Turtleman

I was part of a house inspection at a closing for a house in Arlington, Mass. (suburb of Boston) The house inspector had found signs of a raccoon living in the chimney and they wanted me to remove the raccoon.

I got to the home the buyers were there and both realtors (one for the seller and the other for the buyer).

One realtor (male) came up to me and started asking all types of questions about my profession. When I opened the back of my van he was there checking everything out in the van and asking questions.

He then tells me that he watches all those animal shows like "Turtleman".

Well somebody has to watch it or the show gets cancelled. I would imagine the list of viewers is mostly protectionists taking notes.

Did you get the raccoon out of the chimney? And did you tell that realtor that you were starting a new show called Coondog 6?

Heck, I grew up in Arlington, Mass. and was called the turtle man long before there was a turtle man. I used to pull snappers out of Spy Pond and Alewife Brook and scare the other kids with them.

One day I pulled a snapper out of Spy Pond that was big enough that, at ten years old, there was no way I could lift it. One of the kids brought me one of those collapsible shopping carts that the little old ladies used to use to bring home their groceries. We herded that turtle into it, brought it over to the Boys Club and let it go in the lobby. lol

I was suspended for that but didn't lose my membership.

I was also known as the bird man but that's another story.

Steve got the name "bird man" for flipping people the bird when they told him to pick up his turtle in the Boys Club.

Paul, I bet lots of your new clients are disappointed when you show up when they are expecting Billy the exterminator.

Yeah, the disguise doesn't fool them for long but when I catch the animal or bird so quickly, they just figure I'm Billy's grampa.

I've often wondered if the Turtle Man has a special arrangement with his insurance agent. When he gets a dozen eggs for removing a fox from the hen house, does he just give 6 of them to the insurance agent (or any other companies with monthly recurring business costs) and he's good to go?

I don't carry a catch pole on my truck... And am fine with that!

That would be a new twist. Paul dressed up like Billy.
Not that I really want to see that.

Billy can be a chick name too! Paul in a dress would likely burn out my eyes!

I've gotten the turtleman thing from customers, I always reply with I'm nothing like him, Im a professional and don't break laws.

I have never watched Snapperguy. Am I missing something?

I know Ronnie Vincent that runs a nuisance wildlife company in Kentucky has worked with the Turtleman show.... he trapped for them lol