Apparently this is the correct way to pick up a snapping turtle without injuring it (not the case for every turtle)
No it’s not. If you hold them entirely by the top of their shell, you are putting immense pressure on their spine and joints. He’s holding it okay here because he’s supporting the weight of the turtle with his knee to prevent it, but there’s no reason not to hold it by the sides of his shell towards the back. You have to be careful of the claws, yes, but I’ve held about 100+ snapping turtles (commons and alligators) that way and they cannot reach you with their mouth.
What they can do in this situation, is this.
http://www.chelydra.org/neck.jpgI’ve seen them place their heads entirely upside down on the front of their carapace. Your hand helps prevent that but it’s also not totally safe there from a turtle that really tries.
Also if you ever lift a snapping turtle by its tail, you dislocate its tail spine from its shell and that has and can kill them. I’ve found dead or dying turtles with the spine dislocation because someone lifted a 50lb animal by its tail and thought that would be fine. Please don’t do that ever.
Seriously, it’s not that complicated I promise. Just hold the turtle towards the back in the middle of the shell, but give it proper support, or don’t hold it at all.
https://thevlm.org/wp-content/uploads/Snap-x2-6.jpg
Month: July 2017
back to the safari park, where this beautiful cow cried on me??
dear god please stop abbreviating Call of Cthulu as CoC i get far worse images in my head whenever you do that (Corruption of Champions has forever tainted that abbreviation on the web)
Due to problems with my provider I only have a few hours of internet a day and I am not ok with having to use it to look up Corruption of Champions.
This is Spooky, she loves to fetch and will always bring me her ball when I am in the bathroom, no matter what I’m doing. She is a chunky baby and loves hanging out with everyone, even strangers.
The kebab shop I walk past some mornings on the way to work arranges their veges so beautifully, they’re strangely soothing.
i dont know what im feeling but there is a lot of it
Afghan girls robotics team arrives in U.S. just in time
I know this means “just in time for the competition they’re entering their robot in”, but when I first glanced at the headline, I felt an immense sense of relief, like ah, yes, the Afghan teenaged robot masters have arrived to save us all from catastrophe.
I would so read a comic about that, btw.
Urocyon's Jaunts 2.0 
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