Los Gatos woman surprised by sudden gusher from rescued turtle
3 min readPricey JOAN: There is a artifical pond about 100 yards down a steep hill from our household. It is populated with each box and snapping turtles. The ones we see sunbathing on the rocks are usually in the 6- to 8-inch shell selection.
Whilst strolling my pup a couple days in the past, I recognized a turtle on the sidewalk, perched on the edge earlier mentioned a steep embankment with heaps of foliage. This guy was not only far from residence, he also would have experienced to climb up a steep hillside devoid of much foliage.
Nervous that if he stepped off the walkway, rolled down the hill and landed on his again, he’d probably not be noticeable and therefore helpless, I resolved to just take him back again down to the pond.
When I picked him up I was amazed by a gusher of quite possibly a few pints of what looked like water.
Do turtles have some type of ballast bag they fill to enable them continue to be submerged? It seemed like way also much to be urine, and it was absolutely very clear.
Kathy Rowan, Los Gatos
Expensive KATHY: It’s a bit intricate, but it has to do with how turtles handle to breathe underwater. Because they really do not have gills, they require some way to stay submerged for intervals of time with no drowning. That way is a little something called the cloaca.
The cloaca is at the rear of the turtle and is the position from which turtles defecate, urinate and lay eggs. In temporary, the turtle’s butt. It’s also one particular of the areas exactly where they breathe.
When the turtle is underwater, the cloaca sucks up drinking water, retains it within and extracts the oxygen. The de-oxygenated h2o is then expelled, and extra is pulled within. The turtle can’t stay underwater for long intervals making use of this technique, so they have to poke their heads out or climb out of the h2o to get a deep breath.
Turtles do use their pee as a protection system. When confronted with a predator, they may urinate as a way to make by themselves much less desirable as a meals preference. Mainly because they are modest creatures with little bladders, they really do not have copious quantities of urine, even though, so I imagine it’s most likely that the turtle had pond water saved in its cloaca, and when you picked it up, it produced it as a pure reaction to worry or as a defense.
Dear JOAN: I have an outdoor fountain that birds and other wildlife drink out of. It will get algae, and I clear it out periodically making use of bleach and completely rinse it out, which is a trouble.
Questioning if there is a greater way to hold algae from rising in a fountain. I listened to about utilizing apple vinegar, but that did not operate.
How do public fountains maintain their fountains clear of algae?
Dave Kurrent, Pinole
Expensive DAVE: There are many goods you can add to fountains to lessen algae (Algae D-solve, Carefree Fountain Protector) but none will preserve it crystal clear forever. Test the label to make positive it is protected for animals and use as directed.
Moving your fountain to a shady location will assistance inhibit the growth of algae, as will employing distilled drinking water. You will continue to want to clean up the fountain each individual at the time in a even though. Make positive you also clean up the pump and tubing, if you have them, as algae can establish up inside of them, too.
Make contact with Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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