Greater Bendigo Snake Control caring for turtle with fractured shell

Greater Bendigo Snake Control owner Tameeka Stevens rescued the turtle in December.

A vet patched Squish the Eastern Long Neck up and he will now spend up to six months recuperating before being released into the wild.

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"He has to be dry most of the time to reduce infection," she said. "There's wire that stabilising the fracture that might be taken off in March, it depends on the next assessment.

"It could be another three or six months. A total fracture rehab is a very long process.

"Back in the day fibreglass would have been used but fibreglass would melt through the fracture and can eat away tissue or enter the body and cause infections or burns.

"There has been a lot of research and trial and error - now it is about wiring and stabilising. If you think about people recovering from fracture and breaks, injuries have to be stabilised."

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Ms Stevens said despite being a snake catcher she is called to up to 10 and 20 turtle rescues each summer.

"Sometimes people aren't sure who to call," she said. "But I am also committee member and volunteer for Reptiles Volunteer, which focuses on the rescue and rehabilitation of reptiles.

"There are always call outs for turtle shell fractures, you often find them on road. It can be anywhere between 10 and 20. It is very common during mating and egg laying season when turtles move around and cross roads to get to waterways."

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