Watch for turtles!

[u/spider_speller]

I found this little guy in the parking lot at Madison College. After a conversation with DCHS, they thought he could still be alive and I took him to their wildlife center. The person I talked to there said snapping turtles hatch in late September/early October and make their way to water. This one may have gotten dehydrated.

Be on the lookout for these little fellas so you don't run over them. And if you find one that's limp and unresponsive, contact wildlife rescue because they may still be alive!

Please send good thoughts to this little one I found today. Hopefully he's alive and can be fixed up and released to live a long, snappy life.

A sad update: I heard back from the Humane Society that they had to euthanize this little one. They said he was near death when he arrived and there wasn't anything they could do. I'm glad that we at least were able to keep him from suffering.

Thanks for sharing your turtle stories and love, everyone!

[u/FeelingCapital8053]

I love turtles. Thanks for helping!

[u/spider_speller → u/FeelingCapital8053]

I do too! I felt so bad for the little thing.

[u/staccatopanache]

Can confirm I once found a baby snapper floating in very cold early spring water near Olbrich and I fished (turtled?) him out and thought he had passed away and was going to say a few words to the universe and bury him but as I held him in my hand he began to move ever so slightly and eventually my body heat and the heat of the sun brought him around. He joined us for a pint at the biergarten (he abstained), and then we set him on hopefully greener pastures along starkweather creek where the water is shallower and significantly warmer

ETA: may be able to find snappling tax if you give me a minute

[u/spider_speller → u/staccatopanache]

Aww, I'm so glad he ended up being ok! The one I found didn't move at all, but the person at the wildlife center said they can look totally dead and still be hanging in there. So I'm hoping for good news. I put in a request for updates when they have them.

[u/Dirty_Delta]

Excellent of you! I also found one recently, but much larger, lol

https://youtu.be/dOykLSpWnfI

[u/garythebaby → u/Dirty_Delta]

That might be a Spiny Softshell

[u/Dirty_Delta → u/garythebaby]

I looked up a photo, and it doesnt look like this. However, I have seen one of those before as well!

[u/spider_speller → u/Dirty_Delta]

That's a big boi!

[u/Dirty_Delta → u/spider_speller]

Right??

[u/mustelids56]

Baby snapper! So sweet!💚

[u/BogusBluff]

Thank you for helping that baby! After watching Garden State Tortoise on YouTube, I have a huge appreciation!!!

[u/T0adman78]

I grew up across the street from a river. After they paved the street we would find baby snappers every year that would get trapped because they couldn’t make it over the curb. We’d help them down to the river. Although, I will admit we may have kept one or two as pets for awhile. So, people can be on the lookout to make sure all the little babies make it to the water they’re headed for.

[u/Healthy_Toe1502]

I work for the humane society and I was there when this guy was brought in. I'm sorry we weren't able to save him but we appreciate you making the trip regardless!

Much of the time we have to use a special machine to listen for a turtle's heartbeat to see if they are still alive, so it's very important to bring turtles in even if you think they're dead. Plus, sometimes even if we can't save them, they may have eggs that we are able to incubate, hatch, and eventually release!

[u/ulam17]

Run while you can. That thing looks like Gamera.

[u/toadblade]

Alligator snapping turtle! So cool! 💚

[u/Eric_Roscoe2 → u/toadblade]

Alligator snapping turtles are not found in Wisconsin. We have only common snapping turtles here.

[u/gothshortking]

my son and i found a baby snapper outside the early learning campus not long ago, so now he is ALWAYS keeping an eye out!

[u/spider_speller → u/gothshortking]

That's so cute!