Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently took a nice road trip and found a small reptile store outside of Alabama. While there a baby snapping turtle caught my attention. I have had snapping turtles in my ponds and lake for over 15 years now and I am also an avid reader of anything and everything that relates to the subject of reptiles, especially turtles. Can anyone tell me what kind this guy is? He looks like a regular baby snapping turtle, but he is all dark black in coloration. I know baby florida snappers are brownish and alligator snappers are also brownish in color. Could this be a hybrid of some type? Another issue that fascinates me is the ridges on his back. He resembles an alligator snapper, but his head and long neck signify a common snapper. Has anyone ever come across this coloration in snapping turtles? If anyone would like a pic of him I will send it via e-mail. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Mark

Baby commons have ridges that smooth out with age. The ones I have seeen were black. The brown your used to may be just mud because they haven't found water yet? I'm almost positive you found a common.
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Martin Whalin

"It is foolish to let singleness of purpose deprive one of the joy and delectation of the many wonderful sights and sounds incidental to the quest."
-Carl Kauffeld
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thats how mine looked until he got a little older. now hes the brownish with a smoother shell

I agree. Id say its a common. I catch hatchlings to adult snappers all the time and all the hatchlings I have caught have been black with a rigid shell. Like someone said eariler, the shell wears down over time and becomes the smoother look your probably use to.
Chris
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Hey whats up, I'm Chris and I currently have 1.0 Softy, 0.1 Ambo, 1.0 Bearded Dragon

n/p
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1.2.1 Terrapene Carolina Triunguis
0.0.1 Nymphicus hollandicus
1.0 Melopsittacus undulatus
1.1 American Cocker Spaniels
1.0 American Short Hair? Cat
1.1 Rouen Ducks

he is about 1.5 inches long ( shell length )