Any Turtle People On Board? what to do with a snapping turtle

[Postergeist]

I've got a question for those that are in the know about wild turtles-

earlier today my Duncan dog raised a fuss outside and hubby says there's a turtle out there and he was snapping at it. I told him I hope it's not a snapping turtle as he will snap back at the dog!

So I go out there and see the fella, and think- hmm, he's got an upturned nose, long tail, and these barbed teeth looking back scales on the back end of his shell. Hard to estimate the weight- maybe 4 lbs.

Maybe the size of a salad plate.

Called my dad described it and he said oh- they have long necks that can stretch like a goose don't touch it!!!

(I had unknowingly rescued a snapping turtle yrs. ago in MO from getting run over in the street- but that thing was quite ugly, a different color and was a big ol' whopper- got yelled at by my folks as they said he coulda bit my thumb off)

I've got a dentist appt. before long- but when I went back out with a shovel he'd moved.

I was hoping to just shovel him/her in a bucket and carry him off into the woods.

But- I didn't know- are they territorial? Would he want to come back to his home spot? Any ideas of where I should relocate him?


(I'm a bit done with the nature living so close, just last month had 2 corn snakes in the basement, have no idea if they left or not!)

tia- won't be back til much later (my dentist is over the mtn)

[coffee1950j]

We've got wild turtles that live in the woods just outside of our condo complex.

Every year, the female comes back and lays her eggs at the base of one of the big trees near the road. Always the same tree. I actually was able to take a couple of pictures of her dropping the eggs into the hole she dug, cuz she was almost in a daze. When I went back 15 min later, couldn't even tell where she had dug the hole. Absolutely no prints or anything.

So I guess they are territorial, in some way.

BTW, me and a coworker tried to rescue a HUGE turtle a few years ago. He was about 18 inches long (the shell, not including head and tail).

Well we were pushing him with an umbrella (which bent, lol) and he seemed to sit down and then all of a sudden LUNGED at us. That ended our rescue mission, lol.

So we went back to work and went to the warehouse and told a couple of guys. They went out with a shovel and big box and moved him out of the road.

[BorderCollieMom]

First you need to identify it. Is it a turt. (water) or a tort. land) ?
Species from there....

Believe it or not, there are ALOT of turt/tort laws in our country.

Sometimes relocations are deadly....just like setting "pet" turts & torts free after years of captivity, is usually deadly.

Try to figure out exactly the species....then go from there.

Got a picture of it ?

If you cant figure anything out on the turt/tort....just leave him/her be.

[happy2bme]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_Snapping_Turtle


Sounds like you might have an Alligator Snapping Turtle. There is a picture of one at the link I posted.

[dgfred]

Unless it is trapped in your yard or is near your animals, leave it be. If trapped relocate near a water supply... creek, lake or river. Snapping turtles have nasty dispositions, box turtles are no problem at all. I have both in big numbers where I live.

[drip~drop1]

I've got a question for those that are in the know about wild turtles-

earlier today my Duncan dog raised a fuss outside and hubby says there's a turtle out there and he was snapping at it. I told him I hope it's not a snapping turtle as he will snap back at the dog!

So I go out there and see the fella, and think- hmm, he's got an upturned nose, long tail, and these barbed teeth looking back scales on the back end of his shell. Hard to estimate the weight- maybe 4 lbs.

Maybe the size of a salad plate.

Called my dad described it and he said oh- they have long necks that can stretch like a goose don't touch it!!!

(I had unknowingly rescued a snapping turtle yrs. ago in MO from getting run over in the street- but that thing was quite ugly, a different color and was a big ol' whopper- got yelled at by my folks as they said he coulda bit my thumb off)

I've got a dentist appt. before long- but when I went back out with a shovel he'd moved.

I was hoping to just shovel him/her in a bucket and carry him off into the woods.

But- I didn't know- are they territorial? Would he want to come back to his home spot? Any ideas of where I should relocate him?


(I'm a bit done with the nature living so close, just last month had 2 corn snakes in the basement, have no idea if they left or not!)

tia- won't be back til much later (my dentist is over the mtn)

Hi Postie.
Don't know much about snapping turtles...turtles usually come and go one way to and from water tho. :shrug:
Anyways, it's been a while since I've seen Duncan? How is that sweetheart?:wub:

[Spyder88]

Leave it alone...or relocate to the nearest body of water you think it may have come from. Don't even try to pick it up, even by the end of it's tail. Snappers have long necks and will bite when provoked... which doesn't take much.

