Helping a turtle cross the road....

[KFC911]

I was heading out this morning and saw someone had stopped traffic in both directions to make sure a turtle could safely make it the rest of the way....

I thougth of Baz

Got my day off to a great start too....

[Baz]

Good for you, KC....thanks for your kindness!

[911dean]

I'm one those that likes to help them. I've always liked turtles.

[stomachmonkey]

I'm usually good for a dozen or so this time of year.

Moved two this week alone.

If you do come across one always move them off the road in the direction they were heading.

Don't turn them around or take them to a pond / lake.

They are somewhat territorial and pigheaded. When they are on the move they have a purpose / destination in mind and deviation only results in them trying to get to where they wanted to go so you may make their trip longer and cause them to cross more roads.

[wdfifteen]

An odd phenomenon occurred here about five years ago. We don't often see turtles here, they keep to the woods and lakes, but one summer it was like they all got a call from the mother ship and went on the move. They were all over the roads. For about ten days I would move 4 or 5 off the road every day, and my commute is only 4.5 miles. After 10days or so it just stopped. I haven't see another turtle on the road since.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

.... I haven't see another turtle on the road since.

Wow, I had no idea some of you guys encounter so many. Though I have some in ponds, etc. I rarely see 'em on the road. I "was" going to trap some a couple of years ago (don't need to now), and like Stomachmonkey said, I knew I needed to relocate them MILES away....not just in a different pond in the area. Pig headed....sorta like me sometimes...I like that

[p911dad]

I saw this one laying eggs while I was walking along some woods on Wed this week. Maybe this is why they move across roads, etc.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by p911dad

...I saw this one laying eggs while I was walking along some woods on Wed this week. Maybe this is why they move across roads, etc.

Maybe so...I actually saw several fish fornicating in their beds right below me yesterday...they had NO shame whatsoever

[Rick V]

I move them on a regular basis, I would say one a week, and just carry them across the road where they were heading. I have always done it but since the wife loves them I get brownie points for doing what I would be doing anyway. BONUS.
We have a lot of them here at the house but I do live in a river town

[GH85Carrera]

I have moved several. One day going to work i picked up one that was about to try to cross a busy 4 lane road. I picked it up and since I was two blocks from work and I was returning a bucket I put it in the bucket to be released further from traffic. One of the ladies said she would release it in her back yard. That afternoon at home one was in the back yard so I called her to see if she wanted another one. She said sure so i brought it to work and she put it in her back yard.

She said I had found a horny male and female and the turtle sex was hot and heavy. She raised several clutches of babies over the years. She even started raising meal worms to feed them. She lived close to a large wildlife refuge and released a lot of them.

In reality, they were terrapins not turtles.

[Jim Richards]

BTDT. Something about turtles...

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

...She said I had found a horny male and female and the turtle sex was hot and heavy.

In reality, they were terrapins not turtles.

Turtle sex or terrapin sex...make's no difference to me...

..and I call croaking bullfrogs "toads" too

[rwest]

If you move a snapper, don't pick them up by the tail, you can break their backs. Grab the back of the shell near the tail so your fingers are far from the jaws and then pick it up.

[carreradpt]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Snappers -
So far i have had good luck picking them up about the 1/2 way point between front and rear. @the edge of the shell.
Some can reach and scratch with toes just the same...
Next -Be very careful!
They are not very thank full, They can turn around once on the ground in less the a second and snap ya!
In fact I have large snapers jump right off the ground ! ( no kidding)
So beware of the danger.
The lessor danger- they all seem to want to Pee on ya!

Dangerously very true.
I had a tough time just trying to get behind one to grab him and get him out of the road. He would spin very quickly, I had to give him a head fake and snatch him up. Ungrateful f****r almost got me after I moved him to safety. I carry heavy gloves in the cars cuz we see so many turtle crossings around here. Not that the gloves would do much good if he got those choppers on ya.