hatchling snapper

 

We found a hatchling snapping turtle

on our walk today!

 

It's so tiny

 and so much

like a little dinosaur.

 



 

We carried it home

because there wasn't a pond nearby to put it in,

and we were afraid it would die

if we just left it there.

 

We thought about putting it in our pond,

but realized that our wily water snakes

would probably love to lap it up for lunch.

 

 

While swooning over it's cuteness,

we tried to remember what it will be like when it's not a baby.

Able to bite our fingers off,

it's jaws faster than our reflexes.

 

Our dogs might not love

going for a swim in the pond

and having jaws of steel

bite their legs and feet.

 

Then we started to feel a little crazy

for wanting to save it all. 

 

Who wants a snapping turtle in their pond?

But every creature has it's place in the web of life.

And besides,

who could resist this face?

 

 We decided to call Cornell wildlife rescue

and listen to what they had to say.

 

They told us that our little baby was probably only 1-2 days old

since it has a little white thing on it's nose.

 

It's called an 'egg tooth'

and it's how he/she managed to get out of it's egg.

 

Poor turtles. 

They're all abandoned before birth.

Reptiles are cold-blooded like that.

Babies have to fend for themselves from day 1.

 

We put the little one in a bucket

with some moss from our woods

and water from our pond

and a rock to crawl up on.

 

We'll keep it for the night

and then Cornell will take care of it for the winter

and release it this spring to a pond

when it has a better chance of surviving...

 

Hopefully it's a story

that will have a happy ending.