Found this little guy on my driveway

[Qapla]

Our concern is Gopher Tortoise/Turtle. Not only do they show up in the worst places and at the most inopportune times, they are protected so you better not hit it with the mower or other tractor equipment.

They even frown on you filling in the Gopher Holes they leave in your field - just in case there may still be one in the hole.

 

[deanocraft]

I found one in my woodworking shop a couple years ago. He was in a pile of sawdust and looked terrible. I took him outside and washed him off.
He looked bigger when he was not in the palm of my hand!

 

[MossRoad]

I've never seen one before. I always thought they where a southern thing. Do you have a lot of them in Ohio?

Common snapping turtles go from southern Canada all the way down to the gulf of Mexico. Its the alligator snapping turtles (those giant couple hundred pounder dinosaurs) that are a southern thing.

Common snapping turtle range.


Alligator snapping turtle range.

 

[Sprinklerman]

We have them here in Maryland near the chesapeake bay . Some are huge . Had one down in a guys basement stair well that was 2 ft front of shell to back of shell .

 

[buickanddeere]

I've never seen one before. I always thought they where a southern thing. Do you have a lot of them in Ohio?

Southern? I have a couple of those dinosaurs living in my creek.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's a pretty good video comparing the differences between the common and alligator snapping turtles.

 

[jack707]

The turtles are on the move here in Wi. I seen a few crossing the roads.

 

[GGB]

We have both species here in NE Kansas, but I had not realized that the common snapper was actually more aggressive than the alligator snapper. I know that both can get downright nasty!

 

[oosik]

There are LOTS of turtles here - Painted Turtles. They are on the move this time of year - out & about finding places to lay their eggs. Lots of "nests" dug in the sand & gravel on the edges of my driveway.

 

[s219]

You're brave putting your hand on the shell. They have very flexible necks. I hate those things. Mean SOBs.