What type of snapping turte?

[Coursair]

Originally Posted by evansbradley

I kept a baby like that for a few months. They can grow quite large over time. The record weight is 300+ pounds, but they usually average between 35 and 150 pounds. Personally, I think they're really cool. I let mine go because in the long run I wouldn't be able to provide the proper care for it. Unfortunately, it's probably best to let it go. Let nature take its course.

The OP isn't looking for a Snapper as a pet. The saw a baby at their pond and are trying to ID it.

And it is usually highly ILLEGAL to release an animal into the wild once its been in captivity over a certain length of time. At least without permission from Fish and Game. Because your "pet" may introduce pathogens or disease that the local population has no resistance to. And unless you release it exactly back where it came from that can be bad as well.

This may no longer be the case, but it was the rule when I was managing a reptile store. If Im wrong I apologize.

[Coursair]

https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pag...t-Species.aspx

http://www.turtleforum.com/forum/upl...owtopic=149373

http://www.turtlerescueusa.com/wordpress/?page_id=109



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[evansbradley]

Originally Posted by Coursair

The OP isn't looking for a Snapper as a pet. The saw a baby at their pond and are trying to ID it.

And it is usually highly ILLEGAL to release an animal into the wild once its been in captivity over a certain length of time. At least without permission from Fish and Game. Because your "pet" may introduce pathogens or disease that the local population has no resistance to. And unless you release it exactly back where it came from that can be bad as well.

This may no longer be the case, but it was the rule when I was managing a reptile store. If Im wrong I apologize.

You're probably correct. When I had mine I had done quite a bit of research on it and couldn't find anything about it being illegal in my area but that doesn't meant that it isn't. I did put it right back where I found it, so I guess that can be considered a plus.

[aquaticterror]

UPDATE!

We had a few nice days and little miss snapper showed herself again. I caught her and had a local herp expert and fish and game take a look at her and advise me on local regulations and what I can and can't do- along with setting up a good observational grow tank.

The jury is still out on exactly what type of snapper she is, though, but it's leaning toward some local variety of common snapper. She does have eyelashes that have the herp specialist scratching his head, so he set up a 55g native tank using some critters from my natural pond. Here's some pics- the other turtle is a very old and friendly musk turtle that has followed me around my ponds for the past 8 years now and there are a handful of tadpoles.

[aquaticterror]

Here they are

[evansbradley]

Originally Posted by aquaticterror

Here they are

Love the look of you tank! And that other turtle is pretty cool looking! Kinda funny seeing the two side by side. Keep us updated as the snapper grows I'm pretty interested!

[aquaticterror]

Originally Posted by rayzorsan

I can't tell from the picture which it is, but unless you like watching a turtle tear apart fish with its claws I would recommend a different pet.

Their bites can be nasty towards people too.

Difference is their shell and some other things. Picture for reference.

😁 I have to admit- I love watching predatory animals tear apart their prey. I honestly don't have the intention of keeping this little girl as a "pet" in any of my in home aquariums. I have a soft spot for her now, though, so she may have a permanent home with me in my ponds.

Originally Posted by evansbradley

I kept a baby like that for a few months. They can grow quite large over time. The record weight is 300+ pounds, but they usually average between 35 and 150 pounds. Personally, I think they're really cool. I let mine go because in the long run I wouldn't be able to provide the proper care for it. Unfortunately, it's probably best to let it go. Let nature take its course.

😉 I'm pretty lucky and I feel blessed to have the pond space, heated and unheated, to provide a home for a large snapper. My research in aquaponic farming, experience through my position at a local trout hatchery and my volunteer work with DEP rescue and rehabilitation has set me up with the resources to care for her as well... Not to mention letting her go where I found her would mean putting her back in my 500g pond 😉

Originally Posted by Coursair

The OP isn't looking for a Snapper as a pet. The saw a baby at their pond and are trying to ID it.

And it is usually highly ILLEGAL to release an animal into the wild once its been in captivity over a certain length of time. At least without permission from Fish and Game. Because your "pet" may introduce pathogens or disease that the local population has no resistance to. And unless you release it exactly back where it came from that can be bad as well.

This may no longer be the case, but it was the rule when I was managing a reptile store. If Im wrong I apologize.

This is more so the case than ever before. I have, as you know now, been working with fish and game and there are very strict guidelines on most wildlife and turtles in particular are heavily regulated in many states because of salmonella cases that stemmed from "quarter turtles" in the past.

Luckily these ponds are research ponds that I continue to maintain for rescue and research groups. I got the go ahead to keep her, regardless of whether she is an alligator or not, on my premises, so long as I keep her contained to my ponds using fencing as she is under the care of a state university biology major and herp expert to determine exactly what type of snapper she is. After that I will remain under the advisement of the university's biology department (if it's an alligator I will be getting occasional visits by the DEP and fish and game) because she is going to remain with me. I have been given the thumbs up on keeping her as I have proper housing and training to care for a large snapper and I have plenty of space to stock sunfish in my natural pond. I named her ginger snaps. She's going to raised as wild as possible.

what am I doing?

[aquaticterror]

Originally Posted by evansbradley

Love the look of you tank! And that other turtle is pretty cool looking! Kinda funny seeing the two side by side. Keep us updated as the snapper grows I'm pretty interested!

It's been the funniest thing, she rides on his back and he doesn't mind at all. I'm only keeping her indoors this winter. She'll be moved to my big pond when the hatchlings emerge outside and will stay there, unless of course she is an alligator, then she'll winter in my heated pond

what am I doing?

[evansbradley]

Haha that's so awesome. Can't wait to see/hear more!

[nshepler]

I'm not a turtle expert, but I've been living in south ga for all my life. And unfortunately I've caught on several occasions both common and alligator snappers. And to me that looks to be an alligator snapper, common snappers don't have a long skinny tail like that. That's just my opinion though.


May the force be with you.

[aquaticterror]

Originally Posted by nshepler

I'm not a turtle expert, but I've been living in south ga for all my life. And unfortunately I've caught on several occasions both common and alligator snappers. And to me that looks to be an alligator snapper, common snappers don't have a long skinny tail like that. That's just my opinion though.


May the force be with you.

Yay, star wars reference 😃!!!

UPDATE- I have been working all night and my little monster is getting a lot of attention lately, as have my ponds. A visiting researcher has found and confirmed a dead alligator snapper in an area of woods surrounding my large pond, so there is a more likely than not ruling on her being an alligator snapper. Here's more pictures before I go home to go to bed.

what am I doing?

[aquaticterror]

She snaps at absolutely everything other than people at this point in time and uses her buddy the musk turtle to clamber out of the water to beg for food on top of the floating driftwood whenever anyone enters the room.

what am I doing?