How do you pick up a snapping turtle?

Answer 1

Yes but be extremely cautious! They can almost reach anywhere on there body with their long neck and bite you. If they get your fingers you might even lose them. It's better done with 2 people. Get someone with a long sturdy stick if you don't have anything better suited for this and try to get it to bite and latch onto the stick without injuring the turtle so you don't have to get near it with your hands. Have the second person ready with a container big and strong enough to hold it and try to guide it into the container with the stick. Avoid at all costs trying to just grab it with your hands!Do not try to lift it off the ground because if it lets go of the stick it could get injured when it falls to the ground. Instead try to drag it or push it into the container with the stick. I do not condone animal abuse. If you need to remove one from your property call animal control first as they know what the safest method is and are more qualified to handle such matters.

Answer 2

Recipe Menu Next RecipeTurtle Soup 1 Snapping Turtle Any old soup recipe will work for (snapping) turtle soup. The main problem with turtle soup is cleaning the turtle. You have to be certain that every last speck of fat is removed from the meat before cooking. This is not too difficult because the fat is between the skin and the flesh. To butcher a turtle you start by chopping off the turtle's head. Be careful because the head will still bite even after it is removed from the body and the body will still crawl away after the head is removed. Turtles don't die right away. When the body stops trying to crawl away, dip it in boiling water and scrape off the exterior layer of skin, including the shell. The result will be a bright white carcus, compared to the muddy brown-green you started with. Next step is to remove the shell. Cut along grove on each side between the front and back legs. It is the narrowest part of the shell. The tail, neck and all four legs are attached to the top of the shell. Remove from shell and you have the bulk of the meat. However, there will be some meat on the bottom shell and top shell. It is at this point that you remove the fat. Just roll back the skin and with a paring knife and your index finger scrape out the fat. I learned about turtles from my parents who learned from their German immigrant fathers. It has been told in family circles that my maternal grandfather would catch snapping turtles by hand. I never saw him do it because he was hit and killed by a truck when I was about nine years old. It was a big loss for me because he was just starting to teach me about turtles, wild mushrooms, dandelions and other natural things. He made the greatest doughnuts I ever ate. Good luck with your turtle soup. Just cook it long with lots of vegetables and it will be good if you removed all of the fat. - Earl

Answer 3

When picking up a snapping turtle, approach it from behind and grasp it firmly by the sides of its shell, keeping your fingers away from its head to avoid being bitten. Be careful to support its weight evenly to prevent injury to the turtle. It is best to use gloves or a thick towel to protect your hands.