Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Snapping Turtle

This Snapping Turtle came to us last week from Arlington, VA with a dirty and open fracture. A portion of the carapace (upper shell) is missing entirely, exposing muscle and bone. This kind of injury is most likely the result of a vehicle collision, causing the turtle a great deal of pain, and if left untreated could result in a serious infection.

Photos / Blue Ridge Wildlife Center

In this case, we are using a vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) to suction away discharge and encourage healing. This method works well for deep and irregularly-shaped wounds. With this treatment, the patient’s wound will heal much more quickly, limiting time in care.

This turtle is on pain medications and antibiotics while we use this method to begin the healing process. Although the wound will not look like a perfect carapace when healed, the area will harden over time and serve this turtle well in the wild. For this patient, the healing process could take eight weeks or more before it can be cleared for release.

If you or a friend has unused wound VAC dressings leftover from your own medical care, please consider donating them to the Center! These dressing can be quite expensive and we are fortunate to have almost all of ours donated by amazing supporters like you.

Did you know that turtles brumate? (Brumation in reptiles is similar to hibernation in mammals.) In our area, wild turtles brumate in the fall and winter months which is why the law in Virginia does not allow rehabilitators to release reptile patients between October 1 – April 30. So any turtle we don’t release before October, or who comes to us within that time, overwinters with us at the Center.

Each year we see an increase in turtle patients and regardless of their reason for admission, turtles have slow metabolisms and take A LOT of time and resources to treat. The average length of stay for our turtle patients is over 200 days!

Looking for an easy way to help native wildlife? Become a monthly BRWC donor! For as little as $5/month, you can provide year-round, sustainable support that helps us fulfill our mission.