The Tortoise and the Hare (Updated)

Before getting to the tortoise here are a couple pictures of 'hares' otherwise known as rabbits.  

How cute is this bunny pushing/pulling a wagon!  So dang cute.  Was to have been hooked late 19th century early 20th century.  

OMG!!!!!!!  Two people said they saw a duck.  Now I see it is  a duck pulling a wagon and NOT a rabbit pushing the wagon.  😁  Thanks gals for the enlightened but embarrassing moment!!!!  har har har.

The Rabbits and Eggs rug below also from the late 19th early 20th century time frame is from the Vogel Collection.

Now, onto that tortoise!!!!  OMG, what a surprise I saw when riding my bike from the mailbox back home.  At a distance saw something dark in the road and was too big to be a snake so thought maybe a squirrel got hit by a car.

Approaching closer realized it was a HUGE turtle with a big head, big hands and claws.  I was pretty sure it was a SNAPPER.  Went back home, got my camera, a tape measure and back to take photos.  Took this photo first at a distance.

Still being cautious I pulled out the tape measure and put it in the back out of it's view to get an idea of the width of the shell.  The turtle pulled in its head.  Must admit was shocked at the dinosaur look of the saw tooth tail. 

The photo below was taken just after the turtle flipped it's tail, pulled in the head and was focused toward me.  Look at those claws!

Turtles, so I've heard, go back to their familiar parcel of land each year but this is the first time I've seen this one.  Naturally I didn't flip it over to see if it was male or female as I was sure it was a snapper and it had already gotten tired of me hovering over.  Wishing it well and a long life.  From the picture it appears the turtle had just un-buried itself from a long winter's nap.

If you'd like to check out Delaware turtles click HERE. 

NOTE:  Lauren (Pugs and Rugs) asked me how the sex of a turtle is determined.  The male turtle will have a bottom shell (plastron) which is somewhat concave whereas the female plastron is either flat or somewhat convex.

Saundra