Pookie, Pebbles Hoover & Humphrey's big day

(This is a loooooonnnnnngggg post lol)

Here you see Pookie (smaller turtle on left side), Pebbles (larger turtle on right side), Hoover (pleco on left side) and Humphrey (pleco on right side). They have been living in my 125 gallon tank. The turtles are Red Eared Sliders. Yesterday was a full day for them, but let me give you their background story first.

When I got Pookie he was about 2 inches long. His previous owner was a 5 yr old kid whom the parents never should have given the responsibilities of a turtle. Poor baby was malnourished  living is a little bitty tank with 1/2 inch water, no basking lamp (turtles need to bask to digest food). Needless to say he was one pathetic little turtle. I put him in the tank and found out he didn't know how to swim, didn't understand basking etc. In desperation I went to a reptile store I know asking what I could do since he wasn't doing well at all. At the time I didn't even know he was a male since he was so small. And it is against the law to sell turtles who are under 4 inches across the shell (from head to tail not counting head and tail). It was recommended that I get another turtle to help him learn to be a turtle. So this is how Pebbles came into the picture.

Pebble was right at 4 inches and a happy outgoing turtle. She did her job well and taught Pookie how to be a good little turtle.

They also shared their tank with 2 plecos. Hoover who I got from my ex's nephew. Poor Hoover was sitting in a plastic container on top of the toilet. I asked if he was planning on committing suicide lol. They had gotten rid of his tank and didn't know what to do with him. So Hoover came home with me (I think this was back in 2004 or so). He was quite happy hanging out in my 55 gallon tank with some goldfish.

My parents moved to Houston and bought a house. Well the house came with a filthy tank (20 gallon). In it there were 2 big plecos and several smaller fish, no filter, there was sooo much algae etc that we didn't even know what all was in there until I cleaned it out. My sister took 1 of the plecos (Hannibal) and I took the other one (Humphrey). Humphrey moved in with Hoover and what fish I had at the time and were both pretty happy. Hoover is about 8 inches long and Humphrey close to 10.

I upgrade their tank from a 55 gallon to a 125 gallon last year.

6 feet across, with custom basking area, and the mother of all filters Fluval FX5. A lot of work but so worth it. Both the turtles and the plecos were doing well, eating, growing. Overall who wouldn't want to live there lol.

If I had a yard I would have built a pond for them.

Fast forward to last week. I come home from work and walk the dogs etc, feed the cats and dogs, then check on the turtles. I do a head count and realize I'm a turtle short!!! OMG Pebbles had figured a way out of the tank. It looks like she squeezed thru a small opening on the basking area, and took a jump down. I'm frantically looking for her everywhere. I call my sis up to come and help me. saying Pebbles has run away. She calmly tells me that Pebbles is a turtle in a 125 gallon tank and can't have run away. Well she had lol. I finally find her on the other side of the apt happily walking around having the time of her life. You'd think my 2 dog and 2 cats might have be interested in her or something. No such luck lol, they totally ignored her.

I put her back in the tank, fix the hole and think that is the last of it. Unfortunately Pebbles had now had freedom and she had no intention of staying put.

This is when I realized things had to change. I talked to a friend of mine who lives on a bunch of land and who had 3 huge ponds with turtles in them. She was more than happy to take them. Knowing they would fit in nicely and would have all the space they needed.

So when I got both turtles out of the tank I measured them to see how much they had grown. Pookie went from barely 2 inches to good sized 5 inches. And Pebbles from 4 inches to 8 inches. My reptile vet gave both of them a clean bill of health so they were good to go. I was really sad to see them go but know they will be so much happier with my friend. She promised to get pics for me.

I decided that at this point I didn't want anymore fish or turtles. So I sold my tank and the guy who bought it took Hoover and Humphrey too. He was the same guy who had bought my old 55 gallon tank, so I knew they were going to a good home.

So my zoo is a bit smaller today. It was weird going into the living room and not see the tank there. I'm going to miss all 4 of them but know it was the best for them.