Swim free, Rivan

[Mimzy]

 I know he’s not a bunny or has fur, but he really meant a lot to me.

My turtle passed away just the other night & I actually didn’t realize it until yesterday morning. Day before yesterday he was alive but come this time of the year, they sleep a lot, which I don’t like, it scares me. I turned his lights off that night thinking he was fine, then the next day, he usually wakes up when I turn the lights on, he didn’t this time. I tapped the glass, splashed the water a little & nothing. So I tried nudging him just a bit.

I didn’t think I would cry when he passed but I also thought he would live till he was 30, he was only 5. I got him the day right after I graduated high school at a festival I went to with a friend. I just *knew* my parents would not be happy if I brought home a baby turtle without permission. But I couldn’t resist. I really bought him on impulse & started regretting it after doing all the research on the size tank they need since they get to be about 10″ big. But I just sucked it up & figured “let’s do this” lol.

I named him Rivan, he was so tiny when I first got him & was excited to see him grow & after a year moved him from a 10 gallon, beautifully decorated tank to a 75 gallon tank a guy gave me as a trade for my bike I never rode. It was so easy keeping the small tank looking nice & pretty all the time. The large tank was a hassle, couldn’t find the right filter that wasn’t a pain to clean & set up everytime, nothing seemed to work for the bottom of the tank, & the decor was a pain to keep clean. He had enough room to grow but he stayed at 5″ for the longest time.

His filter hasn’t been working for over a month & it’s still new. I had a 2nd smaller filter to help out the big filter just a little, sand at the bottom, heat lamp, decor, his little castle, but this month has been so hard keeping up with it. I had plans to save up & go to really good aquatic shop owner who knows my dad for tips & things to help me out. I was ready to crack down & get this aquarium thing right since no one else really knew what to do either. I just needed a little extra money. I thought maybe it was because I wasn’t keeping it as clean as it usually is, but my dad made a point that compared to natural habitat, his tank was really clean. So maybe he was sick & it went unnoticeable.

Which, if he was, maybe that’s what was keeping him from growing.
 

I bought a heart shaped box & decorated it with 3D stickers & made it look like a beach. I plan to bury him today but I don’t know where. I used to write little messages to him on his tank in dry erase marker about how much I love him. & when he would come to greet me at the glass, I always tried drawing mustaches on him before he moved. He was camera shy, he knew the green container had food in it, when the water got low enough to where the top of his castle would stick above the water, he’d climb it & just sit at the top looking like he just conquered the world. 

Rivan, I’m so sorry. I love & will miss you forever. I wish I could have watched you grow, swim free turtle baby<3

[Tessie]

Oh Mimzy, I’m sorry, this is so sad
It’s clear that you were doing all you could for him and loved him very much.

~~Swim free Rivan~~

[Sarita]

So sorry – I love turtles. I don’t know much about them but I can see how you can get attached to them. Hugs.

[LBJ10]

Aww, I love turtles too. =( Your sweet little turtle could have had something wrong with him, but don’t beat yourself up over it. I think it would be difficult for anyone to know.

[Mimzy]

Thank you everyone, that means so much!

LBJ – I’m thinking he really was just sick. He stayed pretty small for the longest time. I really feel like he should have been bigger by now, he had a pretty large tank to do his growing. But I also started thinking about the last few times I fed him, he seemed kind of skinny. So I was thinking of feeding him every 2-3 days instead of once a week but I didn’t get the chance to do that.

You’re all so sweet<3

[MimzMum]

Oh Mimzy, I’m so sorry to hear about your wee turtle. Swim free Rivan!
When I was a little girl I had two miniature turtles that I just adored, but after a trip away from home a few weeks, they had died. It was so long ago I don’t know exactly the circumstances, but it really hit me hard.
Sending ((((((((((((huge hugs)))))))))))))) to you. xx

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