This morning I happened to glance out the window and spotted a snapping turtle headed for the pond. I really don’t object to turtles in the pond, but let’s just say they are not among my favorite forms of wildlife. Frankly, I’d rather have snakes.
I grabbed a rake and began the tedious process of rolling the turtle back into the stream, which involves sliding the rake under the side of the turtle and giving it a good flip. You do NOT pick up a snapper by any portion of its anatomy unless you are willing to lose part of your own, so it was quite a battle of wills. He (she?) kept trying to get to the pond, and I was equally determined the critter was going to go in the opposite direction.
To make a long story short, I did get the turtle into the stream, but I noticed that the poor thing (having now gone from enemy to victim) had bitten off a piece of the plastic rake, which seemed to be lodged in its mouth. Poor thing may starve to death. What to do?
I certainly wasn’t going to stick my hand in there, but for a moment or two I toyed with the idea of getting a pair of needle nosed pliers and trying to remove the plastic from the turtle’s throat.
I didn’t.
I may not be the sharpest knife in the box, but my mama didn’t raise me to be no alligator wrestler.
thisendoftheswamp 
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