# Nothing stops traffic like a turtle.



## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

A guy walks down my driveway asking for help with this guy:



He's says it's heading to my place and I tell him he's mistaken (I point to the direction of a pond not too far down the road). I told him I'll take him there. (My son was bouncing around like 'Buster' from Arrested Development when a bird got trapped in his house, so he was definitely game).

Two hours later traffic stops again. The same bugger is trying to get back over to my place. I explained to the new guy that there's absolutely nothing behind me - it's 88 acres of just forest. Maybe there's a pond in there I haven't seen? I don't get it. I moved him along far enough to make up for wasting his time.

Anyway, this sucker was big, mean, and smelt like sh!t, so I thought I'd share.


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## Guest (May 25, 2014)

a snapper! I also gave one a 400 yard walk across a field years back.
no ponds within a coupla' klicks. don't know where (s)he was going. 
nest maybe?


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

adcandour said:


> Anyway, this sucker was big, mean, and smelt like sh!t, so I thought I'd share.




Probably related to 2 of my tenants, just add dumb and I'll know they're cousins they look very much alike.


:sAng_scream: :sFun_dancing: :acigar:


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I picked one up that was in the middle of the road. I quickly let go. I didn't realize how far back that snapper could get his head. I'm glad my hands were further than half-way back.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

I didn't even know we had turtles in the wild in Canada. Are they indigenous, or have they been introduced from foreign environments?


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Oh you'll find "turtle crossing" signs in some places in southern Ontario. I remember when I was a kid my dad brought home a big snapper he came across in the middle of the road. That thing lived in our bathtub for a coupla days until dad realized he didn't know what to feed it, and nobody was gonna be able to bathe. So he brought it back out to the country road where he found it. I guess he just thought the turtle was cool, but not much farther ahead than that.

Http://canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/species/herps/testudines.htm


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Interesting. The link doesn't say where turtles can be found naturally in Canada. I know the Provence of BC very well and I've never heard of turtles (or a herd of turtles for that matter, nyuk, nyuk) in the wild there. I guess I have some research to do. Just when I think I know it all...


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Old joke: Waiter. I'll have some turtle soup. And make it snappy.

There is a "turtle crossing" sign on a road I travel in BC near Oliver.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

If a turtle is on the road, you should move it the direction that it is going - it's on a mission, probably to lay eggs. If you take it back towards water, it will just turn around and try again.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

bw66 said:


> If a turtle is on the road, you should move it the direction that it is going - _*it's on a mission,*_ probably to lay eggs. If you take it back towards water, _*it will just turn around and try again*_.


Similar to a GC member on his way to the music store.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

bluzfish said:


> Interesting. The link doesn't say where turtles can be found naturally in Canada. I know the Provence of BC very well and I've never heard of turtles (or a herd of turtles for that matter, nyuk, nyuk) in the wild there. I guess I have some research to do. Just when I think I know it all...


I grew up in Vernon bluz, there's wild turtles there as well as the coast. At least two types, as well as ''escapies'' from pet stores. The swamps and sloughs around Burns Bog used to be one of their habitats.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

*I like turtles!*

..........


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

sulphur said:


> ..........


Haha, it's funny that you say that. I'm always happy to see what a turtle can bring out in people. When people see a squirrel, possum or something similar, they slow down and avoid it. It happens quickly, so no one really sees.

A turtle is so slow moving that people have to actually stop what they're doing to try and protect it. I GOTTA SAVE THAT TURTLE!!!

The people who slowed down wondering what the heck is going on drive away with smiles. There was a few "holy shits", cause of the size of this guy. All in all, it's a pretty cool experience that everyone seems to enjoy (except the turtle).


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## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

A few years ago, I noticed a Great Blue Heron with it's wings spread out on the water in my large farm pond. When I went to investigate, I found that a large Snapping Turtle had it by the leg and was trying to drown it. After poking at the turtle for awhile with a long rake, I did get it to let go and the Heron limped up onto the shore and eventually flew away. It was an interesting site for sure.


