right now because companies in Asia are willing to pay top dollar for their meat.  Thank you Lisa for keeping Pokey's Softshell Turtle friend safe!  :)

If you would like to thank Lisa for sharing her turtle photos, you can visit her at her blogs:  The Diet Talk, What I Love About Painting, and How Do I Get Whiter Teeth.

Turtle Decor of the Day

I love it when I find something turtle themed that is also beautifully designed and handmade.  This pillow cover by SLCdesignsHome on etsy.com is one of those items.  I'm not an interior designer, but I can think of several style homes this would look fabulous in.  Is one of them your house? 

The He Said She Said of Turtle Names

I am very familiar with the predicament presented in this story about a rescued Loggerhead turtle.  When I first got Pokey, she was still too young for veterinarians to discern her sex.  I waited several years and then carried her to a reptile show at the mall for assessment.  It was there that I learned my little turtle was a lady.  I wished I could have carried her there in a blinged out small dog purse to help her flaunt her identity.  Maybe I still should get her one, for fancy transportation to and from her vet check ups.  After all, we do live in Santa Barbara.  Pets here usually travel in style.

© Rachel Hoyt 2011

Turtle Video of the Day

I found this video almost a year ago, but I still find it adorably cute.  Unfortunately, my cat is larger than my turtle, so I won't be able to train my pets to do the same.

Bad Turtles, Worse Girlfriend

Pokey is pretty upset with the turtles who live in the pond at SDSU. Sure, their caretaker had them on a purely carnivorous diet, but that's no reason to maul a human. We are even more upset with the girl who pushed him in. For the record girlie, it is never a good thing to say, "at least he died being eaten by something he loved."

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Marine Turtles are Making a Comeback

Today I would like to thank all the cities, towns and organizations that protect the beaches where my beloved sea turtles lay their eggs. According to this article in the Hindustan Times, the birth of an annual turtle festival has helped save 28,000 turtle hatchings in just four years. It sounds like a pretty magical experience as well. I hope to make it there some day to show my thanks in person... With smiles and dollars.

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Pokey's Back

Aldabran Tortoise photo by Michelle Meiklejohn via freedigitalphoto.net.

If you have a turtle image you'd like me to feature here, email it to pokeyspals[at]gmail[dot]com.

Once upon a time, I started a few blogs I didn't exactly know how to promote.  I had trouble maintaining motivation feeling no one (but Pokey) was reading what I wrote.  And so, I stopped blogging for quite a while, until eventually Pokey helped me find my personal style.  I started another new blog full of wacky rhyming poetry and, this time, I found ways to find people who'd want to read.  Now that I've gotten the hang of this blogging thing, Pokey and I are back to see how much turtle love we can bring.

Here's a quick list of stuff about turtles we've been reading in the news:

One cute little turtle lost the use of her back limbs and was given a set of wheels to cruise around on!  I bet she could go up to 3 MPH with those bad boys.  Watch out hare... she's really gonna beat you in the race this time.

On Pinta Island, they are using giant tortoises to "mow" out of control vegetation.  It's one of the cutest inventions I've ever seen.  It's too bad there will only be one generation.

I may have to start trying to teach Pokey to dance after watching this red eared slider boogie down.  She comes out of her cave when I play the oldies for her, but I have yet to see Pokey do anything more than sway her head.  I'm feeling deprived.

One couple's underwater marriage was interrupted by a sea turtle.  Do you think he was jealous of the groom?  Perhaps he wanted a little smooch first.

Last, but certainly not least, I have a new favorite turtle cartoon character: Tozo.  He's part of the Skipper Cartoon strip drawn by Jeremy Billedeau.  Tozo's been feeling insignificant lately.  I hope you'll visit and tell him how cute he is.

I hope you enjoyed today's turtle news.  Pokey and I hope to have more for you soon.  If you find something first, feel free to email pokeyspals[at]gmail[dot]com.