Did I rendure harmfull medical repair to an Eastern BoxTurtle

Question
Hello Mark I realize you're not a veterinarian,but you would have acces to the correct answer,easier than I would,...I have no idea how the subject started,but recently it did,and I was wondering if I did do damage to an Eastern Box Turtle,that I rescued(from some sic kids that appeared to get a "kick"from torturing a defenceless animals)It was the late 1960's(can't remember the exact year),these kids droped a turtle off a railroad bridge,thus breaking the shell,...no small fragments,..just 3 separate isolated shell pieces,the 2 larger pieces still had a strong connection to the shell,and the underlying membrane was still intact,(one shell fragment separated entirely from it's original position)although I had no clue/experience in vet care for turtles(especially trying to "piece the broken shell together",I just used what I thought was common sense,...After cleaning the injury completely,i used "bactine"as an antibiotic,I then used a small(tiny)drill bit,(about the whigth/thickness alittle over a common toothpick)using an antique hand-powered drill,I drilled 3 holes in the seperated shell piece,still seeing that it fitted perfectly,I then drilled 3 miniscule,holes into the stable portions of the box-turtle's shell,I looked around for a strong"suture",but could only find very thin copper wire,and since there I wasn't aware of a more safe cannidate,I used the wire as a suture,and used a 2 part,dark epoxy to thinly cover all of the cracks that I pieced back together,....My question is,...by using copper wire as a suture,was it toxic?(copper only reacts with oxigen,so the 3, 1/4 inch piece's of copper wire,that was under the shell,holding the shell in-place,I assumed would have no toxic affects to the turtle,since it had no exposure to the air)Was I wrong?,...By using thin,pure copper wire as a suture,did I commit the Eastern Box Turtle,to a long toxic death?,....(by the way, I kept the turtle for almost 5-6 years,...eventually"clipping-off"the exposed copper"twist-tie",and using sand-paper on any hardened potential"epoxy-snags",before letting it go in a NJ state-park,......I realize now that there are more suitable"shell-stablizers"other that copper wire,but at the time,(I was between 11 to 13)and just acted on instinct,and the common-sense of a 11-13 year old kid,....This subject just came-up about a week ago,and it's been on my mind,as to whether I did any long-term damage, enlighten me.......thanks in advance,......Tom Rechko

Answer
Actually, copper is a vital part of a turtle's diet and I can find no evidence that it would have harmed the turtle in any way.

If the turtle lived for another 5 years after the surgery, you can be pretty sure that anything that may have happened to it later was almost certainly unrelated to the injury.

Sure, now we would use various fiberglass resins to repair that sort of damage, but it sounds like the underlying tissues healed nicely and you did a great job- especially for a youngster.

Rest assured that you did a good job and demonstrated great compassion, common sense, and wisdom- even at that age!