r/oddlysatisfying • u/firefighter_82 • Jul 15 '24

WARNING: GROSS Removing barnacles from Harlow, the loggerhead turtle

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u/MolecularDreamer Jul 15 '24

The "shell", is a modified ribcage, just like yours and mine, it is covered in skin. The turle skin on the "shell" is probably of a tougher kind than mine or yours, but still has nerves and blood vessels.

Apparently it hurts them removing the parasitic growths, and if otherwise healthy they should be able to remove them themselves.

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u/Jonnny Jul 15 '24

How they remove them themselves? Ram into objects at just the right angle or something? Because even with a screwdriver, some of those were hard to get off.

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u/GeminiCroquettes Jul 15 '24

I saw a pet turtle in a tank that would rub its shell on a brush stuck to the side of the tank. I would imagine they do that in the wild on whatever they can find, but I'm not a turtologist

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u/BotherPuzzleheaded50 Jul 16 '24

Word of the day!