Picking up a Snapper

[smarch]

I've read many things the past years about how to and how not to pick up a snapping turtle. I know you have to definitely NOT pick up by the tail because it hurts them and isn't good. So I know you're supposed to grab them from the backs of their shell around their bum so they can't bite you, but I also read that they can stretch their necks and still get you, but I don't know if I believe that. So can they still get me if I'm moving them holding the back of their shell?

I ask because I live in MA and we get a lot of turtles crossing the road that need assistance, I thought of the snapper thing after saving a river turtle the other day, because I even personally live on a lake sometimes a snapper wanders up our yard. Just want to know how to pick them up so its safe for me as well a them.

 

[bouaboua]

I saw a video on You tube one time that teach you how to handle a snapping turtles. You may want to check you tube out first while waiting for the snapper expert to wake up.

 

[smarch]

I saw a video on You tube one time that teach you how to handle a snapping turtles. You may want to check you tube out first while waiting for the snapper expert to wake up.

I'm a dummy for not thinking of looking on youtube! All these years I never really thought of that... oh well, I'll definitely do that, thank you!

 

[bouaboua]

I'm a dummy for not thinking of looking on youtube! All these years I never really thought of that... oh well, I'll definitely do that, thank you!

No!! You are not a dummy at all. You are very smart.

What dummy dose is getting hurt by a snapper without any research beforehand then come here to ask how to handle it.

 

[smarch]

No!! You are not a dummy at all. You are very smart.

What dummy dose is getting hurt by a snapper without any research beforehand then come here to ask how to handle it.

True, I mean I know how to pick it up and supposedly not hurt myself (I'll look up videos later, cant right now). I sometimes forget there are other turtle sources outside the forum but everyones always so good about answering my questions and I know I'm getting answers that are real here, I mean thee are idiots out there who think its good to get them by the tail so I figured i'd just find a lot of that. I mean you wouldn't pick up a cat or dog by the tail so what makes it ok for a turtle!!

Obviously during a road rescue you want to reduce stress for the turtle and you, I mean I don't blame them for wanting to bite me, i'm strange and disturbing their peace, as dangerous of a peace as it may be.

The only time I've personally encountered a snapper to rescue was a little hatchling in my driveway that I literally just picked up like I would a tiny Franklin because a bite would have hurt and drawn blood and all but it also wasn't threatening or hissing it just looked confused, brought it to the lake and it leaped into the water. He was caked in dirt and it looked like he'd probably not seen water in a while, maybe got lost.

 

[Anthony P]

Jumped in the swamp to grab this bad boy recently. He was a handful.

There are a few ways to grab them, but besides the horrible tail method, each one will hurt either your hands or your wrists. So, by acing about the welfare of the turtle, you do sacrifice a but.

Check out what this guy did to my hands.

 

[smarch]

Jumped in the swamp to grab this bad boy recently. He was a handful.

There are a few ways to grab them, but besides the horrible tail method, each one will hurt either your hands or your wrists. So, by acing about the welfare of the turtle, you do sacrifice a but.

Check out what this guy did to my hands.

Oh jeeze he's a big guy! We had one bigger than that basking in our driveway once when I was little and my dad kinda poked it into a large tub we kept outside for grass clippings with a shovel handle. I was little when it happened so I don't know if they actually let it free.. I try not to think too much about that. I hope to never run into such a guy who needs help crossing the street, i'd probably resort to tapping him with my foot ant trying to get him to chase me off the road, because after a certain point I probably couldn't pick it up at all with the weight where a safer turtle i'd pretty much hold in a bear hug to walk off the road, too bad theres no large friendly turtles in new England
He may have gotten you some but by the size of him it could've been much much worse! I have no problem sacrificing scratches and scrapes for the wellbeing and pain-free moving of the turtle. A little bloods nothing, this girls not afraid of scars, just don't want to loose a finger!