Baby Common Snapper - gonna foster him! :D

**ramanth** · 09-22-2009, 11:29 AM

Walking back up to the apartment with the dogs, I nearly stepped on a baby snapper curled up in the parking lot.

He was encrusted in dirt, eyes closed, barely moving. I was surprised as it's very late in the year for hatchlings. I didn't want him to die alone or suffer, so I brought him in and placed him in a little tub and about a half hour later he started wobbling around.

His right eye won't open and his left eye opens only a little. Very tiny. Size of a quarter.

My mom thinks it'll be okay to keep him during the winter and let him go in the spring. Or should I just stick him outside and let fate have him.

Whadda think?

*edit* Decided to keep him safe, warm, and fed until next Spring/Summer.

**Karen** · 09-22-2009, 11:32 AM

I'd keep him and feed him and fatten him up over the winter, and then release him next spring once the weather is warm. It's not his fault he was hatched so late in the season - we usually see baby snappers in the spring, but he's very vulnerable at this size. He's a snapper, so it's not like he's gonna "imprint" much on you like a duckling would - they seem to pretty much come with all instructions included.

I suppose, to be responsible, you could call the local Audubon Society ...

**ramanth** · 09-22-2009, 12:23 PM

I called a friend who has a snapper and he agreed it's very late in the year for a hatchling. Little guy still has his egg tooth and umbilical cord spot.

He raised his snapper from a baby and gave some good tips and advice. We'll get the aquarium set up. Keep him warm and fat until spring and then let him go.

Wish us luck!

Here's Snappy..

**lvpets2002** · 09-22-2009, 12:55 PM

Awee hello there Snappy.. Yes wittle one you are a very late blommer.. Yes stay warm & well fed there until spring..

**ramanth** · 09-22-2009, 02:43 PM

Temp home

Investigating

Submerged

**Catty1** · 09-22-2009, 03:52 PM

He is so CUTE!!!!!

**king2005** · 10-01-2009, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Karen

I'd keep him and feed him and fatten him up over the winter, and then release him next spring once the weather is warm. It's not his fault he was hatched so late in the season - we usually see baby snappers in the spring, but he's very vulnerable at this size. He's a snapper, so it's not like he's gonna "imprint" much on you like a duckling would - they seem to pretty much come with all instructions included.

I suppose, to be responsible, you could call the local Audubon Society ...

Karen it is NEVER recommend to do such a thing. Once the turtle is with a human for more then 1-2 weeks, it is permanently a pet & cannot be released. They need to live in the wild from day 1 in order to build up immunities to things in the water. Tap water cannot provide that & releasing him is certain death. Not to mention its more then likely highly illegal to release them & might be even more illegal if he is considered a pest in that area.

If the turtle is being kept over the winter, it needs a permanent home with someone who can house him when he grows into a beast. Not saying he'll be aggressive, as you all know Axle is anything but aggressive *kisses his nose*.

That Common Snapping Turtle can grow to 50lbs+. They need a min of 300gal tank when fully grown. If overfed you can cause it's liver & other organs to prematurely fail due to over use. In captivity you can expect 25-30yrs maybe a little less, maybe much more. Shouldn't be less then 20yrs (unless the turtle has natural issues)! They need a lot of veggies in their diet, meat, organs, & bone. In simple terms a whole mouse/fish/rat (fish being best & more natural. too much red meat isn't good). The owner needs to be prepared for a VERY aggressive pet. They can bite much faster then you can move & they don't let go.

In my opinion you should have left it outside, but moved it to a better area, as most do not make good pets & most people don't/can't take care of one properly as they get too big & too aggressive.

**Cinder & Smoke** · 09-22-2009, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by ramanth

Or should I just stick him outside and let fate have him.

Whadda think?

*edit* Decided to keep him safe, warm, and fed until next Spring/Summer.

>shakes head<

As if there was really ever a question about him.

How many trips out to the parking lot have you made *looking* for siblings?

**ramanth** · 09-22-2009, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Cinder & Smoke

>shakes head<

As if there was really ever a question about him.

How many trips out to the parking lot have you made *looking* for siblings?

I know, I know....

I've made two trips looking for siblings. Not a trace.

**Karen** · 09-22-2009, 05:08 PM

It is possible that he, like Panzer, the baby snapping turtle we raised one year for a while, was "wrong-way turtle" and all the rest of the siblings made it to water safely. Panzer was found in Paul's mom's yard, headed in the only direction that would NOT take him to water.

He lived in a tank with our fish, but tragically died from overeating (we think) when one on the Mollies had babies. The reason we came to that conclusion? That time, we thought she had about six babies ... the next time, though, with no turtle around, she had about 40 ...

**ramanth** · 09-22-2009, 05:13 PM

It's possible! I even wondered it maybe a bird tried to make a snack of him and dropped him in the parking lot.

**kokopup** · 09-22-2009, 06:02 PM

Cute turtle for sure. I think it is probably just a common snapper though. Unless you found yours in the coastal gulf area of the US it is probably not an Alligator snapper. Does it have a built in soft danglie bait looking thing in it's mouth. With baby turtles it is hard to tell the difference but since you live in Michigan I think it is just a plan snapper.