Turtle Pic

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Mar 19, 2007
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Went for a hike a few days ago and saw this guy cross the road. He took his time, but made it safely across as it wasn't a busy road. I believe it is some sort of snapping turtle, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.


Turtle3.jpg
 
I don't think you want to carry him across. :D

My parents went to Ocean City, MD, some years ago, in the spring, and saw thousands of turtles migrating across Route 1, at the Delaware shore points. People were swerving, almost causing accidents, to hit the turtles. Ever since I was little, my father has been saving turtles on the side of the road. Needless to say, he was pretty pissed, and within reason.

Sadly, turtles are getting very scarce :(.
 
Common snapper. Yep. Only safe way to pick that one up is by the tail. Long flexible necks, powerful jaws, and nasty dispositions. You could easily lose a finger.
 
Common snapper. Yep. Only safe way to pick that one up is by the tail. Long flexible necks, powerful jaws, and nasty dispositions. You could easily lose a finger.

I have heard they are pretty unfriendly and have a strong bite which is why I didn't help him across the road and gave him a wide berth.
 
I have heard they are pretty unfriendly and have a strong bite which is why I didn't help him across the road and gave him a wide berth.

The can be dangerous. I use a shovel that I keep in my car (not just for turtles). They can be helped off the road by sliding the shovel under them.
 
Yeah, just stick your finger in front of his face. He'll appreciate your efforts to help and latch on so that you can pull him on across the road. :eek:
 
Apparently you can safely handle a common snapping turtle by grabbing it by the back of the shell (both the carapace and the plastron) (upper shell and lower shell) between the hind legs. It may take one or both hands depending on the size of the animal. Also don't carry it too high off the ground because if you drop it the animal can be injured. I think I like the shovel idea better. A bite from one of these turtles could ruin your day.
 
Apparently you can safely handle a common snapping turtle by grabbing it by the back of the shell (both the carapace and the plastron) (upper shell and lower shell) between the hind legs.

I've done that successfully with smaller ones (4-5 inches). I just don't have the guts to try it with the larger ones.

The largest I've come across (about 18 inches) I got off the road with a modification of katdaddy's idea. I held a stick in front of the turtle, which it kept snapping at, lurching forward a few inches with each snap. It took a little while (and probably pissed the turtle off) but it did work. This thing was so aggressive (or scared) that it was snapping at the tires of cars as they went by.
 
I can honestly say that's one ugly turtle. Better to use the shovel on it after slowing him down with a few bullets and harvesting seven different kinds of meat.
 
i love snappers.

they are about the cutest thing in the world, as hatchlngs.

just ridiculous little guys, with all the attitude of the adults.

definitley not house pets - a piot bull is as close as i will come to something that can bite an axe handle in two.

vec
 
You animal hater!

You should have went and gingerly picked him up, carried him across the road and maybe given him a little kiss. Or if your hands were full, stuck him in your pocket and then carried him across. :D
 
i love snappers.
they are about the cutest thing in the world, as hatchlngs.

You want cute hatchlings? Here you go. This is from a nest that was disturbed just as the eggs were hatching, but oddly enough they weren't all eaten. Makes me think that a domestic dog did it, since even if a wild animal was scared away after pillaging the nest, I expect they'd come back and eat everything. This little guy took about 2 hours to get out of the egg.


Haha, it looks like a dinosaur

They do, don't they? As I understand it, they haven't changed a whole hell of a lot since the time of the dinosaurs.
 
I tried to carry one across the road once. Right in front of both hind legs you can carry them and thier neck cannot reach you unless you lean forward (which i did) his head shot out of his shell and made a beeline for my bicep. I was quick enough to throw him the rest on the way across the road into the water filled ditch. He seemed fine after he landed.
 
Pick em up by the tail and you might cause an internal hemmorhage which can kill it.

Some of the other ways listed can work on smaller snappers, problem is when they start tryin to escape, you end up droppin maybe hurtin em when you didn't mean to.

They make great pets, if you can find the smaller ones. Put in an aquarium, add water and a dozen minnows, and your kids'll be entertained for hours.

Watch out tho, cause when they get bigger they'll push the top off the aquarium and roam the house.

The big ones can safely be carried by sliding one hand up behind the head, grabbing the top shell, and the other hand on the top shell above the tail. Carry slightly head down. They can't snap straight up, and can't twist their head enough to get a grip on you.
 
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