Turtle on the busy road

[Pearly]

Hi Guys, I know nothing about water turtles, other than what some tortoise keepers who also keep aquatics at times mention in tortoise sections. Tonight on my way home this big guy (or girl) was in the middle of a road on dark street. I moved him to safety, and done this many times before in my area. There are several ponds and public golfcourse that wraps around my subdivision, and these turtles inhabit those ponds by big numbers. Usually when I see them cross the road they head out away from the pond (maybe to build nests on dry land???) I'm never sure if getting them out of the traffic I should put them down on the pond side of the road or the opposite direction where they were headed. I know it's probably a dumb question but I've learned most of tortoise husbandry on this forum and just want to feel right about doing what I do. stop the traffic, and hopefully save the animal from potential disaster etc I've seen one big turtle smashed by big pick up truck into almost a pancake. Never forgot that horrible sight. It broke my heart. Luckily in all my driving years I've been fortunate enough to never hit an animal, not even a squirrel and those get run over in my neighborhood all the time. I hate that! People drive too fast and don't pay attention, they text, flip through papers, eat, look for things on passenger seat, put make up on... Seriously! I saw a woman once putting mascara on her eyelashes while driving!!! But, went off on bunny trail here, question was: which direction is best for those road rescues, towards their living quarters (pond) or away?

 

[Berkeley]

Actually, the best direction to point them when you get them off the road is the way that they were heading. They didn't want to be on the side that they were coming from (for whatever reason) and if you put them back where they had been, they will try to cross again and most likely end up getting hit.
Even if they are an aquatic (like the slider above) and are heading away from the pond, they are on a mission we know nothing about. So help them out in the direction that they were going.

Good luck, and thanks for helping them cross!
--Berkeley

 

[Pearly]

Actually, the best direction to point them when you get them off the road is the way that they were heading. They didn't want to be on the side that they were coming from (for whatever reason) and if you put them back where they had been, they will try to cross again and most likely end up getting hit.
Even if they are an aquatic (like the slider above) and are heading away from the pond, they are on a mission we know nothing about. So help them out in the direction that they were going.

Good luck, and thanks for helping them cross!
--Berkeley

Yes, that's what my gut has been telling me. Just needed a validation i guess. Thanks

 

[Markw84]

Pearly, we are just about to enter the height of egg laying season. That normally peaks May & June. Most of the time these are females looking for a place to lay eggs. As Berkeley advised, I would put them in the direction they were heading.

 

[Pearly]

Pearly, we are just about to enter the height of egg laying season. That normally peaks May & June. Most of the time these are females looking for a place to lay eggs. As Berkeley advised, I would put them in the direction they were heading.

Thanks, Mark. I thought this must be it. Just like there seem to be armadillos, or deer, or skunks, possum and raccoon road kills all over at certain times of a years. Poor things, get hormonal and stupid, end up getting hit by cars. I was assuming our turtles here were looking for nesting ground. I'll be sure to educate my kids and friends to follow the turtles direction next time they run operation "road rescue"