Good luck, Postie! :thumbsup:

[nsm]

this thread is enlightening. I never knew any of this. I just remember those tiny green turtles I used to have as a pet when I was a child. Thought all turtles are harmless.

[Noahs ARK]

We have turtles living in our yard. They come & go as they please.

We have a BIG turtle that migrates thru our yard every year. Goes to the river, prolly to lay eggs. :confused:

[Postergeist]

We've got wild turtles that live in the woods just outside of our condo complex.

Every year, the female comes back and lays her eggs at the base of one of the big trees near the road. Always the same tree. I actually was able to take a couple of pictures of her dropping the eggs into the hole she dug, cuz she was almost in a daze. When I went back 15 min later, couldn't even tell where she had dug the hole. Absolutely no prints or anything.

So I guess they are territorial, in some way.

BTW, me and a coworker tried to rescue a HUGE turtle a few years ago. He was about 18 inches long (the shell, not including head and tail).

Well we were pushing him with an umbrella (which bent, lol) and he seemed to sit down and then all of a sudden LUNGED at us. That ended our rescue mission, lol.

So we went back to work and went to the warehouse and told a couple of guys. They went out with a shovel and big box and moved him out of the road.

LOL bent the unbrella! That's funny coffee! Glad you didn't disturb the momma.

You guys are da best :wub:

I did plan to use a shovel and a bucket- (no need for me to borrow one from a neighbor- nor do I have to break into a shed to get one out, hehe)

I'll have to wait to get my hubby to upload the pics from the camera and I'll let everyone tell me what they think it might be.


But I do have a pic uploaded of the snake in the house- which I *think* is a corn snake

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/Head.jpg

(he is actually climbing UP the wall- yes, that is the weird paneling in our basement)

[Postergeist]

First you need to identify it. Is it a turt. (water) or a tort. land) ?
Species from there....

Believe it or not, there are ALOT of turt/tort laws in our country.

Sometimes relocations are deadly....just like setting "pet" turts & torts free after years of captivity, is usually deadly.

Try to figure out exactly the species....then go from there.

Got a picture of it ?

If you cant figure anything out on the turt/tort....just leave him/her be.

well darn BCM- I need some time to get a bit smarter, lol. I believe it is a water type turtle-

I'm just worried that my dogs might not leave him be and then they get their noses bit off!

:scared:

I'll try to have the pics to show by tomo.

[Postergeist]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_Snapping_Turtle


Sounds like you might have an Alligator Snapping Turtle. There is a picture of one at the link I posted.

OMG! that is a fierce looking thing! :chicken:

this guy didn't have the pointy ridges on his back and his head wasn't as thick (and ugly).

now your skeering me from stepping outside!

[Postergeist]

thanx too Nicole, Spydie and Noah-

okay everyone- take a look at the pics and then give your expert opinions as to what kind of turtle are we dealing with!

(apologies for the photo that's a bit blurred)

body of turtle

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/P1010004.jpg

head of turtle

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/P1010006-1.jpg

tail and back ridge of shell

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/P1010005.jpg


(I swear to my naked eye he looked more green to me, but I can see from the pics- he's not)

[dgfred]

I can't really tell what it is... maybe a map turtle or some kind of snapping one. :confused:

[BorderCollieMom]

thanx too Nicole, Spydie and Noah-

okay everyone- take a look at the pics and then give your expert opinions as to what kind of turtle are we dealing with!

(apologies for the photo that's a bit blurred)

body of turtle

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/P1010004.jpg

head of turtle

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/P1010006-1.jpg

tail and back ridge of shell

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/P1010005.jpg


(I swear to my naked eye he looked more green to me, but I can see from the pics- he's not)

Awesome !!!! Try this "identifier" and let us know what the results are. It is a great help to know what state the turtle is in but I realize thats peronal info, lol...Certain turts & torts live in certain areas, regions, states, etc. in America.

[Postergeist]

woman- give me the identifier link! :blink:

darn it all- here I was hoping you'd have it all figured out for me.

I don't mind telling ya BCM where I'm at- I'm in B'ham, AL.

