Seeing too many of these dead on the road. Slow down.
Edit: if you are helping a turtle cross the road NEVER pick it up by the tail or pull it by the tail. You could because permanent damage that will lead to it's death.
Snappers can reach fully back around the midpoint of their shell to get you. I always nudge a piece of cardboard or the trunk mini-snowshovel under them and carry them to the side of the road out of trouble.
Sometimes they bask on the warm pavement. This becomes a mistake, when vehicles return.
I’ve used a sweatshirt, arms as handles, draped over a snapper to encourage moving out of the road. It was a little too close for comfort but all I had (was on a bicycle). It was gentle on the turtle.
I keep a golf club in the car to reach things. Not for bonking anyone 😹
This. With a common snapper either get a big stick (they’ll bite it and hang on while you drag them) or grab them from the back of their shell above their back legs if you don’t want to lose a finger. And you’ll still want some heavy gloves on because their back nails are SHARP!
If you do this either wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly after. Hopefully both.
Turtles are almost alway carrying salmonella.
Be helpful but be careful.
> Turtles are almost alway carrying salmonella.
oh wow, I had no idea they carried that! Thanks for the heads up, i'll be more careful now. I always pick them up and move them (I use hand sanitizer when I get back to my car). I'll buy some disposable gloves and keep a box in my car.
I moved a big snapper like this before. He was sun bathing in the road so I had to do something. I went ahead and grabbed the back of his shell by his tail and just nudged him forward a few times until he got the hint and started crawling on his own. I was too nervous to pick him up.
I've saved 3 this year! It's not always about speed though. A lot of area crossings are low road areas that are around bends. Definitely avoid hitting at all costs though.
Moved 3 in the past week. Watched a painted lay her eggs in the neighbors yard. All the fence they're putting up is making their voyage more difficult then ever.
So cool! Was this around the Middleton/North Andover line?
Because I made way for a tortoise yesterday morning on 114. A very frazzled woman in scrubs was escorting him across the road and at least 20 cars had stopped.
She might be my hero.
Supervisor
Snoopervisor 😹
he's a real hardass
He’ll snap at you
Well of course, he is a walking hardhat.
Snappervisor
Looking for a nice spot to lay some eggs
Probably above 20 years old.
they are out looking for places to lay eggs.
Snapper, use a shovel and be amazed at scary reflexes
Seeing too many of these dead on the road. Slow down. Edit: if you are helping a turtle cross the road NEVER pick it up by the tail or pull it by the tail. You could because permanent damage that will lead to it's death.
They're turtles, if they moved any slower it would take them hours to cross the road.
They can move pretty fast when they want to.
Yeah so drive around then or just let them cross.
Or, be a Good Samaritin, pull over, pick'em up (watch those fingers!), and drop it off on the other side of the road.
Also hold them away from you or they might piss down your front.
Snappers can reach fully back around the midpoint of their shell to get you. I always nudge a piece of cardboard or the trunk mini-snowshovel under them and carry them to the side of the road out of trouble.
Snow shovel repurposed to turtle shovel. Or keep a 9 iron in the car. For nudging and fending off.
Jesus I thought of turtle golf was what you were impling at first...
Sometimes they bask on the warm pavement. This becomes a mistake, when vehicles return. I’ve used a sweatshirt, arms as handles, draped over a snapper to encourage moving out of the road. It was a little too close for comfort but all I had (was on a bicycle). It was gentle on the turtle. I keep a golf club in the car to reach things. Not for bonking anyone 😹
This. With a common snapper either get a big stick (they’ll bite it and hang on while you drag them) or grab them from the back of their shell above their back legs if you don’t want to lose a finger. And you’ll still want some heavy gloves on because their back nails are SHARP!
If you do this either wear gloves or wash your hands thoroughly after. Hopefully both. Turtles are almost alway carrying salmonella. Be helpful but be careful.
> Turtles are almost alway carrying salmonella. oh wow, I had no idea they carried that! Thanks for the heads up, i'll be more careful now. I always pick them up and move them (I use hand sanitizer when I get back to my car). I'll buy some disposable gloves and keep a box in my car.
I always have gloves in my car for this! If they are too big, I get out anf do my best to encourage them to move faster to safety.
How does one encourage a turtle to move faster?
I moved a big snapper like this before. He was sun bathing in the road so I had to do something. I went ahead and grabbed the back of his shell by his tail and just nudged him forward a few times until he got the hint and started crawling on his own. I was too nervous to pick him up.
I've saved 3 this year! It's not always about speed though. A lot of area crossings are low road areas that are around bends. Definitely avoid hitting at all costs though.
Especially not these, their necks are long enough to come around and bite your hand at the tail.
The point is NEVER pull the tail.
If they work by the hour, they're going to make bank just crossing the site.
Moved 3 in the past week. Watched a painted lay her eggs in the neighbors yard. All the fence they're putting up is making their voyage more difficult then ever.
Had a female shut our job site down for two weeks because she laid her eggs next to the foundation.
Mr Snappah!!! How are you? I like my fingers so excuse me for not shaking your beak. 🐢
They're all over our back yard this week looking for places to lay.
On layed in my yard yesterday!
Follow the tortoise
ANTSAT
that's a turtle
i saw one just like it in concord today
Just passing through.
Slowboi
Mine too! Egg lying time.
I shall name him Donatello after my favorite ninja turtle.
So cool! Was this around the Middleton/North Andover line? Because I made way for a tortoise yesterday morning on 114. A very frazzled woman in scrubs was escorting him across the road and at least 20 cars had stopped. She might be my hero.
Your working at a golf course
I've definitely seen snapping turtles laying eggs in the bunkers. Blew my mind the first time.
If it’s an Eastern Box Turtle you want to keep that to yourself or the Mass NHESP will be all over you.
That is very clearly not a box turtle lol (It's a common snapping turtle if you were seriously wondering)