Dear Members and Friends:

Our next meeting will be held on Saturday, July 14th from 1:30 until 4 at the Belle Cooledge Library located on the corner of South Land Park Drive and Fruitridge Road. No speaker has been scheduled so far so feel free to bring a turtle or tortoise of your choice for Show and Tell. Are your turtles laying eggs? We'll help you to decide whether to incubate them artificially or just let them hatch in the ground. I like to incubate them indoors and usually have inexpensive incubators on display at the meetings. Please look at them so when the time comes, I won't get that panic phone call!! Be Alert!

Since the TURTLERAMA will be held 4 weeks after this meeting, we'll need to discuss things you might want to add or delete. Tell me what you like or hate. Thanks to several club members, we have a few new displays which are so well done and if most of the other exhibits have been used for many years, so what? They are still appropriate and besides, there are always new people getting started who have never seen them before. Please share photographs of your enclosures to be included in our photo display. These are most helpful to beginners as well as seasoned keepers - we all need new ideas! Please sign up for the show as well and if you are not at the meeting, email or call me to let me know ASAP if you can exhibit or help out. Thanks!!

SEE YOU AT THE SUMMER MEETING!!

Beware of the Internet - I pretty well hit the wall almost daily regarding the information available regarding turtle and tortoise care. Most of the information is totally wrong. If you live on the West coast, why would you seek information about your turtle care from some unknown person in the midwest or East coast? The care is totally different in climates other than your own. Caring for tortoises in England, for instance, is a lot different than caring for them in Miami! No matter what you read, believe me when I say do not keep your turtles or tortoises on SAND. That is a huge NO NO. Who needs eye infections and intestinal impactions? And please, aquariums are for FISH. There is no such thing as a turtle aquarium. Please respect their right to have room to grow and outdoor sunshine to enjoy instead of some artificial light in a glass prison. They aren't African Violets!! Just this morning some guy told me that he 'read on the Internet' that male turtles are always larger than females. I had to tell him it's totally the opposite. BE ALERT. Don't believe everything you read on line. Refer to the nearest turtle and tortoise club for your information.

Summer Hints: Make sure there is lots of shade available so your pets don't have to walk too far before finding shelter. And try to have sturdy rocks and logs or even bushes in their area just in case one goes upside down. Sometimes (let's hope) they can maneuver themselves up to a structure and right themselves. Feed everyone on demand because it's their only chance to bulk up before winter returns all too soon. Box turtles, in our area, become very dehydrated even though they soak every day. It's the lack of humidity in the air - and you can remedy this by using a 'mister' or two. If the eyes become swollen, then let them soak in shallow water for at least 48 hours. It's what I call 'aqua-therapy'. Try it!

After our March meeting, the weather seemed to deteriorate. It was cold and rainy until the end of May. The tortoises began to get so restless. They normally live quite peacefully in the Greenhouse throughout the winter months. By April they were ready to come out of there. The leopard tortoises began pushing, shoving, pacing and banging on the door. Blondie, Tillie, Tarzan Jr and Chester wanted out! They knew it was time. But it wasn't! Looking back on previous newsletters, I do notice that Spring seems to be arriving later and later each year. Global warming? Not in Sacramento. I am typing this on June 10th. It is finally warmer.

If I look a little sleepy at the meeting, it's because the Driveway Patrol on my pillow has a way of going off during the night causing me to leap out of bed and run downstairs to see what might be lurking in the yard. Even tho Rex, the electronic dog is on duty, I still want to see! So far, I've seen nothing unusual (meaning no raccoons or possums) since last December. Perhaps a passing cat sets it off. If you have purchased these units, please let me know if they are working for you.

The Leopard tortoise eggs I had stuck into the dresser drawer last November because my incubator was full, successfully began hatching in April. I was very happy to see their little faces emerging. I am pleased that I can tell people, who have unexpected eggs, how to easily incubate them without buying anything more than a hot rock. The styrofoam incubators, homemade or commercial ones, work fine too, however, if you have cats, they like to sharpen their claws repeatedly on the foam and you soon have scrambled eggs inside. The dresser drawer incubator is beginning to look better and better to me. You just need to remember...

As usual, The Bunker had its share of red eared sliders turned in for adoption or into the hospital. Most have been adopted to people with beautiful ponds. Of course, more are arriving almost daily. They are mostly large females who have come out of wherever they were in order to lay eggs. They don't know their way back and when someone finds one, they take it home and then wonder what to do with it after first putting it in a box with a piece of lettuce in front of its face. Believe it or not, wandering Sulcatas are also becoming a problem. One was recently found walking down the street in Pollock Pines! I have about 6 of them waiting for new homes which I will probably bring to the meeting. None are very big (yet) and please do not adopt one unless you are willing to keep it warm through the coming winters no matter how large it gets.

There are also many Russian tortoises running through the streets of Sacramento. I imagine that they are the ones being purchased at Petco and the consumers are not aware of the little escape artists they have bought. These guys can travel fast and are strong and healthy and I have found that when people find them, they want to keep them because of their small size and big personality. They must be a little more wise about traffic because I've never had an injured one turned in. Isn't that odd?

The big female slider who lost her legs to a raccoon (not here, thank goodness) is recovering nicely, even after a nasty setback. She will soon be adopted by Melody Herman who will give her special care for the rest of her life. Thank you, Melody. It is appreciated! By the way, Fat Betty is out and about and wishes you all a long hot and healthy summer.

**Once again, please let me know if you can exhibit or help at the TURTLERAMA! THANKS!!