almost 2 yrs ago, i caught like a 4-4 1/2in shelled wild snapping turtle with an almost completely smooth shell
my snapping turtle, (had for 1yr and 9months) is like 6 1/4 in long and still retains that bit of roughness on each scute, which that 4 1/2in i caught had lost
what does this mean???
is it that mine is just growing that fast??? or is it something else???
my snapping turtle, (had for 1yr and 9months) is like 6 1/4 in long and still retains that bit of roughness on each scute, which that 4 1/2in i caught had lost
what does this mean???
is it that mine is just growing that fast??? or is it something else???
It means that snapper has been eating a fiber and calcium rich diet that is what he would be getting in the wild. Less uniform shells can be a sign of piramidism wich even snappers can get if feed to much protein, low calcium and high phosporus diets. Your snapper may be only have a slingth average degree of it but its a wake up call for you to diversify its diet. You must include fiber and calcium rich foods in your snapper diet such as snails, crayfish (remove claws), grass shrimp, slugs, earthworms and small woule fish like silversides. Feeders only ones that you have raised yourself, gutloaded and in full health. No goldfish, livebears are much better. Once your snapper its big enough you must use stuff like adult mice and rats, quail and woule trout and bluegill. Dark leaf vegetables can be acepted and are great foods