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hypothetical question
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:08 pmby Starchick
I've been wondering about this. Say you find a turtle attempting to cross the road. Is it better to put him back where he came from, or to help him get where he's going? We have a stretch of road near us that goes through about a half mile of swamp, and turtles cross all the time, and since it's swamp on both sides I've always wondered how you would know the right place to put them back.
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:19 pmby Tenodera
I don't know...helping a turtle to the place they wanted to go might get them nervous and make them want to cross back over. and putting them in the place to where they started might not be good as well since why would they be leaving it in the first place?
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:02 pmby steve
Usually people help them cross. Of course it would be nice if the roads had barriers or passages. It's also usually females looking to nest, so hopefully so can get it done and the hatchlings find their way.
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:16 pmby DavidY
I stopped to help a big snapper across the highway once (not a very busy one). I carried him to the other side and put him down and as I started to walk back to my car he turned around and started to cross the road again (going back the way he originally came from). So I went back and picked him/her up and carried it further into the woods off the road and kind of shoed it away from the road. I waited a few minutes until it was merrily on its way and then left.
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:40 pmby Caelestis
Hmmm... Why did the turtle cross the road 0_o
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:46 pmby DavidY
lol!
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:52 pmby scripta_elegans
I have rescued turtles from the road a few times, and they generally ran away from me as soon as I put them down.
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:55 pmby DavidY
Hmm, maybe the snapper was trying to attack me.
Posted:
Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:58 pmby scripta_elegans
Nah. He was trying to follow you home David!
Posted:
Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:01 amby Tenodera
" Take me home David!" Who could resist those dark, murderous reptilian eyes?
lol
Posted:
Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:08 amby steve
Tenodera wrote:Who could resist those dark, murderous reptilian eyes?
Are you referring to the snapper?
Posted:
Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:52 amby DavidY
lol!
Posted:
Tue Sep 04, 2007 11:23 amby industrial_girl_2000
I recently had to deal with this issue. I saw a turtle on the road, pulled over in the next safe area, then picked up the turtle (female painted who was extremely unhappy that I picked her up, LOL), took her to a nearby pond & dropped her in. She was headed towards a swampy pond area which unfortunately dried up this summer. So I took her to a place I knew she would be safe.
