Saved from being rooadkill on hwy 400/69

ReneeB · 06-20-04, 07:57 PM

On our way homefrom the PCPC show last sunday (June 13), my guy and I saw this odd bit of rubber on the road near the shoulder.. we slowed a bit and noticed it had massive legs and HUGE tail. We tried to move it off the road close to the pond it was heading for, but there were some tire ruts in the grass that I didn't notice and the poor thing ended up like this..

We waited to see if it could right itself, but it's shell fit perfectly into the tire rut so we tried to help it..

After grabbing the kevlar gloves that we keep in the glovebox (don't ask), we managed to flip him/her right side up using a nice log (he wasn't impressed and kept snapping at our legs/hands/arms/feet) for him/her to bite, and grabbing her/him by the shell near the rear legs (FRIGGEN HUGE CLAWS!). This is the result.

One very pissed off snapping turtle.. it was about a foot across the shell and about 1.5 feet from head end of shell to tail end of shell. It's legs were atleast as thick as my wrists!

My guy picked it up to bring it to the pond's edge and got peed on for his efforts!..

Picture a guy who isn't very fond of herps, that's just come back from wandering through a room with hundreds of them, petting an adult coastal carpet python (THANKS MARDY!) and exclaiming I'm crazy for having snakes that'll get that big, carrying a very ticked off, peeing snapping turtle through foot high brushes to save it from being roadkill all because his girlfriend (Me!) is a herp lover.

CDN-Cresties · 06-20-04, 08:27 PM

Job well done :thumbsup: That his/her way of saying thanks

Removed_2815 · 06-20-04, 09:13 PM

Nice job!
Also, I am very glad to hear you guys picked it up properly, I can't tell you how many times I have seen people pick Snappers up by the tail. We have plenty of evidence that this practice often leads to vertebral separation which has resulted in death...
Here is a recent post of mine detailing Snapping turtles:
Link
Again, good job and thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
R

Tim and Julie B · 06-20-04, 09:29 PM

That is a friggin cool turtle! Good job on the rescue. Nothing like pee to get people to like reptiles!

Good for your friend though. TB

hhw · 06-21-04, 01:46 AM

Great job on the rescue!!!

Heh, your guy must love you very much.

BoidKeeper · 06-21-04, 05:39 AM

Good on ya!
Cheers,
Trevor

Painted Desert · 06-21-04, 06:40 AM

Well done:medbigsmi Good thing you had help, i'm sure she weighed a ton!

Linds · 06-21-04, 08:34 AM

Good timing! He could've been stuck there for a while... or worse yet... could've been used as a target

klein · 06-21-04, 08:59 AM

great job on the rescue!!!

Optimus Prime · 06-21-04, 09:00 AM

Good job!

ReneeB · 06-21-04, 10:45 AM

Thanks guys and gals.. I've had my guy out herping with my son and I 3 times now and he's really getting into this 'herps thing' I've got.

One more converted to the hobby!

snakers55 · 06-21-04, 03:24 PM

Good work, only possible downside is that if you took her back to the pond, she possibly hadn't finished her business laying her eggs and will have to redo the trip and face the road again..

ReneeB · 06-21-04, 03:36 PM

S/he wasn't laying eggs, s/he was wandering to the pond, I checked for that before moving her/him. No idea if it was a female or male.

Siretsap · 06-21-04, 03:50 PM

She prob already layed her eggs somewhere along the highway and was moving back to the pond.

snakers55 · 06-21-04, 04:43 PM

It's a female, I can tell by the pic. How are you sure she already laid (just curious)?