4.9.12: Yellow-Bellied Slider
It was a warm spring day. Unseasonably so. Despite the gorgeous weather, the two-lane road had little traffic. Suddenly, I saw a turtle crossing the road in front of me. There was nothing behind me and I was on a straight section of the road. Deciding to risk the danger, I stopped with my emergency blinkers brightly flashing. I ran and 'rescued' the turtle. These photos show the Yellow Bellied Slider and his/her new home. I normally don't advocate moving an animal more than a few feet from it's location, but for the safety of it and the motorists, I took it to the nearby creek as this was in a residential area. Unfortunately, it was too shy to come out. Due to being dry from the road's heat, I didn't take the time to wait as I normally would've.
Always remember to never handle wildlife unless you know what you are doing. Turtles can carry salmonella and snapping turtles can be very dangerous. This was a harmless variety, but I still was very gentle and properly sanitized my hands before and after handling.
Read MoreAlways remember to never handle wildlife unless you know what you are doing. Turtles can carry salmonella and snapping turtles can be very dangerous. This was a harmless variety, but I still was very gentle and properly sanitized my hands before and after handling.