Doodle

Patient Report

Name: Doodle

Species: Green sea turtle

weight:n/a

Reason for visit: Lethargic

Location: Northern Florida transfer

Status Report

04/18/2026 Meet Doodle, a juvenile green sea turtle from Northen Florida who is now convalescing at The Turtle Hospital. Doodle is in critical condition and was brought yesterday for diagnostic and treatment with Dr. Terry Norton. During his initial exam, we removed sea squirts and epibiota from his plastron. sea squirts are smaller filter-feeding organisms that attach to hard surfaces in the ocean, and epibiota refers to any living organism-like algae, small crustaceans, or tunicates- that settle and grow on the turtle’s shell when they are too weak to swim normally. The barnacles on Doodle’s shell will be removed once he is stronger and better able to tolerate additional procedures. For now, he is receiving supportive care as we work to stabilize him and begin his recovery.
06/12/2026 Doodle had a check‑up today with Dr. Terry following his barnacle removal, and he’s already looking much better. When he first arrived at the Turtle Hospital, he had some gnarly epibiota and sea squirts attached to his shell and plastron—growths that sick or weakened turtles often struggle to remove on their own. Clearing those away has helped reduce drag and improve his comfort.While Doodle’s condition has had its ups and downs, this little green is still fighting. His resilience continues to inspire our team as we support him through each step of his recovery.