Topic: Do you help turtles cross the road?

[70CB750]

Gotta admit the duck thread inspired this question.

In our area this is the time of the year you can find turtles on the road every so often.  When I see a turtle crossing, I usually make a u turn and come back and move the turtle to the side of the road where it was headed.  I consider it a good juju.

I typically get a thumb up from other drivers.

We have quite the variety of turtles actually, never knew there were so many:

http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/reptiles/turtles/turtles_of_virginia.htm

[wardenerd]

Drove up to my street.  I live in a gated golf course community and 5 cars were stopped along with a security vehicle with lights flashing.  Then I saw my wife's car and immediately thought crash.  Ran up to fond the turtle wrangler AKA Judy carrying a 40 pound snapper across the road by the tail.  Thats my girl!

[70CB750]

She is a brave one, I don't know many ladies who would touch a snapper.

I had one that size in my pond, sharing food with my catfish. 

[wardenerd]

She is from Texas.

[grcamna2]

When I was 'on the road' for a few months through Texas I'd p-up a painted turtle quite often 'sunning' itself in the middle of the road and drive him w/ me for a bit and then place the turtle further in from the main highway down a dirt road whenever I could.They must feel very courageous sitting there on that blacktop w/ Trucks driving along 

[Stev-o]

She is from Texas.

My wife is too, but wouldn't be picking up a turtle!

A few years ago, I knew a guy that had a couple of beautiful vintage cars, a '33 Chevy coupe and a '72 Corvette.
The Corvette had some engine work including an oversize oil pan. One day he was on a high speed cruise, came up upon a turtle and with no options, hit it with the oil pan, damaging the oil pan, all of the oil leaked out!

No word on the turtle.

[Operator]

I started laughing when I read "40 pound snapper"

Sorry guys but where I grew up "snapper" is slang for lady parts!! All I could picture in my head was poor Judy dragging a large vagina across the road......

That said, good on her for possessing the bravery to tangle with a snapping turtle that size!!

[JeffSTL]

I've read that you should never relocate a turtle. Many turtles have "Home Ranges", a territory they call home, and when relocated, they will search out ways back. Besides risking many additional road crossings, some turtles, if they cannot find their way back will stop eating and just wander listlessly.  Also, if the turtle is carrying a disease it can devistate the "local" turtle population.

They are usually heading to nesting grounds when seen on roads. It is great to help a turtle across the road and not a bad idea to wait a few minutes to make sure it carries on in that direction and doesn't turn around to cross the road again.

[grcamna2]

I've read that you should never relocate a turtle. Many turtles have "Home Ranges", a territory they call home, and when relocated, they will search out ways back. Besides risking many additional road crossings, some turtles, if they cannot find their way back will stop eating and just wander listlessly.  Also, if the turtle is carrying a disease it can devistate the "local" turtle population.

They are usually heading to nesting grounds when seen on roads. It is great to help a turtle across the road and not a bad idea to wait a few minutes to make sure it carries on in that direction and doesn't turn around to cross the road again.

OH    ok Jeff, point well taken 

[ekpent]

I'm a turtle helper. The last big snapper I moved out of the road I just let him bite on the end of a big stick and dragged him across. Quite a few ponds and swail holes around me and the turtles move around during egg laying season.

[70CB750]

I,m a turtle helper. The last big snapper I moved out of the road I just let him bite on the end of a big stick and dragged him across. Quite a few pondsand swail holes around me and the turtle move around during egg laying season.

Speaking of which I saw two MD State Troopers trying to get a big snapper off of  the Montgomery Village road - Mr.Turtle was quite big, say 60 pounds and very aggressive and they did a lot of jumping back while trying to convince him to leave the road.

[ekpent]

Once they 'clamp' you are in big trouble. Friend of mine had a small above ground swimming pool that he kept snapper in and would go out and grab one for dinner when he felt like it. Never have tried eating one, like everything else wonder if it tastes like chicken.

[Kevin D]

Once helped a little guy who couldnt make it up the curb. More recently saw a 14 incher heading out into 70mph traffic..... He wasn't long for the world.

[flybox1]

A few years back my sisters dog, while out on a walk in Mesa, AZ, found an African Sulcata tortoise. 
Small enough to fit in her hand, it now gives that same dog rides in their backyard.

