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Pastimes : Don't Ask Rambi
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To: Rambi who wrote (62559)5/9/2002 11:21:44 AM
From: Crocodile  Read Replies (1) of 71178
 
The easiest way to recognize one is by its tail. Snapping turtles have a thick tail with a jagged "saw blade" ridge along the top of it. The tail is often as long as the turtle's shell and will reminds you of a dragon or dinosaur tail. They have very large legs with conspicuously large claws. They aren't able to pull themselves into their shells like most other turtles, so they depend more on "defensive moves" to frighten or strike at anyone or anything that appears to be a threat.

They look like they can't move quickly, but they can when they sort of lunge forward to bite, but that generally isn't without some amount of provocation. However, don't be too afraid of them. Just don't get too close to the head end of the shell.

You could pull them by the tail (best done with a pair of gloves on). I keep a pair of work gloves in the truck for exactly such occasions. My own method with the larger turtles is to skid them across the road on the blade of a flat shovel that I keep in the truck for this purpose. Some of the snapping turtles I've encountered up here are so large that they would be almost too much for me to carry.

Mrs. Peel may have some good advice to add to this. I think "turtle moving" may qualify as one of those "improvisational" arts. (o:
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