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Ok, so I have a pond that receives water from man-made irrigation from the ditches in neighborhood via a culvert pipe. After it rained today I found a large snapping turtle wedged into the pipe. The turtle is about the same size and looks just like the one in the video on this page:
Here's the issue: the turtle is still alive, but is very sluggish and doesn't really move. I placed it on the ground about 10 feet from the water's edge near my pond and it hasn't moved, just sits there with its head raised and blinks occasionally. I realize I probably saved its life as his/her head was under water while it was stuck in that pipe and I do not know for how long. We have also placed some veggies near its head which it has ignored.
Any suggestions on what I could do here? I'd like to keep it alive, if possible.
If it were me, I would go online and try to find a turtle rescue in my area.
I did exactly that after my post and went back to check 30 minutes later and the turtle is gone. My pond has a layer of green algae and there's a clear path where it's still traceable where he / she entered the pond. So, I think all is well. Perhaps the poor thing was just out of it.
Snappers aren't something I would rescue. They'll kill waterfowl and fish and are a danger if there are kids around. Tortoises, I will go out of my way to help.
Ok, so I have a pond that receives water from man-made irrigation from the ditches in neighborhood via a culvert pipe. After it rained today I found a large snapping turtle wedged into the pipe. The turtle is about the same size and looks just like the one in the video on this page:
Here's the issue: the turtle is still alive, but is very sluggish and doesn't really move. I placed it on the ground about 10 feet from the water's edge near my pond and it hasn't moved, just sits there with its head raised and blinks occasionally. I realize I probably saved its life as his/her head was under water while it was stuck in that pipe and I do not know for how long. We have also placed some veggies near its head which it has ignored.
Any suggestions on what I could do here? I'd like to keep it alive, if possible.
Hmmm... When I was a kid I kept a baby alligator snapping turtle in a terrarium for a few years before I released him (or her) back onto the golf course where I found it. For as long as I had that turtle, I only saw it move a couple of times. I don't know how long they can hold their breath, but it's a danged long while. The feeder fish I put in the water always disappeared, but I only saw the act of predation a couple of times. In other words, these aren't necessarily very active creatures. If you leave it alone overnight, I'm sure you'll find that he's gone into the pond by the morning.
I did exactly that after my post and went back to check 30 minutes later and the turtle is gone. My pond has a layer of green algae and there's a clear path where it's still traceable where he / she entered the pond. So, I think all is well. Perhaps the poor thing was just out of it.
I should really read all the way through a thread before commenting.
I should really read all the way through a thread before commenting.
Out of curiousity, what were the veggies for?
OP was probably trying to be helpful and did not know that snapping turtles are carnivorous.
The critter was probably fine. Turtles after all are comfortable under water And I have never seen a snapper move quickly on land. Even the ones that roamed around my aunt and uncles home when I was a kid were not to scary as log as you didn't stick you fingers in their face.
Ok, so I have a pond that receives water from man-made irrigation from the ditches in neighborhood via a culvert pipe. After it rained today I found a large snapping turtle wedged into the pipe. The turtle is about the same size and looks just like the one in the video on this page:
Here's the issue: the turtle is still alive, but is very sluggish and doesn't really move. I placed it on the ground about 10 feet from the water's edge near my pond and it hasn't moved, just sits there with its head raised and blinks occasionally. I realize I probably saved its life as his/her head was under water while it was stuck in that pipe and I do not know for how long. We have also placed some veggies near its head which it has ignored.
Any suggestions on what I could do here? I'd like to keep it alive, if possible.
yes, and just in case beeeeee very careful
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