The only turtles I've ever seen around my area have always been box turtles (and those have been few and far between).

I think I've id'd the owls that live in my woods- have never seen them but due to their vocalizing that sounds like murdering monkeys on a rampage that they are barred owls. <hooty hoot>

[Postergeist]

Thanks Postie. He's grown from an adorable puppyboy to a very handsome fella! I just love Duncan.:wub:

:blushing: aw thanx Rainy! He is a sweetie! A few weeks ago I took him out with me on a ride and stopped to get gas- a little boy at the next pump over was saying "doggie, doggie" and his dad said "that's a bad dog".

:confused: He wasn't barking- he never barks at anything when he's in the car or on a walk. I guess due to his coloring people think he would be mean? Maybe I need to make him a little kerchief that says black is beautiful

Here's a pic of Gretchen from last year-

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/100_0023a.jpg

(when we rescued her from the street she had over 200 ticks on her, most were in her poor ears, she had to be sedated to get them all removed)

she loves all the squeaky toys, and bananas!

[PoppySeeds]

LOL bent the unbrella! That's funny coffee! Glad you didn't disturb the momma.

You guys are da best :wub:

I did plan to use a shovel and a bucket- (no need for me to borrow one from a neighbor- nor do I have to break into a shed to get one out, hehe)

I'll have to wait to get my hubby to upload the pics from the camera and I'll let everyone tell me what they think it might be.


But I do have a pic uploaded of the snake in the house- which I *think* is a corn snake

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/CrimsonGlory/Head.jpg

(he is actually climbing UP the wall- yes, that is the weird paneling in our basement)


What a beautiful boy! When you said in your first post you were heading "Over the Mountain" to the dentist I didn't know which way you were going, if you are in The Ham, I feel sorry for you making that trip toward the Brooke!
It looks like your visitor is a common fresh water snapper. He doesn't look like he was a very large one, so you were pretty lucky. I have seen them get about 2.5 ft across the bridge of their shells.
My granddaddy used to make a delicious turtle soup by cooking those whoppers and using the shell as a cook pot.
I shudder to think of the things I have eaten in my childhood that that wonderful man cooked!

ETA: I quoted the wrong post! I meant to quote the one with Duncan!
It's a pretty handsome snake, though, I am sure you didn't want to find it in the basement!

[Postergeist]

What a beautiful boy! When you said in your first post you were heading "Over the Mountain" to the dentist I didn't know which way you were going, if you are in The Ham, I feel sorry for you making that trip toward the Brooke!
It looks like your visitor is a common fresh water snapper. He doesn't look like he was a very large one, so you were pretty lucky. I have seen them get about 2.5 ft across the bridge of their shells.
My granddaddy used to make a delicious turtle soup by cooking those whoppers and using the shell as a cook pot.
I shudder to think of the things I have eaten in my childhood that that wonderful man cooked!

ETA: I quoted the wrong post! I meant to quote the one with Duncan!
It's a pretty handsome snake, though, I am sure you didn't want to find it in the basement!

Sorry Poppy- for not getting back to your post sooner- yes, I live in The Ham, lol- and my dentist is in GuadalaHoover, as they say.

But I did have a mighty fine bowl of tomato soup at Jason's Deli after my mouth finally got done being numb!

While I do eat meat- I would have to say I'd likely become a vegetarian if I had to hunt and kill my own food, I'd feel too torn up about it. :sad:

I've not seen the snapper since, but I haven't gone out to look for him- too many mosquitoes lately.

and thanks, Duncan is a handsome, happy boy- earlier tonite he was chomping down on his basketball- it's the full size kind.

[Silver & Go]

get a broom and stick the end of the handle by its mouth (side ways)...if he snaps the handle in half it is a snapping turtle...

Sometimes they just munch down on it and won't let go...you can then drag it to where you want it to be...

A Snapper is bad, bad...it could bite your beautiful dog's nose off with no problem....

Not kidding...../

[angellaw]

Hi Postie...I know this is a bit late, but when we were younger my brother found a snapping turtle and brought it home in a box, he was cute for about an hour, then he bit my bro and mom made him take it back to the stream...they are very "edgie"..those snappers are quick & hurt like a mother...keep you animals away from it...you stay away and pray her went on his merry way by now back to the swamp or wherever it is they come from...lol