Chomper’s Release

A snapping turtle that was discovered by a concerned citizen following the flooding in 2011 was release back home last Sunday, and following rehabilitation by Anna Garcia Llewellyn, a high school senior and licensed wildlife rehabilitator. 

According to Llewellyn, the turtle was found on the railroad tracks after the flood, and was taken to Waterman Conservation Education Center, which became his temporary home. He has since been named Chomper.

In December of last year, Llewellyn volunteered to care for Chomper at her home, and then waited until the weather was warm enough to return him to his original home at Brick Pond in Owego. 

During the release last Sunday, she talked about his care.

“He ate a lot of goldfish,” said Llewellyn, who noted that he was kept in a Tupperware bin that was 2-feet high. She added, however, that she had to increase the height of the bin, as he was able to climb out of that one.

“One day I found him in the living room,” exclaimed Llewellyn. 

She also stated that she fed Chomper a steady diet of frozen mice, minnows and crayfish, along with the gold fish.

The bin, which held 15 gallons of water, needed to be cleaned every few days. Eventually, Llewellyn added, she purchased a filter to help keep the water fresh.

Along with a yellow-bellied slider kept by Llewellyn, she described how Chomper and the other turtle would bask together during the day.

She described Chomper as friendly, and stated that he only scratched her once, and that he never bit her. She did note, however, that this is not the typical case with snapping turtles, and that caution is needed when handling them.

But on Sunday, the day arrived to release Chomper back into Brick Pond.

With a group that met at the pond’s main entrance, motion cameras were soon placed in the pond and pointing in the direction of the release. Teri Franzen, nature photographer and board member at Waterman Center, went into the murky water to set things up.

And as the emotional journey for Chomper was nearing its happy ending, Llewellyn talked about the emotions surrounding his release.

“He deserves to be home and free,” said Llewellyn, adding, “I am very happy to let him go.”

As she walked towards the pond with Chomper, his head had retracted back into his shell, and it was apparent that he was unsure about what was happening.

Once she was on the banks of the pond, Llewellyn gently placed Chomper in the water, but his head was still inside of his shell.

It didn’t take long though. With a few gentle nudges, Chomper swam down into the water, releasing bubbles that streamed to the surface of the cold water. He was finally free.

And with a sense of satisfaction, Llewellyn’s release of Chomper is just the beginning.

She will be attending Delhi for Veterinary Science and Technology in August, and will arrive at college with a great amount of experience under her belt, to include the recent rehabilitation and release of Chomper.

Llewellyn has been with Day Hollow Animal Hospital for close to two years, taking care of the kennels and tending to the animals when they are waking up from surgery.

Llewellyn also spent three years at Stray Haven, where she cleaned the dog kennels.

Llewellyn’s mom, Joann Lindstrom, accompanied her on the release. As for her thoughts on Chomper, Lindstrom simply stated, “He was just another one of our many pets.”

To view the release of Chomper, you can visit The Owego Pennysaver on Facebook. For a close up view of the release, taken by Franzen, visit https://vimeo.com/268288520.