A good deed

[Aetheline]

Saturday, they let me leave work a little early. I still stayed to do a few things, and I'm glad I did.

As I was about to turn into my subdivision, I saw something in our busy road. I looked and there was a pretty good sized box turtle trying to cross. There's usually roadkill around here as we are adjacent to a state park, loaded with wildlife, and he wasn't even the first turtle I've seen around here. I cringed as I watched a few cars drive and not hit him - but it was close, and he was not deterred at all in his goal.

I pulled over and picked him up and carried him across the busy street. He didn't seem to mind the little pick me up.

He was about the size of a Nintendo DS, but his shell was quite tall. I know he was a male because he had gorgeous red forelegs. Keep on trucking, my shelled friend!

 

[Mokat76]

Good for you! Poor dudes can't exactly dart across the road, eh?

 

[SandrA9810]

The one time I tried to help a turtle, my dog jumped out of the car, and wound up creating a bigger mess. To top it off, he just ran under the car.

 

[Aetheline]

I must have looked ridiculous out there though, people waving at me wearing my McDonald's uniform carrying a turtle across the road.

I'd do it again though. I like turtles.

 

[pyrxtc]

that's what the wildlife people say to do, carry the turtle across to where they were going.

 

[MomofKatie]

I tried to help what I thought was a plain 'ol turtle across a busy street a few years ago... he turned out to be a snapping turtle!

I saw him in the road, noticed nobody was coming up behind me, so I got out of my car and ran over and picked him up. He was pretty good sized- his shell was about as big around as a big dinner plate, and he was heavy!

I had taken about 3 steps toward the edge of the road, when his astonishingly loooong neck whipped out and he tried to take a chunk out of my hand. Thank goodness he missed by about 1/4". I shrieked and tossed him onto the grass, where he landed on his feet, glared at me, and continued along his way.

Moral of the story? Look before you pick up a big turtle! OP, good on you for helping that guy across the road.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

There's lots of box turtles around my sub, and I always stop to help them across the road. They may hiss, but I think that ultimately they appreciate it. However, once I came across a serious snapper in the middle of a very busy road. His shell was at least 2 feet long. Yeah, I drove around him.

 

[EMom]

I stopped traffic once to carry a big old turtle across the road. I figured people would honk at me, but they cheered. The other day, I chased two skinks (about 8 inches long each) out of the road. I like skinks.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

I've moved two in my subdivision. I didn't have any trouble at all.

 

[*JoGo*]

You are brave!
I think I would've stood in the street directing traffic until he crossed rather than TOUCH him! I'm a big scaredy cat.


What are skinks?

 

[Aetheline]

Skinks are cool long lizardy things

 

[Gumbo4x4]

The one time I tried to help a turtle, my dog jumped out of the car, and wound up creating a bigger mess. To top it off, he just ran under the car.

A woman near here stopped to help a turtle, and before she could get out, her small daughter jumped out to save it, and the daughter was killed by a passing car

 

[Gumbo4x4]

What are skinks?

A type of lizard.

 

[Maridw]

I have helped a couple turtle across the road. One time on a main street downtown, I saw one in the middle of the road about the same time another woman saw it. We both stopped and helped get him to his destination.

My DH called me to tell me one was where he was doing yard work. I went and took a box with me and brought him to our area. We have about 3 or 4 in the lot behind our house.

We had a skink in my old office once. Another employee and I saw it and then it disappeared. Finally about 2 months later, I found it again and was able to get it out.