advice on handling wild snapping turtles

[Christine]

Hi everyone,
Was heading home for lunch out of the industrial park and there was a dinner plate size snapping turtle getting ready to walk into heavy traffic. So I stop.
I always saw people grab them by the base of the tail and make sure the head is turned away. I know how bad they can be . I have only handled the little guys so this was my first larger snapper.
So, the pond the turtle crawled out of was maybe 40 feet away. So I had a bag in my car and distracted the head while I got a grip on the tail and made it half way to the pond. Then put the turtle down cause I could feel the tail , I guess you would put it as maybe being adjusted by me holding the animal that way . So I was afraid I was hurting the turtle. Plus I needed to get my courage back cause this turtle was pist LOL. But I was right there so did the same thing and got a good grip and ran to the pond and put the turtle in lol.
My question is. The holding by the tail is this really ok. The way the bones were creaking just made me feel like I could do damage that way.But I knew a car would be much worse.
So any advice or thoughts so that way the next time I am better prepaired .
Thanks
Christine

p.s. very small tail too

[Jeff H.]

Holding a snapper by the tail can break their bones. If you're going to pick them up, the best bet is grabbing the back of their shell with both hands (keeping the dangerous end away from you). If it's a particularly large snapper, I grab them by the base of the tail and shell and drag them off the road.

[llovelace]

holding a snapper by the tail can break their bones. If you're going to pick them up, the best bet is grabbing the back of their shell with both hands (keeping the dangerous end away from you). If it's a particularly large snapper, i grab them by the base of the tail and shell and drag them off the road.

x2

[Christine]

Thanks Jeff,
I plan on being better prepaired. Will have a blanket and a large snow shovel with me for now on. I had nothing to work with so I did the best I could. LOL

[redpython]

here is my buddy isaac handling a large snapper:

[mainbutter]

That is an alligator snapper, different species (assuming the OP is talking about common snappers)

Big common snappers should NEVER be held by the tail. They are tricky sometimes. I highly recommend gloves to guard against the claws, they're not as vicious as the beak but still capable of sending you to get some stitches.

First things first. Guage the turtle's "pissiness". If it's pissy and going to bite for sure, yeah always hold by the back of the shell. On really big snappers, there is no "safe" way to hold them that is also safe for the turtle, unless you're a ridiculously big person. I couldn't hold a 40lb snapper by the back of the shell.

Here's me holding a very big but calm wild snapper. This was taken last june in Ontario, I doubt he'd ever seen a human before. You can see what I mean by the claws. These guys are accomplished diggers (laying eggs) and can do damage to un-protected hands.

[Christine]

Hi, it was a common snapper about the size of a diner plate but not as heavy as the one you holding or as big for that matter. I had the turtle by the tail for only seconds the pond was very close. So I think it was ok. It swam off very nice. I read that the alli snappers have a short neck and that is why people are able to hold them like the other photo and commons shouldnt be held that way cause of the longer neck. I have gloves and will put them in the car I already put a big snow shovel in the back seat. So that way it will be easier on me and the turtle next time lol. Turtle was very pissy and I couldnt blame it in the least.
Thanks for the demo!