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Don't Talk to Me!


Don't Talk to Me!
Photo Information
Copyright: Manyee Desandies (manyee) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3060 W: 231 N: 5811] (19544)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-07-24
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Canon Powershot S3 IS
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Hong Kong
Date Submitted: 2007-07-24 17:11
Viewed: 927
Points: 24
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Greetings from China, my friends.
I have not fallen off the face of the Earth,
just visiting the other side so I can hold my new grandson.
Anyway, I took this picture at a park in Hong Kong.
Not sure what species. Any help?
Also I am not sure how this post looks,
as I am doing my PP from my laptop.
Hope it looks okay.
Just wanted to say hello.

Thanks to Paul Bratescue (AnimalExplorer) for his astute observations (I did not even see the third turtle) and for his ID of not one, but two species of turtles.

My Hong Kong Travelogue

Red-eared Slider
Trachemys scripta elegans

Description
The red-eared slider is perhaps the best known and most recognizable of turtles. It is a medium sized turtle with a dark green oval shell, marked with yellow in younger turtles, green legs with thin yellow stripes and a green head with a red stripe behind the eye
Life History
Red-eared sliders are Texas's most common aquatic turtles. These turtles get their name from a broad red stripe behind their eye and their habit of sliding off rocks and logs when startled. Older turtles are often covered with a thick coat of algae. Some red-eared sliders live more than 30 years.
Sliders are cold-blooded and spend hours sunning themselves on rocks and logs. If there are not enough rocks or logs for all of them they will often stack themselves one on top of the other! They bury themselves in loose soil or mud during the winter to escape the cold. When population numbers get high, these turtles move across land to other bodies of water in search of food and space. They eat aquatic plants, small fish, and decaying material.
Female turtles lay their eggs in holes that they dig in the ground and leave. Young turtles are born having to take care of themselves. Baby red-eared sliders were once very popular as children's pets until it was discovered that some of them carried the disease, salmonella. It is now illegal to sell sliders less than 4 inches in diameter. Most wild animals make very poor pets and are best observed in their native habitat.
A turtle's shell is actually made up of its ribs joined together and covered with a thin layer of skin. Each of the ribs is made of jigsaw-like sections called scutes, which grow at the edges. This allows the turtle to increase in size without outgrowing its shell. Mature males have long toenails on their front feet that they use when courting females. The males swim backwards in front of females and fan water over their faces.
Sliders have poor hearing but are very sensitive to vibrations. This makes it hard to sneak up on them. Their name, slider, comes from the fact that they are quick to slide off of rocks, logs or the banks if danger threatens.
Habitat
Red-eared sliders are found in most permanent slow-moving water sources with mud bottoms in the eastern three quarters of the state.
Distribution
They range from Indiana to New Mexico down through Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. They are widely distributed throughout Texas except for the far western region.
Other
In many Native American creation stories, the land on which they lived was the back of a huge turtle floating in a vast sea. Turtles were considered sacred and never killed. The thirteen pieces on some turtle's shells are thought to represent the thirteen moons of the year.

Source

Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle or Golden Thread Turtle
Ocadia sinensis

This beautiful turtle has many narrow stripes of light green and black on the head, neck, and other exposed skin areas. The dark carapace has indistinct reddish markings which often follow the keels. Although juveniles usually have 3 keels, they are not generally present in older adults. A medium sized turtle, O. sinensis can reach 8 or 9 inches.

The Chinese Striped-neck turtle is web footed and highly aquatic. It lives in slow-moving lowland ponds, marshes, and streams in southern China, Taiwan and northern Vietnam.

Source
haraprasan, mogens-j, marhowie, cdplayer, loot has marked this note useful
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To SunToucher: Thanks : )manyee 1 08-02 03:42
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 643 W: 160 N: 894] (2837)
  • [2007-07-24 17:46]

Hi Manyee, it looks like a Red Ear Slider. These originate from the southern US (Florida) and were at one time sold as pets all over the world. I had a couple when I was a kid. If it is a Red Ear then it probably got over there originally as a pet and you're looking at some escaped descendents. Great shot of these guys catching a few rays on the rock. Very good detail. I like the pose of the first one with his foot down (with great claws) and looking up. That green pond makes an excellent backdrop.

