Berkeley
Active Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2014
- Messages
- 296
The safest way to handle the big snappers is to hold them by the tail and lift the back end up and slide your hand under the plastron. Lift them up using the hand on the plastron (this lets the weight of the animal sit on your hand and not end up pulling on the turtle's tail), and the hand holding the tail is basically for stabilization. With this method, there is no pressure or torquing on the tail, the claws of the hind feet cannot reach you, and both of your hands are nowhere near the mouth.
Ones in the 6-8 inch range are generally not heavy enough to do damage to the tail if that is how they are held. However, I prefer to just grab the whole back end of the shell like they are an angry hamburger.....
I, too, have seen many a snapper 'rescue' get botched by people who underestimated their abilities.
--Berkeley
Ones in the 6-8 inch range are generally not heavy enough to do damage to the tail if that is how they are held. However, I prefer to just grab the whole back end of the shell like they are an angry hamburger.....
I, too, have seen many a snapper 'rescue' get botched by people who underestimated their abilities.
--Berkeley