Tortellini
- Patient Status
- Current
- Date Found
- February 23, 2020
- Location
- Spring Hill; Hernando County
- Reason for Rescue
- Buoyant
Initial Assessment
- Weight
- 32 kg (70 lbs)
- SCL (Straight Carapace Length)
- 58 cm
- Exam Findings
- Alert and good body condition. There is an old, healed injury on the carapace (shell).
- Initial Treatment
- Received vitamin injections and fluids.
Tortellini’s Story
Tortellini is a large juvenile, almost sub-adult, green sea turtle who was found floating offshore in the Spring Hill area in Hernando County. There is an old healed wound on the carapace (shell), most likely from a boat strike. Tortellini’s initial treatment plan consists of vitamin injections and fluids.
INTERESTING FACT: Tortellini is 2 cm away from being classified as a sub-adult green sea turtle!
Treatment Updates
- 2.24.20
-
Xrays were completed and blood work was sent off to the lab.
- 2.28.20
-
Tortellini was able to be in the water all day and overnight for the last several days! She started on a diet today and is eating well. We are monitoring her buoyancy.
- 3.6.20
-
She is continuing to eat well and was started on oral medications.
- 3.12.20
-
Tortellini was moved to one of our deeper pools. We are continuing to monitor her buoyancy.
- 4.10.20
-
She is still doing well! We are continuing to monitor her buoyancy. She is one of our most “spunky” patients!
- 5.15.20
-
We are continuing to monitor her buoyancy. She is eating well.
- 6.4.20
-
Recheck X-rays were performed and no issues were seen! She will be taken off of medications.
- 7.19.20
-
Tortellini is still doing well! We are continuing to monitor her buoyancy.
- 8.12.20
-
Tortellini was temporarily transferred to another facility for a deep water swim test per FWC.
- 9.1.20
-
Tortellini has returned from her deep water swim test. All her behaviors are being evaluated by FWC and our vet team.
- 10.8.20
-
After reviewing all of Tortellini’s swimming behavior and medical history, Tortellini has been deemed “non-releasable” by the FWC due to her buoyancy disorder. She will continue in our care as we are helping her find a place of permanent residence!
- 6.2.21
-
Our team is continuing to give Tortellini the best care as she is still waiting on a permanent home. We have been working on desensitizing her to human touch and handling to better acclimate her for training protocols in the future.
- 7.26.21
-
Staff has been working on training her to voluntarily go into her basket. The basket is used to assist in her routine examinations. She is enjoying her sessions in her basket and loves all the tactile enrichment she is receiving.
- 8.5.21
-
Tortellini is officially basket trained! Our team is very excited about this as we have been working with her for several weeks on this behavior. Tortellini freely swims into the basket and is able to be pulled from the water with minimal stress for exams.
Our staff has also been target training Tortellini. She has picked up on this behavior quickly and is able to target multiple times during a feeding session!
- 1.15.22
-
Our team rechecked Tortellini’s carapace measurements, Tortellini is over 60 cm in straight carapace length! This means Tortellini has grown several centimeters in our care and can be officially classified as a subadult green sea turtle!
All marine turtle footage taken in Florida was obtained with the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) under conditions not harmful to marine turtles. Footage was acquired while conducting authorized conservation activities pursuant to FWC MTP-23/24-172.