The Turtle Hospital

10/22/2026

It’s National Veterinary Technician Week and we’re giving a BIG shoutout to our incredible team that helps give our sea turtle patients a second chance at life 🐢💚

Caring for these amazing marine animals is no small task, and we’re beyond grateful for the compassion, dedication, and hard work our team brings every single day. From hands-on medical care to all the little things that make a big difference, they truly go the extra mile for our patients ❤️‍🩹

Help us show our amazing team some love in the comments! 🙏🏼💕

10/21/2026

Meet our newest patient, PNC 💔🐢

PNC is a juvenile green sea turtle who was found entangled in fishing line attached to mangroves in the Upper Keys. Sadly, she also arrived with a heavy load of fibropapilloma (FP) tumors.

We’re incredibly grateful to her rescuers for getting her the help she needs, and we’re thankful that Dr. Terry is in the house this week to give PNC a full exam! She’s had X-rays and will undergo a CT scan soon to check for any internal tumors. In the meantime, she’ll begin fluid therapy with vitamins to help support and strengthen her immune system, giving her the best possible chance to fight these tumors and prepare for removal surgery.

Please send lots of prayers and healing energies to this sweet girl as she begins her journey with us 🙏🏼💚 We’ll be sure to keep you updated on PNC’s progress!

10/21/2026

10/21/2026

Happy National Reptile Awareness Day! 🐢💚 Today, we’re shining a spotlight on some of our favorite reptiles — sea turtles! 🌊

These incredible animals have been swimming in our oceans for millions of years, but all seven species of sea turtles face threats to their survival. Today is a great reminder of why awareness matters and how we can all play a part in protecting them!

💚 Keep our oceans clean by reducing plastic use and picking up trash
💚 Slow down and stay alert for sea turtles when boating
💚 Properly dispose of fishing line and marine debris
💚 Protect nesting beaches by keeping them dark, clean, and free of obstacles
💚 Share what you learn and help spread the word about sea turtle conservation

The more we learn, the better we can protect these amazing animals! Let’s celebrate National Reptile Awareness Day by raising awareness, inspiring action, and giving sea turtles a brighter future 🐢💚

10/21/2026

When you are missing your favorite helper and this guy shows up 😂 🦝 👻🧡. Belle Z☀️

10/20/2026

A BIG day for Familia! 🐢💚

After an overall exam and some deep wound care with Dr. Terry, Familia got to spend some time in the tidal pool quad! 🥹💕 You can see just how happy she was to get into that water!

We’re SO proud of the progress this brave girl has made after everything she’s been through. This is another exciting step in her recovery, and we can’t wait to see her continue to grow stronger ❤️‍🩹

10/20/2026

Coco is in the surgery suite today with Dr. Terry for tumor removal surgery! 🐢💚

After successful eye tumor removal surgery with Dr. Karpinski, we’re happy to share that Coco has clear cornea in both eyes! She’s now on her way to recovery, and today’s procedure is another important step in her healing journey that will hopefully help her start feeling like herself again ❤️‍🩹

Please send Coco all your prayers and healing energies today as she recuperates 🙏🏼💚

10/20/2026

It’s , and we’re diving into a little sea turtle education! 🐢💚

There’s a common misconception that all sea turtles eat jellyfish, but the truth is, their diets vary quite a bit by species, and some have very specific tastes! Let’s explore what’s on the menu for the 5 sea turtle species found here in the Florida Keys 🌊

🐢 Green sea turtles are primarily herbivorous as adults, munching on algae, seagrass, and other marine vegetation

🦀 Loggerheads love crunchy meals like crabs, conchs, and other shellfish, but they’ll also snack on lobster, fish, and other marine animals

🧽 Hawksbills are sponge specialists, feeding almost exclusively on sponges found on coral reefs

🦐 Kemp’s ridleys enjoy a varied menu of crabs, shrimp, fish, mollusks, and even jellyfish

🪼 Leatherbacks are the jellyfish enthusiasts of the sea turtle world! They primarily eat jellyfish and other soft-bodied invertebrates, including tunicates and sea squirts

Every is an opportunity to learn something new about these incredible animals! Understanding their diets helps us appreciate the important roles they play in keeping our marine ecosystems healthy 💙🌎

Which sea turtle’s diet surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments! 👇

10/19/2026

We have to do better, especially for our marine life 💔🐢

While we love releasing our hatchling rescues into the Gulf Stream, we often find heartbreaking amounts of plastic debris along the way. Carried by ocean currents, these plastics break down into tiny pieces that can easily be mistaken for food by young sea turtles.

Hatchlings are opportunistic feeders, meaning they’ll eat whatever is available to them. We saw this firsthand with Awax, who passed quite a bit of plastic during her short stay at The Turtle Hospital 💔

Awax was one of the lucky ones. Sadly, many young sea turtles suffer severe injuries or die from ingesting plastic that can accumulate in their digestive tracts.

We have to do better for the next generation of sea turtles 🌎💚 Reduce single-use plastics, dispose of waste properly, and always leave our beaches and waterways cleaner than we found them. Every little action makes a difference, and our ocean friends are counting on us 🐢🌊

10/19/2026

Did you feel that chill in the air this morning? 🥶 If so, we’ve got the perfect solution to keep you extra cozy this season! 🐢💙

Check out our long sleeve apparel in our online store and stay comfy while supporting a great cause! 100% of proceeds go directly toward the care of our sea turtle patients, helping us give these amazing animals a second chance at life 🌊💚

Shop long sleeve apparel here: https://seaturtlehospitalstore.com/collections/long-sleeve-t-shirts?page=1