Posted on: 2019-05-14 15:29:51

Spring & summer means lots of animals on the move. Sometimes in the road.

And unfortunately even the quick ones don’t always make it across safely. 😢 And for slow-moving turtles a busy road can be a death trap.

But you can help!

In most cases it just takes a few minutes to get a turtle safely out of the road and on its way to wherever it was going.

(Key words here are “where it was going.” Please don’t bring it someplace you think would be “better.” The turtle may not agree.).

So how can you help?

Pull off to the side of the road

It may be tempting to stop in the middle of the road, especially if the turtle is in your lane. That way your car will block others from hitting it.

Right?

Well, maybe. But on a busy road that’s likely to be a recipe for an accident. Irritated drivers may come whipping around your car. Or someone not paying attention may rear-end you!

And getting out of your car in the middle of the road is unsafe too. You won’t be able to help that turtle if you get hit first.

So pull over & turn on your hazard lights.

Make sure the road is clear before heading to the turtle.

Pick up or Prod the turtle

Small turtles like box turtles or pond turtles are usually pretty easy (and safe-ish) to pick up.

Grab the turtle firmly on both sides of its shell near the back, but in front of the hind legs.

Larger turtles may be too heavy and/or too aggressive to safely pick up. Snapping turtles, for example. Even if you can pick them up, it’s usually a bad idea. Their necks are long enough to reach around to the back of their shells … right where you’ll probably be holding them!

And snapping turtle bites can do a lot of damage.

For these turtles it’s best to prod them gently with a blunt object to encourage them to move. If you still have a snow brush in your trunk, that could work. Or any blunt object you can find.

Another option is to encourage it to crawl onto a piece of cardboard or even a floor mat from your car. Then you can drag it easily.

Get the turtle across the road as quickly as possible.

 

 

Move the Turtle in the Direction it’s Facing

The turtle knows where it’s going. You don’t.

Our big ol’ brains might think we know better where the turtle should be. We don’t (well, except that it shouldn’t be in the road).

If you try to put it back on the side it came from it will most likely just head back to the road after you leave. And if you take it with you & release it someplace “better” it may spend the rest of its life trying to get back home.

And that life could be short if it’s crossing even more roads in the process.

Box turtles especially have a strong sense of home and a home range that they will almost always try to get back to.

So just bring it across the road & put it in a safe spot there.

If you can, watch it a minute to be sure it doesn’t turn around & head back into the road.

Avoid Hurting the Turtle You’re Helping

There are a few things you’ll want to avoid since they could cause injury to the turtle:

• Don’t pick the turtle up by the tail. The tail is part of the spine, and dangling the turtle by its spine could injure it.
• Don’t drop the turtle! Make sure you’re holding it firmly & safely so it can’t bite & startle you. And so flailing legs don’t accidentally scratch & startle you. Also, if the turtle’s big & you’re not sure you can lift it, don’t. Prod or drag it instead.
• If you’re prodding the turtle across the road only use something blunt. Avoid anything sharp that could scratch or even stab the turtle.

What if the Turtle is Already Injured?

If you notice bleeding, a cracked shell, or any other signs of injury, contact a wildlife rehabilitator. We have guidance on finding a wildlife rehabilitator here.

Turtles can and do heal on their own, but you may not be able to tell how bad the injury is. What looks like a tiny crack in the shell could also involve internal injuries.

With help the turtle might be able to survive an injury that would otherwise kill it.

And if the injury is too severe, a rehabilitator can have it humanely euthanized to avoid a long, painful death. Because turtles can live a long time without oxygen. And it’ll be suffering that whole time.

Thank you for doing your part to keep the turtles safe!