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## leftysg (Mar 29, 2008)

Maybe it was out of gas and was lookin for the shell station.
Seriously, I've seen these big guys on canoe trips where they were regulars at a wilderness site. The guides fed them marshmallows and carrots when they showed up. Needless to say I didn't go in for a dip.
i remember my dad moving one off the concession cottage road by getting it to chomp on to a stick and dragging it to the side away from where it had laid its eggs.
I've also seen them at twilight around this time of year on the golf course fairways moving from pond to pond. Big ones...long hitters but lousy putters! Happy Monday.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

bw66 said:


> If a turtle is on the road, you should move it the direction that it is going - it's on a mission, probably to lay eggs. If you take it back towards water, it will just turn around and try again.


Yep, turtles have been living near water, and laying their eggs long before we ever decided that building roads that follow river banks was a great idea and made for scenic driving.

That's not a reason to NOT build such roads, but it does mean that people roads and turtle "roads" can often be perpendicular to each other!


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Electraglide said:


> I grew up in Vernon bluz, there's wild turtles there as well as the coast. At least two types, as well as ''escapies'' from pet stores. The swamps and sloughs around Burns Bog used to be one of their habitats.


That is so weird to me that after 45 years living in Vancouver and traveling for the most part of the summers all over the Provence, I never came across any sign of turtles!


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

bluzfish said:


> That is so weird to me that after 45 years living in Vancouver and traveling for the most part of the summers all over the Provence, I never came across any sign of turtles!


You realize that you're going to see one now, right?


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

adcandour said:


> You realize that you're going to see one now, right?


Years ago, my wife and I were walking in downtown Hamilton, and I said to her "You know, you never see baby pigeons." And sure enough, as we walked through an underpass, not 5 minutes later, there was a baby pigeon.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

mhammer said:


> Years ago, my wife and I were walking in downtown Hamilton, and I said to her "You know, you never see baby pigeons." And sure enough, as we walked through an underpass, not 5 minutes later, there was a baby pigeon.


It's just one of those things. It's inevitable. 

Fwiw, I've never seen a Ferrari my garage.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

adcandour said:


> You realize that you're going to see one now, right?


Oh, yeah. Just when I least expect it in some improbable place, I'm sure.


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## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

It is heading "away" from the water to lay it's eggs at this time of year. Probably looking for sandy areas or fields with loose soil.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

coincidentally, we saw a big snapper like that one in our back yard yesterday for the first time....but as we back onto the Holland river, we see all manner of wildlife.

a couple years ago near our cottage we came across a big snapper like that blocking up traffic. With the help of a shovel and a blanket, I was able to move it to the other side.

I have no issues with turtles, theyre about as easy to get along with as any wild animal.


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## Guest (May 26, 2014)




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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

A friend of mine who lived in the country and had a pond in their back yard had a couple of nice swans. One morning his wife noticed one swan was dead, floating on the water. A couple of days later, the second swan was dead laying on the water. Both of these had a nasty bite mark on its under belly. Apparently, this is what snappers sometimes do. They let their kill ripen for a few days after they kill it and then feed on it.

My friend's wife is a real nature lover and was heart broken about their beautiful swans. They never realized for a couple weeks after the kill that a big snapper had moved into their pond.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Steadfastly said:


> A friend of mine who lived in the country and had a pond in their back yard had a couple of nice swans. One morning his wife noticed one swan was dead, floating on the water. A couple of days later, the second swan was dead laying on the water. Both of these had a nasty bite mark on its under belly. Apparently, this is what snappers sometimes do. They let their kill ripen for a few days after they kill it and then feed on it.
> 
> My friend's wife is a real nature lover and was heart broken about their beautiful swans. They never realized for a couple weeks after the kill that a big snapper had moved into their pond.


Not to mention the financial burden....http://www.purelypoultry.com/swans-c-256_214.html
yikes!


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

bluzfish said:


> Oh, yeah. Just when I least expect it in some improbable place, I'm sure.


