So sad at the lfs

[Freshwater4Life]

I live in Va and never see them here either . Yea the commons just have a way more smooth shell.

 

[Freshwater4Life]

I live in Va and never see them here either . Yea the commons just have a way more smooth shell.

 

[Frank Castle]

I could not remember the difference between the two and I have never heard of AST here either.I know that we are out of their range.

You can always tell an Alligator Snapper from a Common by the fleshy worm-like appendage on the tongue.....they use this "lure" and wiggle it to attaract little fish to their mouth, then when it's in reach ....SNAP. Dinner is served. Common snapper won't have that on the tongue. High ridges on the shell and a short neck is also something to look for on the AST. CST's neck is almost as long as the carapace and can bite you when your hand is on the top of the rear of the carapace.

 

[krichardson]

You can always tell an Alligator Snapper from a Common by the fleshy worm-like appendage on the tongue.....they use this "lure" and wiggle it to attaract little fish to their mouth, then when it's in reach ....SNAP. Dinner is served. Common snapper won't have that on the tongue. High ridges on the shell and a short neck is also something to look for on the AST. CST's neck is almost as long as the carapace and can bite you when your hand is on the top of the rear of the carapace.

I have read about the different features that both turtles have in the past but like I said I could not remember them...or rather,which was for which.

 

[Frank Castle]

You jumped to conclusions way too soon. There's nothing obvious other than missing facts. Key words there "U.S. Indigenous" not stating an actual range. Just a country that's one of the largest in the world. Quite the range there. You're saying anywhere from Arizona desert to Pacific Northwest to Alaska to Hawaii.

Also alligator snappers are not native across the entire state of pa unless the map is wrong-View attachment 1173638

Btw I don't wear panties I wear boxer briefs.

At least their range is expanding....20 years ago it was about half that and they were cited under one of the protected statuses, I forget which. I think they still are vulnerable if nothing else

I have read about the different features that both turtles have in the past but like I said I could not remember them...or rather,which was for which.

Yea, that's all I did was read, I never even held an AST, I don't think. Lotsa experience w/ CSTs though lol My friends had ASTs but I never understood why cuz they get 200-300lbs. How big a tank do you need and why not just get sharks at that size....

 

[krichardson]

Yea, that's all I did was read, I never even held an AST, I don't think. Lotsa experience w/ CSTs though lol My friends had ASTs but I never understood why cuz they get 200-300lbs. How big a tank do you need and why not just get sharks at that size....

One shop that closed down years ago used to have hatchlings of both species and I recall the AST were twice the price of the commons.

 

[Frank Castle]

One shop that closed down years ago used to have hatchlings of both species and I recall the AST were twice the price of the commons.

Imagine if you had your own custom-built Bass pond/lake and it didn't have ANYTHING you didn't put in there, and then one day you wake up and see a 3-foot Snapper eating one of your prized 8lb-ers.

 

[krichardson]

Imagine if you had your own custom-built Bass pond/lake and it didn't have ANYTHING you didn't put in there, and then one day you wake up and see a 3-foot Snapper eating one of your prized 8lb-ers.

....and in turn I would eat the snapper....haven't had some good snapper stew in years.

 

[Woefulrelic]

....and in turn I would eat the snapper....haven't had some good snapper stew in years.

While I think that euthanasia would be the best result outside of a private pond, consuming any aquarium species that has been present for medicine or even medically treated food could be detrimental to human health.

 

[krichardson]

While I think that euthanasia would be the best result outside of a private pond, consuming any aquarium species that has been present for medicine or even medically treated food could be detrimental to human health.

Agreed.