This morning as I was waiting for the Great Alpaca Migration to commence, I looked in my back yard and there was this large turtle cruising along. I guess he came from the swamp which is down at the bottom of the yard and decided he was going on Vacay for the Memorial Day weekend. This thing was definitely doin the Boot Scootin Boogie until I came out on the back porch, then he did the hide in the shell thing. Well, then Colonel Parker saw him and decided to check it out, he went and hide in the tall grass to the side and waited. I kept an eye out and did get a couple of pics with his head out. Man does this thing have an ugly head. I think it is a snapping turtle, anyone have an idea? Enlarge the pics and hopefully you can see. I had the binos out too. Well, he did finally make it over to the tall grass and as you can see The Colonel checked it out pretty close but decided it was best to leave well enough alone. Glad the dogs were inside.
I wouldn't know a snapping turtle form anything else. Hopefully The Colonel dosen't find out the hard way!
ReplyDeleteI think, yes. They are much cuter when they are Babies!
ReplyDeleteMy bet is Alligator Snapping turtle. Colonel Parker better watch out.
ReplyDeleteBH:
ReplyDeleteDamn, that is one fugly turtle isn't it. This one was not that big but the head was just plain ugly, and I usually love turtles. We have box turtles that are cute as can be, remember my story of the turtle in my bed? If it had been like that one, I would have crapped my drawers.
Luckily, Colonel P. is pretty smart, my dogs, well, I gotta worry.
Glad the Colonel has brains. That Gracie, though, she might think it was a friendly toy.
ReplyDeleteOn that second site I linked, there's a video with info. They have the second strongest jaw in the animal world. Okay, that's scary. lol.
Yup, a snapper.
ReplyDeleteGlad he's in your swamp, just the place for him.
Kudos to Colonel Parker!
Yeah, Flip would try to herd a turtle. Hopefully Gracie won't want to hunt it.
I think that is a snapper, I've saved them from being run over, around here, I just throw a towel or something over them, if they can't see you, they usually can't bite you, usually..
ReplyDeleteThis is the first snapper I have seen here. Usually, we have those cute little box turtles with very cute faces. This guy isn't cute at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree with BH- looks like the alligator snappers we had in Fl. Truly aggressive if threatened and get lots bigger.
ReplyDeleteNCC, sending good sleepy thoughts you way , I hate insomnia , makes it worse in summer too. sweet dreams my friend!
ReplyDeleteI agree. Looks like the ugly snappers we have around here. They'll take your finger off as soon as look at you. :) They make good soup. :)
ReplyDeleteOne of my brothers and his friends caught a huge snapper in the creek by our house back when I was little. It was a tributary of the Mississippi. They love slow moving muddy water. I thought twice about wading and catching crayfish after that.
ReplyDeleteLast summer our youngest daughter picked up a turtle in one of our local parks and it bit her badly on her finger. Called our friend, an ER doc, to see what to do-!