Dont bring home what you pick up 

[grcamna2]

A few years back my sisters dog, while out on a walk in Mesa, AZ, found an African Sulcata tortoise. 
Small enough to fit in her hand, it now gives that same dog rides in their backyard.

Dont bring home what you pick up 

Lol 

[Stev-o]

Never have tried eating one, like everything else wonder if it tastes like chicken.

I've eaten it in Mexico, yep, taste like chicken!

[goofy3392]

My wife always makes me turn around to help turtles cross.  Down the road from me turtles cross the road by a river and there's usually a couple squished turtles there.

Them the other day there was one in the middle of my lane and I straddled it. At first I didn't think it was a turtle but when I went over it I saw the fear In its eyes lol. Well I turned around and he was gone across the road already.

If we ever do stop we always pull over to the shoulder and put on the hazard lights. But we live out in the boonies so we don't have to worry about traffic like the duck story.

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[70CB750]

Yeah, I don't put the turtle above human's life, it is just nice thing to do.  I have no problem killing anything - but I need a reason.

I have seen truck to actually aim for the turtle and i would beat the crap out of that #$%* if I could.

[trueblue]

Around here everytime I have pulled up to help a turtle off the road, the mongrel has run and hidden under my car then I look like an idiot trying to get a turtle out from under my car so I can drive off.  No joke either, the turtles around here can move pretty damn quick when they want to. 

[grcamna2]

Around here everytime I have pulled up to help a turtle off the road, the mongrel has run and hidden under my car then I look like an idiot trying to get a turtle out from under my car so I can drive off.  No joke either, the turtles around here can move pretty damn quick when they want to. 

lol 

[Retro Rocket]

Koala's and carpet snakes for me, stopped quite a few times to get a python off the road, same with the Koala's...

[faux fiddy]

Yeah, it they get smashed in the road you won't have anything to snipe at in the pond.

[BeSeeingYou]

When I was a kid we lived in an area with many lakes and wetlands so snapping turtles were common.  My dad would always help them...into the soup pot.

[jerry h]

Last year I stopped to help a little snapper get across a busy road that goes through a swampy area.  He had a bloody nose, but otherwise was ok.  As I was getting my gear back on,  a couple of "real" hard core looking Harley dudes stopped to see if I was broke down and needed any help.  Thought that was pretty cool.   

[Don R]

 I turned around with a 28' trailer once, the jerk behind me ran over him. Not nice.

[Kenzo1979]

Always stop to help turtles.  Growing up my grandfather would bring me box turtles as pets and I continued to have a fascination for reptiles and amphibians.  Saved a lot of painted turtles right behind my work as well as snappers.  Seen a lot of casualties too.  Occasionally some diamondbacks near the shore.  Gotta evaluate the situation though: not gonna risk my life for one.


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[fmctm1sw]

The duck article seemed to imply the lady just stopped right in the middle of the road.  I'm a helper but I definitely get clear of traffic first.  I don't even run over snakes.  I was jogging one day and carried a big snappin' turtle across the road.  A guy in a truck pulled up to me and asked me if I was crazy.  I had him by the shell way back by the tail though.  I got to admit it did startle me when he snapped.

[demon78]

Well apparently it's a good thing to do, a Provincial cabinet minister stopped to help a woman get a turtle across the street in Winnipeg and after the thing was accomplished drivers clapped and cheered. So some politicians have heart.
Bill the demon.

[fmctm1sw]

Reminds me...  I also fish frogs and toads and an occasional snake out of my swimming pool too.  The only thing that has felt my wrath so far was a rat.  I scooped him up on the skimmer net and launched him up into the air towards the fence.  He didn't clear it so I scooped him up again while he was still stunned and heaved him over.  Oh, and spiders feel my wrath too.  I'm terrified of spiders...

[70CB750]

The duck article seemed to imply the lady just stopped right in the middle of the road.  I'm a helper but I definitely get clear of traffic first.  I don't even run over snakes.  I was jogging one day and carried a big snappin' turtle across the road.  A guy in a truck pulled up to me and asked me if I was crazy.  I had him by the shell way back by the tail though.  I got to admit it did startle me when he snapped.

Amazing how far snapper can reach his back, isn't it?

This is one of the small ones I found in our backyard.