Luanne Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Fortunately it was a road that doesn't have any houses or businesses off of it. There were two guys standing and guarding the tortoise to make sure it didn't go out into the road. It was a BIG tortoise. I've never seen one that big before. Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I thought your title was the beginning of a joke. :biggrinjester: So, I clicked on the link to read the rest of the punchline. I'm glad the men were guarding it, I'd hate for the tortoise to get hurt or for someone's car and passengers to get hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 That was very sweet of the guys to guard the tortoise...I wonder how long they had to guard her....maybe they're still there...should we send them dinner? :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I thought your title was the beginning of a joke. :biggrinjester: So, I clicked on the link to read the rest of the punchline. I'm glad the men were guarding it, I'd hate for the tortoise to get hurt or for someone's car and passengers to get hurt. Ditto :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I thought your title was the beginning of a joke. :biggrinjester: So, I clicked on the link to read the rest of the punchline. I'm glad the men were guarding it, I'd hate for the tortoise to get hurt or for someone's car and passengers to get hurt. same here. along the lines of - to show the opossum it could be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 And for some reason I want to sing an old macdonald "E-I-E-I-O" after reading it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Are you sure it was a tortoise? I once moved what I thought was the biggest tortoise I'd ever seen out of the road. It was the size of a smallish dog, not even kidding. When I described it to dh later, he said, "Um, I think that was a snapping turtle, hon. It probably could have removed your hand quite easily." Whoops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Are you sure it was a tortoise? I once moved what I thought was the biggest tortoise I'd ever seen out of the road. It was the size of a smallish dog, not even kidding. When I described it to dh later, he said, "Um, I think that was a snapping turtle, hon. It probably could have removed your hand quite easily." Whoops. I was thinking the same thing. I've seen some huuuge snapping turtles crossing the road here. Forget small dog, more like medium dog. Dh actually "saved" one by dragging it by its tail (you do not want to be near the business end of those things!) But it probably depends on what part of the country you're in whether the likelihood of a snapper or a tortoise is higher... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 I was thinking the same thing. I've seen some huuuge snapping turtles crossing the road here. Forget small dog, more like medium dog. Dh actually "saved" one by dragging it by its tail (you do not want to be near the business end of those things!) But it probably depends on what part of the country you're in whether the likelihood of a snapper or a tortoise is higher... When I say smallish dog, I'm thinking sheltie, not yorkie. :P I could barely lift it. I must have been out of my mind at the time, honestly. Lol at your dh dragging one by it's tail. He's a brave man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 A snapping turtle is very aggressive...seems like you would know it if it was a snapper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 A snapping turtle is very aggressive...seems like you would know it if it was a snapper. Well, they're still turtles - not like it's going to run after you. Snappers have a beak-like mouth, a spiky shell and a very long tail in relation to their bodies. I don't think they can retreat into their shells like some turtles. Snapper. Oh, look there seems to also be a non-spiky version, must live somewhere else: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Woah! I may have nightmares about those pictures later. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 My mom and I saw a snapping turtle on the side of the road one time and we got out to take pictures. It scared the crap out of us. I can't imagine it just standing there calmly . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialClassical Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 We have non-spiky ones here and I was shocked at how fast they can move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Aw, those guys were being so sweet. That said, I wonder if the tortoise is upset. Being held up probably cost him the race. :( :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 My 10 year old loves turtles (and tortoises). We got out in the middle of the road to help one get across and up the curb into the cemetery this summer. He was a wood turtle, and only 8" across or so. Fun. I've helped snappers get off the bike path before too, but they were only babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 A snapping turtle is very aggressive...seems like you would know it if it was a snapper. I don't know, the one I moved didn't come after me. And it was definitely the first picture. I suppose it might have been sick, which could explain why it was just laying in the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 The "spiky" snappers are Alligator snapping turtles. They are found more in the south eastern US and are much more aggressive than the common snapping turtle. We actually had a rescue snapper baby for several years. They aren't all cuddly and sweet, but they're not as nasty as everyone paints them to be. She would climb out of her tank frequently and walk around the house. I could hold her in my hand and she never even lunged, much less tried to bite. I wouldn't recommend that inexperienced herpers keep them, but it can be done if you know what you're doing. This little girl came to us when she was no bigger than a silver-dollar and stayed with us through 3 winters until she was bread plate size and could be re-released where she was found. She came back to visit us shortly after her release and has been seen a few times since then. We used to have tons of them in our yard. I actually miss them. I've also been called a few times to help move a snapper to a more ideal location. A shovel and a bucket are all that are usually needed. :) OP, what area are you from? I'm curious to know what kind of turtle/tortoise it might have been. When I was in elementary school we were sent home from school early because someone found a HUGE tortoise in the woods by the school. It turned out to be a very large Sulcata that must have originally been someone's pet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Ooh, yes, snappers are scary. I tried to move one out of the road once. As I reached down with both hands to grab it by the rear portion of its shell, in one snap it leapt into the air and did a complete 180 so it was facing me. My hair was hanging in my face, so it was pure luck that I got my hands out of the way in time to avoid being injured. My adrenaline was pumping after that, let me tell you! Turns out that by the tail is the safest way to pick one up and move it, thought I bet a bucket and shovel are 100 times better! Unfortunately, I didn't have any of that information (or equipment) at the time, so we had to leave it where it was :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 When I was in elementary school we were sent home from school early because someone found a HUGE tortoise in the woods by the school. It turned out to be a very large Sulcata that must have originally been someone's pet. They sent you home from school?! Why on earth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 They sent you home from school?! Why on earth? Fear of the unknown, I guess. I lived in a little farming town and some of the kids found it in a wooded area at recess. The teachers and admins got freaked out and sent us inside for a lock-down and then sent us home because they didn't know what it was or what it was capable of. We always talk about the ignorance of today's culture and generation, but it really wasn't much better 25 yrs. ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 Fear of the unknown, I guess. I lived in a little farming town and some of the kids found it in a wooded area at recess. The teachers and admins got freaked out and sent us inside for a lock-down and then sent us home because they didn't know what it was or what it was capable of. We always talk about the ignorance of today's culture and generation, but it really wasn't much better 25 yrs. ago. OMgoodness, that's pretty hilarious! I'm envisioning a huge turtle wreaking some kind of havoc on a quiet little town :lol: I bet you were all grateful for the unexpected day off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted November 2, 2013 Share Posted November 2, 2013 In our town that would be problematic because all the kids would go into the woods to find the tortoise. My son would be in front. We live in the kind of town where people take their kids down into the ditch to go see the nice black bear sleeping in the culvert. :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoot Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 OMgoodness, that's pretty hilarious! I'm envisioning a huge turtle wreaking some kind of havoc on a quiet little town :lol: I bet you were all grateful for the unexpected day off! :thumbup1: Oh yeah, baby! Of course, today it makes me sad wondering what probably became of that tortoise. In all likelihood, they probably shot it. And, a tortoise that size had to have been VERY old. Clearly, from my avatar you can tell that I :wub: tortoises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 Contessa, what a hilarious story! A neat story to tell from your childhood :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted November 3, 2013 Share Posted November 3, 2013 We got home from church one night to find a little tiny turtle on our side door step. It was a baby snapper - he wasn't the spiky kind, IIRC. It was hysterical bc DH picked him up to take him out of our way and he had his 'teeth bared' (mouth open, ready to strike) the whole time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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