fuckyeahherpetology:

Here’s me holding a common snapping turtle properly. Notice how my hands are on the sides of the shell, not putting weight pressure on the thinner front and back portions that connect to the spine. Here I’m supporting the turtle at 3 points. Two hands at the bridges (where the carapace and plastron meet) and one supporting his weight on my thigh. The bridges are thick parts of the shell that can handle the weight of the turtle without putting pressure directly on the spine. He did claw at me a little, but it’s hardly bad compared to other things that claw at me. He cannot reach me with his mouth, not that he tried really. This was comfortable and not very threatening for him.
It’s not an alligator snapping turtle, but even then I wouldn’t take one above 70lbs out because they simply are too heavy to be held comfortably by us and without putting pressure on their body.

The old tradition of holding the top of the shell behind the head perplexes me, because it puts all of the weight on that point (the front of the spine) and bends it back. It also would have no reason evolutionarily to support that area for weight bearing! Knowing that, how could anyone think that’s the only correct way?