Might get a snapping turtle!!.. help!

[CTU2fan]

I've kept several common snappers (C. serpentina) and haven't found them to be particularly aggressive, though all the ones I've had I got as small turtles, rather than wild adults. They are very "food aggressive" so I suppose you could get bitten by accident, while feeding. Ally's are said to be a little slower & calmer, but they're bigger so if it did get you you'd be in more trouble.

Actually now that I see you've kept softshells...my softshells were more likely to bite me than my snaps ever were.

 

[fishyboi]

This is a pic that I took of an albino Florida Snapper which is a relatively similar animal (well actually I held the beast, my brother took the pic). They ALWAYS want to bite you and if you are not careful, you can indeed lose a finger. Unless you are really good at handling big turtles, I wouldn't suggest this as a pet. If you just want an interesting turtle, maybe try to find an albino Red Ear Slider or something. They are really cool looking and easier to take care of than that snapper.

thats a common snapping turtle, aligator snapping turtles are less active and less agressive than the common snapping turtle.

And if your going to get a aligator snapping turtle, just throw him in the pond now than later, cause his grow rate will be faster.

 

[arowpeak]

luckily , i have only a 2" + 4" terrapins
i will take note of the biting
i sure won't want my finger in there

 

[summer_rain]

I've kept several common snappers (C. serpentina) and haven't found them to be particularly aggressive, though all the ones I've had I got as small turtles, rather than wild adults. They are very "food aggressive" so I suppose you could get bitten by accident, while feeding. Ally's are said to be a little slower & calmer, but they're bigger so if it did get you you'd be in more trouble.

Actually now that I see you've kept softshells...my softshells were more likely to bite me than my snaps ever were.

damn softshells are crazy.... at least they don't bite as hard as a snapper!

 

[summer_rain]

maybe there are gloves i can use so i won't get bit... just to be safe....

 

[summer_rain]

luckily , i have only a 2" + 4" terrapins
i will take note of the biting
i sure won't want my finger in there

do you have snappers in singapore?... how much do they sell for there?

 

[synapse989]

I say get it started in a big tub right away... don't screw around with some small tank and then gradually go bigger..

AST are territorial, so y'know.. moving it around will stress it and possibly stunt growth. ...according to my friend that's raised them for years.

and by the way.. they smell. bad.

 

[Redliw]

I kept a common snapper for a few years and he never showed any aggression unless I dumped fish in his pond, and even that was kind of lame for a suppossedly super scary turtle who'll bite fingers off before you knew it. I handled him at least once a week, hauling his fat butt out of the water so I could work in his enclosure and not have to worry about where in the water he was lurking...that was my fear, he might mistake my hand for a fish. I won't say that they don't have the potential to be dangerous cause it's silly to abandon respect and a little bit of fear for a critter that can remove my fingers, but I also think that if a person does their homework and takes proper precautions, they are actually awesome, the coolest turtle I ever had by far. He spent hours staring into the sun, when out of water he'd stand on his toes to "look big" if anyone came near and could stretch his neck about 3/4 the length of his carpace.

 

[summer_rain]

I say get it started in a big tub right away... don't screw around with some small tank and then gradually go bigger..

AST are territorial, so y'know.. moving it around will stress it and possibly stunt growth. ...according to my friend that's raised them for years.

and by the way.. they smell. bad.

smell?? .... i wouldn't dare to put my nose near a snapper!!

 

[summer_rain]

I kept a common snapper for a few years and he never showed any aggression unless I dumped fish in his pond, and even that was kind of lame for a suppossedly super scary turtle who'll bite fingers off before you knew it. I handled him at least once a week, hauling his fat butt out of the water so I could work in his enclosure and not have to worry about where in the water he was lurking...that was my fear, he might mistake my hand for a fish. I won't say that they don't have the potential to be dangerous cause it's silly to abandon respect and a little bit of fear for a critter that can remove my fingers, but I also think that if a person does their homework and takes proper precautions, they are actually awesome, the coolest turtle I ever had by far. He spent hours staring into the sun, when out of water he'd stand on his toes to "look big" if anyone came near and could stretch his neck about 3/4 the length of his carpace.

cool.... what kind of enclosure does he have?