Thursday, June 7, 2012

Who Says Turtles Are Cute?

Yeah, so personally I don't like turtles.
Last week one of my Welsh Harlequin Ducks (Amelia) had one leg bitten off and died less than 24 hours later. Let me tell ya, that's enough to get my blood boiling!! It was time to get my turtle trap out again.
Even a relatively "harmless" pond turtle will maim a duck (Ive seen them do it) but when you put these monsters into the mix your ducks simply disappear (or are more horrendously injured).
Below is not my trap, its a dog pen. This is what I put the snapper in once I got him out of my trap. And believe me, I did wonder how I was going to move him at all, let alone change cages.

Some people love all  turtles even snapping turtles. I'm not one of them. I won't be cruel to any creature (this turtle will be relocated) but I do not like them. At All.
You can see how his weight has lifted up the liner of the dog pen.

Had to put the door of the pen facing the walls of the wheelbarrow so he couldn't shake them open.
You can't see them in these pictures but he actually has two old bullet holes in his shell where someone tried to catch him before.


The weird thing about these snappers is that they're more animal/ monster than reptile. Pond turtles are almost helpless if they're turned on their back but snappers have such long legs and head that they can right themselves quicker than you can say Jack. Here he is lifting himself up on all fours.
Creeeeepy!

So we thought we'd measure him. 

Just the shell is 17 inches. His head when extended would be about 5 or 6 inches more and his tail is about 7 inches. From tail to head we're looking at about 28 inches, almost 1 meter.
I estimate him to weigh about 30 pounds.
And he growls. 
And hisses.
And snaps. BIG SNAPS.

So there you have it.
Turtles are not cute.
But they're good eating, so they tell me. 
If you're into that sort of thing.



22 comments:

José said...

Woh, Dorcas, are these turtles living at your backdoor? I can't believe it.
What a monster. How long have you been busy catching the beast? And what are you gonna do with him? I don't think that you eat him? Do you?
Greetings, José

Debbie said...

Oh YAK! He is horrid and the nasty thing bites Ducks!! He MUST go!!

My friend has a "mole" and it is ruining her gorgeous garden, I wouldn't hurt an animal for no reason but I have helped my friend "Get rid"!! of her mole!
Your snapper has had his day.
Get rid and make those gorgeous ducks safe... Debbiexx

Jen Shults said...

Yuck! I tend to be a turtle fan but not of giant snapping turtles... mostly because I'm pretty sure that thing could take off a finger and do some heavy damage to an arm. That's just no good. I hope you get him relocated soon.

Tine said...

Gosh Dorcas, he is a BIG guy too! Poor Amelia. :( Hope you manage to safely relocate him to a duck-free environment.
Tine :)

Debbie said...

That's one BIG turtle~~~

Debbie

Sorry about Amila

Anita said...

Aww, Dorcas, so sorry to hear about your duck. This looks like one mean turtle and he looks HUGE! All I can say is - you're braver than I am :)

Kelly Schelske said...

That dude is ugly!! I did see a show where they made turtle soup...a much smaller turtle mind you, but still, I won't be eating it!

Sorry to hear about Amelia, rotten turtles.

paperpapier said...

It looks like tortoise to me, because it has claws on the feet and the shell is more domed shape than the turtle's shell. This is huge, I guess it is about more than 50 years old. Sorry to hear that it attacked your duck.

Annemaritta said...

I thought you had some small little thingies there, not these kind of HUGE animals who hide in the shell :( Sorry to hear about Amelia :(

Anniebee said...

Ewwww! He is pretty grotesque! I don't mind the little painted turtles though they do carry disease but these things are just a danger to human and aquatic animals alike. Your poor ducks having to contend with the likes of this just to have a little swim!

Maria Therese said...

woooooooooooow!! I've never seen a turtle other than at the zoo.. No they are not cute.. other than in stamps and drawings....

Marilyn said...

This guy is so scary looking! You are a lot more savvy than I am, trapping and penning him up for transport!
I grew up on a farm and don't believe we ever had snappers that huge, but of course we didn't have a lake either, just a pond! I can see what you and your ducks are up against now!
I hope you're able to rid your lake 0f these creatures soon. Probably going to be a long battle! Good luck to you Dorcas!

Ulina / Apricot Bubbles said...

Uaaahhh... frightening!!! I´m so sorry for Amelia :-(

Gaynor Greaves said...

WOW, these guys are pretty dangerous, I have seen them on Wildlife programmes. You must have to look out for these all the time, I didn't realise they ate ducks!!! He's not the cutest guy I have ever seen lol and he is a big guy. Gaynor xx

Andrea said...

Oh my goodness - he's a whopper! And no, not cute at all! I hope you manage to rehome him - he's not likely to find his way back is he? Hope you haven't got too many more like him either.
Sorry to hear about Amelia!
Love, Andrea xx

June Nelson said...

Aw Dorcas he aint so cute but aww theres something about him, of course we dont want him kiling or maiming anything!!! just hope he is re located and happy huggies Junexxx

AJ said...

I'm so sorry to hear about Amelia. :( You're a good person to relocate this creature, even after the damage he left.

Nannieflash said...

Wow Dorcas I can understand why you would want to rid your pond of that monster, well done for catching it, I hope you dont have any more in there. hugs Shirleyxxxx

Julie said...

Oh my goodness, What a monster me is!!!! good job you caught him before he did any more trouble! (I've just blogged a crochet project and have directed to you for your flower pattern, I didn't use it this time but it is very similar. Hope you don't mind, Julie.x)

Glimpses of My Heart said...

Dorcas - So sorry to hear about Amelia :( He is one huge snapper! I believe they can take off a finger. We frequently "rescue" little painted turtles when we see them in the road (we did that on the way home from church this morning), but my husband is adamant we don't mess with snappers. They don't have a sense of humor.
Blessings,
Michelle

Sue said...

Hi hun
aww sorry to hear about your duck, wow that is one big turtle, i had to read ya post twice when you said he was in your garden! lol, sue,x

Grenouille Greetings said...

I'm so sorry about your duck. I can see why you don't like the turtles and what an absolute WOPPER this guy is! Hugs, Lesley

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