Vanity: I like turtles

me

[patriot08]

I was on the patio a while back and opened a half empty bag of potting soil and was started by dozens of tiny baby toads hopping about in there. LOL
Guess mama toad laid her eyes there.
I just closed it up and forgot about it.

[InvisibleChurch]

Vanity: I like turtles

Now, that's a title I can get on board with!

[MaryFromMichigan]

Thanks, Martin!

Always appreciate a turtle ping!
Have to keep an eye out for that movie!

[hellbender]

Yup. The immune system does not work properly if it has never been “trained” by being exposed to germs. We now know that people who were never exposed to germy siblings, dogs, etc. are more likely to have asthma and other allergies.

[hellbender]

I knew someone who kept pet desert tortoises in his back yard. The males have a sort of prow on the shell which they use in an attempt to flip a rival male on his back.

When I was young, we used to hunt Snapping Turtles, and now I regret it, because I know that they reproduce slowly. Now I rescue one when I see it crossing the road, and I enjoy paddling up to them as they snooze near the surface in ponds. They are really harmless and inoffensive unless cornered out of the water.

[West Texas Chuck]

There are a bunch of us who were mean as hell to small animals when we were young punks. I used to shoot at turtles, birds, squirrels, anything that moved.

Nowdays, the only thing I kill are mosquitos because I have come to realize as an adult that senseless murder of harmless critters is a stoopid way to go through life. I’ll kill a raccoon I find on my property, because they will eat my turtles.

I’m glad I grew up, I did a lot of stoopid things when I was young.

[West Texas Chuck]

We need a turtle ping list around here ;) But I don’t know how to make one.

I’ll post up a review after I see the turtle film, I’m really pumped to go see it.

[Political Junkie Too]

-PJ

[West Texas Chuck]

I’ve heard the blood-squirting eyes thing since I was a tyke but I’ve never seen one do it. I think it may be an urban legend.

I mean, how creepy is a critter that shoots blood from it’s eyes? Horned toads aren’t creepy, they look scary and all, but they are so cool.

[patriot08]

Chuck, if you research horned frogs, the blood squirting thing is real. My mom grew up around lots of them and she's seen them do it.
It is to frighten and disarm predators. The blood also contains a chemical that tastes bad so anything trying to eat them would spit them out.

Despite this ‘creepy’ factor and how fierce they look, they are completely harmless. I think they are so cute.
I'd love to have one.
Hope the conservationists can succeed in bringing them back.

By the way, they are the official state of Texas reptile.

[West Texas Chuck]

I guess you are right. I’ve never seen ‘em spit that blood, but I am raising my glass to the Official Texas Reptile.

Ooooh - Rah, horned toad. I lurve the little reps, they are cool.

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Texas/Texas_Horned_Lizard.html

Y’all need to find a way to eat them damn fireants.

[patriot08]

LOL

Well, enjoyed your thread.
Have a good evening, Chuck

[West Texas Chuck]

Thanx pat08, I get a wild hair sometimes and just throw it out there.

Stay safe FReeper.

[patriot08]

It was fun. You stay safe too.

By the way, here’s a Wikipedia article about horned frogs with a picture of one that’s been squirting blood:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_lizard

[West Texas Chuck]

Gross! But no worse than the snapper taking that pigeon.

We have reptiles in Texas, some of ‘em are poisonous. I’ve seen every dangerous snake in Texas but a coral snake. I have been bit by the harmless ones, ‘cause I messed with them, chased a few rattlers, seen water moccasins and copperheads, I even ran across a Massasauga rattlesnake one time. Nobody sees those, but I have.

I even saw a Yellow Python over here in Garland one time, but nobody will believe me. Ran right over that sucker on my mountain bike. I figure it was a getaway or a pet somebody turned loose. Honest to God, it was a Yellow Python, but everybody tells me I’m crazy. Should have whipped my phone out and got a photo.

[patriot08]

Haven’t seen too many snakes, and don’t want to. Always been scared of them.
Python was probably one somebody turned loose. Fools buy them and then see what trouble they’re in for. Think I read in Fla they are having a real problem with that.