This is a Common Snapping Turtle, admitted into New England Wildlife Centers hospital on Oct 19th. Turtles are hit by cars constantly as they cross roads to find a good spot to lay eggs or in search of food, its something we see a lot of. This snapper is also suffering from such an injury, specifically a shearing injury. That is to say that he was not hit by the wheels of a car, but rather scraped against the underside of the car as the driver positioned the turtle between their wheels. He was then found by a passerby who called ARL to bring him into our facility.
We have cleaned the wound, and are currently treating it using honey bandages. Raw honey has impressive antibacterial qualities by lowering the natural pH around the wound which prevents bacteria from growing. It also has natural growth factors to jump start the healing process. The Snapper is on pain meds and antibiotics as well. We expect him to make a full recovery, but it will take some time.. close to 1 year to regrow the shell completely. In the meantime, he will winter with us while we monitor his healing and once the weather warms we will start to think about release. In a few months time the shell will be covered in a protective keratin layer which will continue to harden. For now he will continue to enjoy his feeder fish and warm enclosure.
If you see a turtle in the street, either slowly go around it or pull over (If its safe!) to move it toward the side of the road its facing. As for snappers, do not try to pick them up yourself as they have impressively flexible necks that can reach back almost 3/4 length of its body. For them, its best to call a professional!