Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a common snapper aroun 6- 8 inches...ive tried to feed him a mice, and he sucessfully killed it with ease, but seemed to have trouble swallowing it hole, and was unable to rip it up into smaller parts, i took it from him, cut it up, but he seemed unwilling to eat something that stopped moving, i fed him 3 3-4 in comet goldfish, but i dont want them to be his staple as goldfish seem to have to stunt growth and are generally unhealthy with the whole disease thing...what can i feed him?

My snapping turtles have always taken well to shrimp and cooked steak. As far as staple foods I don't know.

I feed a mix of trout chow, feeder minnows and young mice. A fundamentally staple and balanced diet. This is supplemented with live aquatic plants, but I'm uncertain as to how much the turtle actually eats of this

Ian

right now i have an alligator snapping turtle, but i have also cared for common snappers. i would stay away from goldfish and go more with bait fish. nightcrawlers, insects ( crickets and meanlworms), trout chow, crayfish, and instead of mice try pimkies or fuzzies. maybe even a rat pinkie would be a better size. mine never ate any veggies, but a friend of mine had one that would absolutely chow down on collard and turnip greens.

heres a pic of my ally from last spring

I just wanted to say that is a gorgeous turtle there.

klhf;l