Next time you go back towards Van on the Trans Can. stop and smell the roses....or skunk cabbage anywhere between Golden and Sicamous. You'll see them on logs all over the place. The log booms on the Fraser by Colony Farm and the Wind Duck Inn on the Pitt were another good place.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I think my dad helped a turtle on the "417" (we call it hwy 17 at home, it's our only highway) around Rolphton or Mattawa. I havent seen any turtles down in SWO except at an exhibit. Seeing a snapper on a Scouts canoe trip was interesting.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Whenever I get back to Vancouver now, I never seem to leave the downtown area or maybe Fort Langley or White Rock. I so miss traveling through the interior mountains, up the coast and in the Okanagan. Never saw a turtle though.

I grew up in Whalley (Surrey) and spent my youth exploring the bush around that area from the Fraser flats to around Newton and from Fort Langley and my grampa's farm where Guildford is now to as far south as the Delta bogs and Ladner. I also went fishing with my other grampa, riding our bikes through the trails to the local streams regularly. Never saw a turtle then either.

Huh.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

bluzfish said:


> Whenever I get back to Vancouver now, I never seem to leave the downtown area or maybe Fort Langley or White Rock. I so miss traveling through the interior mountains, up the coast and in the Okanagan. Never saw a turtle though.
> 
> I grew up in Whalley (Surrey) and spent my youth exploring the bush around that area from the Fraser flats to around Newton and from Fort Langley and my grampa's farm where Guildford is now to as far south as the Delta bogs and Ladner. I also went fishing with my other grampa, riding our bikes through the trails to the local streams regularly. Never saw a turtle then either.
> 
> Huh.


When I took a look at the link mhammer posted, it looks like the only turtle mentioned that shows up on the west coast is the painted turtle. I've seen lots of painted turtles around here. I always see them on a log off in the distance. They slip in the water very quietly and quickly (when they hear or see you) and don't come back up (like, say, a frog would), so I'd keep your eye on the logs when the sun is beaming - they should be there if anywhere.

I can't see painted turtles as being the only turtles out there though. Who knows? I don't really know that much about turtles - except that they taste like shit (according to Survivorman).


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Diablo said:


> Not to mention the financial burden....http://www.purelypoultry.com/swans-c-256_214.html
> yikes!


Wow, is right! I didn't know they were so expensive. Trumpeter swans at $2520.00 each. No wonder shipping is free.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Google "Turtle Tally" and report your turtle findings to the Toronto Zoo. They are interested in native and invasive species and how/where they are living. A simple procedure and you are helping with scientific research. They will also send you a bunch of cool turtle stuff for participating. Great for kids to get involved in too! It only takes a few minutes.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Jim DaddyO said:


> Google "Turtle Tally" and report your turtle findings to the Toronto Zoo. They are interested in native and invasive species and how/where they are living. A simple procedure and you are helping with scientific research. They will also send you a bunch of cool turtle stuff for participating. Great for kids to get involved in too! It only takes a few minutes.


 Careful with what you report if the animal is sighted on your property. There have been cases where ppl have had their own property designated as "protected" and lost some of their rights as to what they can do on it.
in the US it's called th endangered species act....I suspect Canada has something similar under a different name.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

..er. ..yeah - I think I'll be keeping it to myself. Thanks for the heads up. Can you imagine??? It'd be turtle soup every chance I got...


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

I found this guy in my garage - injured. 

It was pretty upseting. I don't know what it is about Salamanders that tugs at me - I think it's because they are so sensitive to environmental conditions that I feel guilty at some level for unintentionally harming them.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

adcandour said:


> I found this guy in my garage - injured.
> 
> It was pretty upseting. I don't know what it is about Salamanders that tugs at me - I think it's because they are so sensitive to environmental conditions that I feel guilty at some level for unintentionally harming them.


He's probably one that got away when I was trying to put him on my fishing hook.:smile-new:


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

Steadfastly said:


> He's probably one that got away when I was trying to put him on my fishing hook.:smile-new:


What were you fishing for Sharks, whales, crocs or politicians.


:acigar: :sFun_dancing: :sSc_eeksign:


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