We nearly ran over this happy fellow last week. I stopped to take him
home for a photo session and possibly release him in our pond. After
several attempts to pick him up by the back legs, it became obvious that
this was a very bad idea.

js

--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver http://schmidling.com

They are mean, but pick him up by the tail and don't hold him to close
to your body and you have him.





On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:53:18 -0600, Jack Schmidling
wrote:

We nearly ran over this happy fellow last week. I stopped to take him
home for a photo session and possibly release him in our pond. After
several attempts to pick him up by the back legs, it became obvious that
this was a very bad idea.

js

I've seen small ones picked up by the tail, but I sure wouldn't. A large
shovel and a larger box work (according to DBIL).

I love snapping turtles - it is almost like seeing a dinosaur come to life.

Cheryl
On 9/26/07 5:47 AM, in article ,
"96redneck" wrote:


They are mean, but pick him up by the tail and don't hold him to close
to your body and you have him.





On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:53:18 -0600, Jack Schmidling
wrote:

We nearly ran over this happy fellow last week. I stopped to take him
home for a photo session and possibly release him in our pond. After
several attempts to pick him up by the back legs, it became obvious that
this was a very bad idea.

js

Cheryl Isaak wrote in
:

I've seen small ones picked up by the tail, but I sure wouldn't. A
large shovel and a larger box work (according to DBIL).

I love snapping turtles - it is almost like seeing a dinosaur come to
life.

I picked up a very large one once (to clear a driveway where he was likely
to get creamed in a few minutes) and I distinctly felt his tail break --
from the weight of his body, I suppose. To this day I feel bad about that.
I did pop him into my car trunk and take him down to the nearest creek
where getting him out of the trunk was a lot more challenging than putting
him in there but distracting him with one hand and moving quickly with the
other worked pretty good. You can't hesitate when grabbing the tail of a
****ed-off snapping turtle, that's for sure.

I hope his tail healed okay.

Jangchub wrote in
:

On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:53:18 -0600, Jack Schmidling
wrote:

We nearly ran over this happy fellow last week. I stopped to take him
home for a photo session and possibly release him in our pond. After
several attempts to pick him up by the back legs, it became obvious that
this was a very bad idea.

js

I've rescued turtles from the road and the proper way to pick them up
is by their shell, not their tail.

You should post your phone number so we can call you up and ask you for the
proper way to do everything before we do it.

On Sep 26, 8:41?am, Jangchub wrote:
On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:53:18 -0600, Jack Schmidling
wrote:

We nearly ran over this happy fellow last week. I stopped to take him
home for a photo session and possibly release him in our pond. After
several attempts to pick him up by the back legs, it became obvious that
this was a very bad idea.

js

I've rescued turtles from the road and the proper way to pick them up
is by their shell, not their tail.

There is a special technique for picking up snappers with both hands
by their hind legs. If at all possible don't attempt to handle a
snapping turtle, if you must use a large shovel to move them.

http://www.naturealmanac.com/archive.../snappers.html

"Jack Schmidling" wrote in message
...
We nearly ran over this happy fellow last week. I stopped to take him home
for a photo session and possibly release him in our pond. After several
attempts to pick him up by the back legs, it became obvious that this was
a very bad idea.
============================
If you have children playing near your pond or keep fish in your pond,...
you don't want one of these critters in it. They can bite a koi in half or
snap a finger right off a child.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö

I've handled a lot of snappers, and always by the tail. I've never had
one to break. No way would I pick a snapper up by the shell, most
turtles, yes, but a snapper, not me. .








On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 07:41:38 -0500, Jangchub
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:53:18 -0600, Jack Schmidling
wrote:

We nearly ran over this happy fellow last week. I stopped to take him
home for a photo session and possibly release him in our pond. After
several attempts to pick him up by the back legs, it became obvious that
this was a very bad idea.

js

I've rescued turtles from the road and the proper way to pick them up
is by their shell, not their tail.

96redneck wrote in
:


I've handled a lot of snappers, and always by the tail. I've never had
one to break. No way would I pick a snapper up by the shell, most
turtles, yes, but a snapper, not me. .


I had made several attempts at a more hearty lift but Mr. Snapper didn't
seem to want to cooperate. In fact, he seemed intent on trying to remove
several of my fingers -- if not my hand -- at the wrist. We finally had
this little conversation:

Me: Look, Mr. Snapper, I'm trying to help you. You're going down the
middle of a mile-long driveway and you're a long way from the creek.

Mr. S: I don't care. Leave me alone. I'll eat your fingers with fava
beans and a nice cianti.

Me: Well, Mr. Snapper, I guess you COULD do that but I'm warning you that
in about 10 minutes, four filled-to-the-nuts dump trucks are coming up
here with a load of rip rap for the pond. You can either start jogging
down that driveway faster than any snapping turtle has ever hauled it or
you can become a large, flat splat in the dirt that the dump trucks will
ne'er notice or you can let me pick you up by the tail and get you the
hell out of here...

Mr. S: BY THE TAIL!! BY THE TAIL!!! PICK ME UP BY THE TAIL AND GET ME
OUT OF HERE!!

The rest is history...

On Sep 26, 3:47 am, 96redneck wrote:
They are mean, but pick him up by the tail and don't hold him to close
to your body and you have him.

http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/lpop/e...f/haltom22.htm

Luke holds the turtle aloft by a long pole and grins as he shouts,
"Here he is, Boss. Deader'n hell but he won't let go."

http://www.destgulch.com/images/luke06.jpg

http://www.destgulch.com/images/luke07.jpg





On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:53:18 -0600, Jack Schmidling
wrote:

We nearly ran over this happy fellow last week. I stopped to take him
home for a photo session and possibly release him in our pond. After
several attempts to pick him up by the back legs, it became obvious that
this was a very bad idea.

js