anyone got a tame snapper???

[Mampam]

1st question


2nd question

my snapper has grown from 1 1/2 in to 4in (shell) in 1yr and one month

and now, hes gettin all aggressive lol, nothin i didnt expect, but i want to tame him, but i dont like handling my pets unless absolutely necessary

how can i tame him??? ive seen a youtube video of a completely tame common snapper, but it was an adult, maybe just, give him time???

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Just give it some time and see what happens. Every turtle has a different personality. I've kept a few snappers over the years. My last one was extremely laid back and never once tried to snap at me. Also, don't let your turtle associate your fingers/hands with food!

 

[Dan F]

Mine was pretty tame at 6" but now (at 12") he is pretty darned "snappy"!

I don't handle him any more than necessary, so it's not surprising that he isn't very tame. When I do handle him he is pretty aggressive, a towel over his head helps calm him right down.

 

[Mampam]

Also, don't let your turtle associate your fingers/hands with food!

too late lol!!!!! well, actually, he basically associates "me" with food
so dont know if its my fingers anymore


ya, i figured id just have to wait and see

ive only been bitten once by one of the 12+ snappers ive caught, and fortunately it was by mine, (and it wasn't by a 1footer lol)

but even at about 3in (then) it hurt, but didnt break the skin

 

[varanio]

I dont think there is such a thing as a tame snapper. As they age and grow they become more snappy, when theyre small they just want to blend in and not draw any attention. These are survival tactics.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

As they age and grow they become more snappy

Kind of like a cranky old man who wants to pay for his ointment in pennies.






Sorry, I couldn't help it.

 

[Mampam]

Your all going about taming a snapper the wrong way. The only way is to get them used to handling from a small size. When their 2-4 inches and harmless touch their head let them sit in your hand in the water. When I got my ally snapper it took months to even get him to move out of the water when I was around(At 2-4 inches).

i did handle him kinda regularly, but haven't for a long while

he begs for food, and isn't afraid of me unless i take him out of the tank, (when cleaning, or measuring)

lol, if i touch his head, he'll bite my finger

hes grown, so fast lol, its so cool, but i hope hes tame before hes big enuf to do serious damage lol, i he may be the only snapper thats bitten me (once) but hes the one most likely to do it again lol

 

[Miguel]

who, forgive me for asking, wants a tame snapper? All the mystic, and fun, in snapperhood lies in their grumpy disposition.

I have 13 ( of several species ) and all are mean as mean can be, and that is the fun of it!

 

[Dan F]

who, forgive me for asking, wants a tame snapper? All the mystic, and fun, in snapperhood lies in their grumpy disposition.

I have 13 ( of several species ) and all are mean as mean can be, and that is the fun of it!

Agreed^

When I do get Snappy out of his tank he snaps at the air and paddles all four feet - It's quite impressive!

 

[CTU2fan]

The snappers I've kept have all been somewhat tame (they range from little hatchlings to adults). I've found them to be "food aggressive" the way my tegu and some of my monitors were. They rarely tried to bite when being held, they did more kicking than anything else.