Thanks, John

Hi Manyee,
A beautiful capture of these beautiful turtles. Nice composition, details and colors. An congrats for being a proud grand mother. Thanks a lot for sharing.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3395 W: 144 N: 5758] (17076)
  • [2007-07-24 19:59]

Hi Manyee, and I hope your enjoying time with your new grandson and family. Congratulations - gr'chn are THE BEST!!
I was going to say "red ear" as we have them in our Butterfly House... It's a little soft, but we can see it fine. I like the hidden front leg!
TFS, and have a wonderful holiday,
Janice

Hello,

I think it is the same species of turtle that I posted from Golden Gate Park. "Red Ear Slider" sounds right to me. I'd have to look it up. It's a nice shot.

TFS
Evelynn : )

Good and one of these shots to make you smile. Well done - and you have fun!

Hello Manyee

Beautiful creatures with very nice colours on neck and head. Very good sharpness and pov.

Well done.
Mogens

Hi Manyee,
There are two different species in this fun capture of turtles, the one on the very right in far background and very left is the infamous Red-eared slider(Trachemys scripta elegans) and the one in the middle is a Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle or Golden Thread Turtle (Ocadia sinensis). I hope your having a great time with your newest addition to your family. :)

Another great capture Manyee!
Love the color of the water which makes an excellent background! Enjoy your visit in China and have a safe trip home!

Elton

  • Great 
  • sisir Silver Star Critiquer [C: 13 W: 0 N: 5] (103)
  • [2007-07-27 9:21]

Hi Maynee, This is a very nice picture of the turtles. The caption suits the picture. I like the sharpness and the background. TFS

Sisir

Hi Manyee. Definitley some fun capturing these. I always enjoy seeing them too. AnimalExplorer seems right on the mark with the ID.
Red eared are here too, and most likely years ago people put their pets in the lake.
Thanks for sharing, and good luck with your grandson.

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5649 W: 595 N: 3347] (8903)
  • [2007-07-30 10:16]
  • [2]

Hi ManYee

"Don't talk to me" might well be what these turtles had to say to each other, but fortunately we are no turtles and it sure is high time that I acknowledged this posting and your e-mail and did some catching up in my Cyberspace communications. Especially, since you are undoubtedly having a wonderful time in China, whilst visiting Adeh and Allison and cuddling the beautiful and precious little JinYao. Your first grandchild sure seems to have placed a sparkle in everyone’s eyes and smiles, judging by the photos I received from you. I was inclined to give Dandre the price for the biggest, broadest smile in typical fashion that reminds one of a dental advertisement, but maybe that belongs to Adeh on the photo where he and Allison strut together with little JinYao. What a lovely family shot (complete with some beautiful Phalaenopsis orchids in the background – yes, I had to mention those).

Pardon me for the delay and for my dismal performance. In Afrikaans we have a saying: "Van uitstel kom afstel" which translated means: "Postponement leads to abandonment". However, I am sure you knew that it was only a matter of time before I would "knock on the door" and came around to say hello.

Coming to the posting – a fine shot with very interesting action or interaction between these reptilians (although it definitely was not in speedy motion). I like the composition with the triangular bit of water in the foreground and the rock leading into the shot at an angle. The bright green water created a lovely BG and the colours are very natural. Possibly the shot is a little softer in details than your normal PP work would be, but it is no major nit and given the circumstances is quite understandable. Fortunately you had lots of confirmations as to the ID, but I was rather surprised at my own inobservance when I read Paul's (the "Dude") critique identifying two species in the shot. Of course he was spot-on.

Good work MF and TFS.
Regards
Loot

PS. I hope you still get to read this before you return back home.

Hello hello:-)
China? All the best there...
Nice image, Manyee
TFS
Annick

Hi Manyee,
So how is our grandma doing. Are you as proud as a peacock? (Dutch expression) I do hope that all is going fine with both grandson and mom.
It is great that you are treating us with some wonderful photos from the far east. The moment you captured here is wonderful, it looks like they are both receiving their lunch. Details and colors are wonderful.
TFS,
Niek

:) tomorrow

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