Our Pet Turtle - 10/3/09

In 2003, my mom brought home these couple of cute little turtles and named them after my niece and nephew. One was more active and loved to climb, the other loved to eat (the one that's underwater). A few months later, one was missing...we assumed one 'climbed' away and made a break for it...unfortunately, we live on the 13th floor. :-(
Fast forward 6 years later. Our lone turtle has grown quite a bit...
He (or maybe she) has outgrown our original container. Here he is. It is so hard to take a good photo since once we put a ruler on the shell, his (I assume the gender) head would go back into his shell.
Having been to the the zoo numerous times and looking at the turtles in the pond where the Lemurs live, I'm sure that's the same family of turtles...and I often wonder what would happen if I'd sneak him in so he'd be with the rest of his kind...hmmm.. But for now, he just lives alone being washed and fed daily by my dad.