Wild snapper photos!

[Ginevive]

Mark and I hit the woods today on the atv; found some crayfish, small salamanders and the like.
We came across this angry guy/girl on the farm road back to the house!
Note: handling of snapping turtles should not be attempted by anyone.



"get out of here and leave me alone."

[Kom@tose]

Note: handling of snapping turtles should not be attempted by anyone.

True story.

...and nice common, did you all keep it or let it go?

[JLC]

Hehe....awesome pictures! Love the attitude on that turtle!

[Kristy]

CA-RUNCH :eek:

That guy is awesome. Glad Marks fingers didn't end up dinner.

Nice Pics.

[qiksilver]

Note: handling of snapping turtles should not be attempted by anyone.

especially not like that, yikes! looks like a fairly lethargic snapper, otherwise mark could have easily gotten bitten grabbing from there. but anyway, i'm assuming she since it's around egg laying time. So, she's a beauty, nice find, snapper will always have that special place in my heart after that one i kept for a few years...ahhh reminiscing.

[wildlifewarrior]

especially not like that, yikes! looks like a fairly lethargic snapper, otherwise mark could have easily gotten bitten grabbing from there. but anyway, i'm assuming she since it's around egg laying time. So, she's a beauty, nice find, snapper will always have that special place in my heart after that one i kept for a few years...ahhh reminiscing.

Yea i worked with snappers last summer they can be alot of fun! I love em! Yea the proper way to pick up a snapper especially that big is by the hind legs. Or by the back end of the plasteron (you should be showen this one just to be safe. Small ones (i mean small) can be picked up by the base of the tail, but not big ones! you can damage the nerves or even cause a break in the tail!

here's some pics of me (i hope its okay gin):
Removing from trap:

Different turtle plastron holding technique:

releasing big male (I know largest male i've ever seen!) using rear leg holding technique


Disclaimer: Use common sense around dangerous animals. Snappers could easily do big time damage to a finger or hand. They have very strong back claws (see second pic and my wrist). I always suggest using caution and a hands off approach to any wild animals. as my mom use to say "Look with your eyes not with your hands"

~mike

[juddb]

Note: handling of snapping turtles should not be attempted by anyone.

]

I found and handled one two weekends ago.

[Harold]

I saw this guy in the middle of the road.
So we put him in the woods after a few pics...lol

[Ginevive]

Nice shots! I can't stand it that people around here think that they are bad, and want to kill them just because they get blamed for eating their pond fish, etc. People also dislike them because of their attitudes.. but they have a place in the ecosystem.
We let this girl go on her way after the pics. I will definately inform Mark on how to better handle them if he does pick one up again.