I stopped to save a turtle today

  • Thread starter Corsa
  • 42 comments
  • 2,375 views
Snappers cross the road all the time right by my house. I stop, and hold up traffic, but I don't help. They bite(hard) and claw, and they usually get along fast enough that I probably wouldn't figure out what to do with it before it will get across on it's own. Plus if I get out it might stop "running." Once they get big they're slow but no way I'm tangling with one of those. I can wait.

I don't know why they can't just use the culverts where the streams run under the road. They're big enough to walk through if you hunch over.
 
Morgoth_666
I don't know why they can't just use the culverts where the streams run under the road. They're big enough to walk through if you hunch over.
Click to expand...
Transients (or vagrants, for that matter) don't defecate in them?
 
Rallywagon
The best and safest way to move a snapper is by the tail. I am surprised it didnt just reach around and take a bite at your arm. My god do those things stink.
Click to expand...

That's a common misconception, lifting them by the tail can seriously mess up their spine, especially if they start struggling. After that all happened I looked it up and found the best way to pick them up is by grabbing the shell on each side of the tail just above their back legs.
 
Minty
That's a common misconception, lifting them by the tail can seriously mess up their spine, especially if they start struggling. After that all happened I looked it up and found the best way to pick them up is by grabbing the shell on each side of the tail just above their back legs.
Click to expand...
Is that in the same way that lifting a dog or cat by the scruff is bad? Living where I did in michigan, there are some 20+ lakes within maybe 10 sq miles or so, with all the rivers, creeks, marshlands etc to go along with it. I've move countless snappers out of the road. Not a single one was hurt. Of course, I dont pick them up off the ground either. Just nab their tail and pull them off the road. I've tried, my first time or two, to grab them by the shell where you mention. They had no issue getting a back foot and claws along with it up and into my hands. Snappers shells are very slick with muck and algae, I sure as crap couldnt keep a grip.
 
Corsa
And I saw how heartless mankind has become.
Click to expand...

I was walking along Westminster Bridge (the bridge outside the Houses of Parliament, site of one of the terror attacks) when I saw a guy with a backpack on lying on his back. I saw a few groups of people just walk by him, only giving him a casual glance. At first I thought they must have seen something that meant he was awake or something but when I went up to him and did a "shake and shout" I realised he was unresponsive. When I started acting like a first responder it was only then that people stopped and asked me if he needed any help. Luckily he was breathing and when the paramedics came he eventually responded to a pain stiumulus but the whole situation made me wonder how far humanity has gone if we can casually pass by someone lying on a well-traveled bridge.
 
HenrySwanson
I was walking along Westminster Bridge (the bridge outside the Houses of Parliament, site of one of the terror attacks) when I saw a guy with a backpack on lying on his back. I saw a few groups of people just walk by him, only giving him a casual glance. At first I thought they must have seen something that meant he was awake or something but when I went up to him and did a "shake and shout" I realised he was unresponsive. When I started acting like a first responder it was only then that people stopped and asked me if he needed any help. Luckily he was breathing and when the paramedics came he eventually responded to a pain stiumulus but the whole situation made me wonder how far humanity has gone if we can casually pass by someone lying on a well-traveled bridge.
Click to expand...
I live in a fairly small city of 200k but when I venture into the big city of Toronto it's not unusual to see someone lying on the street and there's nothing wrong with them other than they are tired and homeless. I imagine if you see that enough times you just stop paying attention.
 
HenrySwanson
I was walking along Westminster Bridge (the bridge outside the Houses of Parliament, site of one of the terror attacks) when I saw a guy with a backpack on lying on his back. I saw a few groups of people just walk by him, only giving him a casual glance. At first I thought they must have seen something that meant he was awake or something but when I went up to him and did a "shake and shout" I realised he was unresponsive. When I started acting like a first responder it was only then that people stopped and asked me if he needed any help. Luckily he was breathing and when the paramedics came he eventually responded to a pain stiumulus but the whole situation made me wonder how far humanity has gone if we can casually pass by someone lying on a well-traveled bridge.
Click to expand...

I so rarely agree with @Johnnypenso but I have to admit that in the City, from your description, I wouldn't have given the guy a second thought - much less got my heartrate into First Responder Mode.
 
Finally had a safe opportunity to help a turtle this afternoon -- only my second for the year. With the strange weather this spring, the first was several weeks ago, and then the turtles went back into hiding when it got cold again, but now they're back at it. I have since seen several that were struck, and missed helping a couple of them because it was unsafe for me to stop.

This one was feisty for a non-snapping variety. Luckily I was on the Ninja, so I was wearing gloves and she couldn't claw at my bare fingers, risking making me drop her.

It's that time of year, so if you're feeling kind, please help a little lady cross the road if you see one. :)
 
I had an interesting experience today, I was at a stop and out of nowhere a little dog hopping in my truck while I was in the back. Poor thing wanted some AC, I could tell he was hot he was panting heavily. It's 93 with a heat index of 98. So I sat there and let him cool off and gave him half a bottle of water. After 15 minutes I tried to get him to hop out cause I needed to keep rolling, needless to say he wasn't having that so he's been riding with me since around 3. A dock worker at our donation sorting warehouse found an old dog cage, So I'm gonna take him home and when I get a day off I plan on taking him to a vet clinic to check him out and see if he has a chip. He didn't have a collar or tag. Who knows I might have me a road dog to ride around with me at work! He actually enjoys it.

Pictures later when I get home.
 
I know, a DP sorry...
1.jpg
This is when he initially hopped in, I found a bowl in a donation and put the water in it for him.
1.jpg
This is after he cooled off some.
1.jpg
Here he passed out on the ride to the warehouse, poor little buddy.
1.jpg
He's home now, a little skiddish but he's already getting use to ryzno Jr, funny enough he hadn't barked all day till he saw my girl when she got out the shower.:lol:
ryzno Jr, dubbed him chico, even though I think he's gotten use to me calling him buddy.
Does anyone know what he is?
 
Don't know what breed he is but he looks happy.
Maybe someone will chime in here that knows more about dogs than me.
I know more about bigger breeds having grown up raising Alaskan malamutes but the smaller dogs I don't know much about.

Chihuahua maybe?
 
That's a Miniature Pinscher (MinPin) mixed probably with a Chihuahua. I have one but he's the red color. Good on you for saving him.
 

Latest Posts

Back