by Kimberly Ripley
Member since:
November 17, 2006

Backyard Buddy

May 08, 2009 11:44 PM EDT (Updated: May 08, 2009 11:49 PM EDT)
views: 69 | rating: 10/10 (14 votes) | comments: 23

Tonight while we were having dinner, my daughter jumped up from the table and exclaimed, "Look at the size of that guy in the backyard!"

I wasn't sure what that meant, so of course we all got up to see.

It was an enormous snapping turtle. I stayed with Lilly, our granddaughter, and the kids ran outside. My son had to touch it....you know the kind of kid...it doesn't matter what anyone says or what his better judgement tells him, he just has to touch it. Not the 15-year old either...this was the one who's almost 25! He didn't get bitten, but he did get clawed.

We've lived here for almost 19 years and we've had backyard visitors before....deer, a moose, coyotes, fox, snakes, and a fisher cat....but we've never seen a turtle. He was probably a foot and a half long and nearly a foot wide. He was definitely a big guy. And whoever says people are "slow as turtles" definitely haven't seen this turtle move. When I sent the kids back out with my camera, they were almost running to snap a few photos before he went back into the marsh!

 
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Comments: 23

Heather C. May 8, 2009, 11:56pm EDT
Great photos! What a story!
Kathryn E. May 9, 2009, 12:05am EDT
Holy moly, good thing tots were not running in the grass trying to take this guy for a little horsey ride.

That is the biggest one in the flesh I have ever seen. Well, close to one in the flesh.

Featured in the Triple Name Club.
sharon SugarMomma is a wise woman, May 9, 2009, 12:17am EDT
He would have made a lot of good soup Kimberly.
Kimberly Ripley May 9, 2009, 12:22am EDT
Eeeeeewwwwww, Sharon! Have you really eaten turtle soup?
sharon SugarMomma is a wise woman, May 9, 2009, 12:26am EDT
Yep, when I lived in Indiana. Believe it or not it was really good, kind of like Manhattan Style Clam Chowder.
Lee P. May 9, 2009, 12:26am EDT
Nice story. Thanks for sharing it. They certainly are ugly creatures. LOL
Janet "Jax" B. May 9, 2009, 12:31am EDT
Wow, he is a big turtle....and glad your son didn't get a finger snapped off, since they can be mean...
Susan B. May 9, 2009, 1:08am EDT
so very cool!
Trish A. May 9, 2009, 1:14am EDT
I'm glad no one got snapped! I've never been a fan of turtle soup but I had a city cousin who loved it.
Kimberli T. May 9, 2009, 2:45am EDT
Ugg, thanks for reminding me. Hehe, we had one in our yard when I was a child. My brother scooped it up onto a shovel and dumped it into the wood. Then at my last place of residence some kid comes up to my children with a snapping turtle in a box and told my children to pet it. I acted like I thought they were awesome and asked to see... as soon as they gave me the box I threw it as far as I could. I did get the rep of being the ignorant mommy on the block, but I am kind of weird about stuff like that. Okay, so it was nice seeing you pics for a reminder of how big they can get though!
Van N. May 9, 2009, 4:15am EDT
I think...it's so cute!
Cheryl Ryan May 9, 2009, 6:47am EDT
Wow he's huge for a snapping turtle! Great photo and story.
John S. (arizona) May 9, 2009, 7:53am EDT
How cool! Great pictures too... looks like he came out to get some nice fresh green "eats" there... ;-)
ain't he beautiful!

you seem to know Kim that it is only the males that wander like that. they can sent a mate 'ready' miles away.

I've risked life and limb hundred of times getting the guys out of the roads.
Walker Bennett, SF Author May 9, 2009, 8:55am EDT
A little over 30 years ago, I was living up in N.E. Pennsylvania. My brother came over one day and told me to look what he found by the river. On the back floor of his car was the biggest snapper I've ever seen (the carapace measured two feet in diameter!). He had no idea what it was and had lifted it into his car. I made him take it back to the river and it bit through a broom handle getting it out.
I was surprised at how long their necks are, and how they can turn them around over their shell to snap someone. Their claws are something else, too! I'm glad no one was hurt by this guy!
Duckie 1 May 9, 2009, 10:23am EDT
They really look like they are descendants of the dinosaurs aren't they?

The young ones will probably remember the experience and talk about the time they saw this thing in your backyard for years to come, Kim! Great part of future Thanksgiving dinner conversations. :-)
That was too cool! All I have in my backyard is a one-eyed cat.
Ginny W. May 9, 2009, 2:24pm EDT
These turtles are fast, but look cute and harmless in your pic.

Gave you a 10.
Samantha D. May 9, 2009, 9:04pm EDT
great pictures...and i'm 25 and probably would have had to touch it too. :)
Shelbia C. May 10, 2009, 3:44am EDT
Great photo, great post
Jodie B. May 10, 2009, 10:16am EDT
How neat!
Paul M. May 10, 2009, 12:19pm EDT
Wow. The other day I saw a dead turtle on a road.

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