My turtle is a scaredy cat.

Master Oogway is my adorable red-eared slider, whom I've had since the summer before I started college. He's named for the ninja-like tortoise in Kung Fu Panda, who is both wise and fearless.

Unfortunately, my Master Oogway is neither. When I'm around his tank, he spends most of his time terrified of me for no rational reason. Why he thinks I would feed him every day and clean his tank, only to randomly eat him one day, is beyond me. Too bad I can't convey to him that I'm a vegetarian!

The only time I'm able to get close and have him remain on his floating platform (like for this picture) is when the sun has gone down, I've turned off the overhead light in my room, and I've turned on his UV lamp. Though he can hear someone moving, the fact that he can't see my monstrously scary face is comforting.

It's only then when he doesn't realize I'm there that I see him in his relaxed state. His head is totally out of its shell and one or more legs are stretched out as far as possible as he suns himself. (Like in the picture. So cute. :3) And it's times that I see him like that when I wish he didn't launch himself off the floating platform and into the water in panicked fright whenever I'm sighted.

Perhaps I should look into conditioning Master Oogway to like me.