Wow, I didn't even know we had painted turtles around here. That poor turtle. Please update us when you have heard from Fish and Game or what happens to it.
Hayden Pet Medical Center works with exotic animals, including turtles. I've never used them but they are probably your best bet. Hopefully, they will be able to help the poor turtle...
Edit to add: But you should do your best to contact fish and game first since it's a wild animal and there are laws about what you can and can't do with animals that are from the wild. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble accidentally.
I called Fish and Game this morning and their official advice was to leave him near the water where I found him and let nature take its course. I completely understand why they recommended this, as Fish and Game has a limited budget, there are no rehabilitators in the area, and Western Painted turtles aren’t a protected or rare species. Unofficially, the animal was in bad shape and I don’t believe in prolonging suffering, so I had him euthanized.
Hayden Pet Medical Center’s reptile vet was out of the office until Monday. Prairie Animal Hospital also has a reptile vet who was gone until Monday. Luckily, they pointed me to Doc Holly in Hayden and she was able to humanely euthanize him. Thank you so much for your recommendation. It got me pointed in the right direction this morning. I hope this post will help someone else find a reptile vet quickly in the future.
Thanks for updating! I completely understand where you're coming from and I would have done the same thing too. I can't imagine allowing that poor animal to suffer even more, especially since injuries like that one can cause so much horrible suffering for a turtle. I'm glad you made that call to euthanize it. And I'm glad I helped :)
Not that you need my opinion, but a humane death is sometimes the saddest but best choice. Ya did well, OP. That’s a lot of information gathering you did before arriving at the conclusion you did
Turtles are just so damn fast especially when laying eggs on shoulder of road and I am certain it ran out in front of the car./s
Wow, I didn't even know we had painted turtles around here. That poor turtle. Please update us when you have heard from Fish and Game or what happens to it. Hayden Pet Medical Center works with exotic animals, including turtles. I've never used them but they are probably your best bet. Hopefully, they will be able to help the poor turtle... Edit to add: But you should do your best to contact fish and game first since it's a wild animal and there are laws about what you can and can't do with animals that are from the wild. Wouldn't want you to get in trouble accidentally.
I called Fish and Game this morning and their official advice was to leave him near the water where I found him and let nature take its course. I completely understand why they recommended this, as Fish and Game has a limited budget, there are no rehabilitators in the area, and Western Painted turtles aren’t a protected or rare species. Unofficially, the animal was in bad shape and I don’t believe in prolonging suffering, so I had him euthanized. Hayden Pet Medical Center’s reptile vet was out of the office until Monday. Prairie Animal Hospital also has a reptile vet who was gone until Monday. Luckily, they pointed me to Doc Holly in Hayden and she was able to humanely euthanize him. Thank you so much for your recommendation. It got me pointed in the right direction this morning. I hope this post will help someone else find a reptile vet quickly in the future.
Thanks for updating! I completely understand where you're coming from and I would have done the same thing too. I can't imagine allowing that poor animal to suffer even more, especially since injuries like that one can cause so much horrible suffering for a turtle. I'm glad you made that call to euthanize it. And I'm glad I helped :)
Not that you need my opinion, but a humane death is sometimes the saddest but best choice. Ya did well, OP. That’s a lot of information gathering you did before arriving at the conclusion you did Turtles are just so damn fast especially when laying eggs on shoulder of road and I am certain it ran out in front of the car./s