First turtle of the spring

One of the ways we here in South Central Michigan know that spring is finally coming is the turtles trying to cross the roads. This is a snapping turtle.

Snapping turtles are pretty large cold blooded aquatic predators and when they start moving about you know spring is approaching.

I rescued this one by kicking him (or her) can't tell which) off the road being careful to stay out of the reach of his powerful jaws. You really don't want to let one bite you, it hurts and can leave a bad wound.

A few hundred yards down the road I came across a second turtle sunning itself on the pavement. This is the much nicer Painter turtle. Like the snapper it is more or less aquatic but does not bite you.

As you can see the little painter turtles I rescue are pretty as well as far less likely to bite off my fingers so they get treated with a lot more gentle care then the dangerous snappers.

I put this painter on a rock by the roadside pool so he/she could sun witout getting run over and left it to enjoy this first warm day of spring.