Mommy Dearest

Cynthia Lopinto From The Editor Leave a comment 2,620 Views

By CYN LoPINTO
Editor-in-chief, gerontologist

We have a small outdoor turtle pond which has seven adult red slider turtles. We have enjoyed these lovely creatures for many years and last summer, they had babies for the first time. And by babies, I mean a lot of babies. There were more than twenty!!

We quickly learned that adult turtles do not care for their young. In fact, they eat their young. A mother’s job is to lay her eggs and then leave. Because our turtles are in an enclosed area, the adult turtles are there when they hatch. We had to separate the babies into their own tank and care for them until they were old enough to give away.

Well this morning I looked outside and it has happened again. I saw a few babies walking around and one in the mouth of its mother. I was a shocked, but went into action. We will once again keep the babies separate from their parents and find them a home. While I understand that this is the way they were designed to procreate, it is still quite disturbing. The whole “protective mama bear” mentality is definitely absent in the world of turtles.

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Cynthia Lopinto

Cyn LoPinto, M.A. is a gerontologist focusing on significant issues affecting older adults and their families. Her areas of interest include lifestyle enrichment, family dynamics, and caregiver support. Cyn has worked in both the recreational and healthcare industries.