Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have aquired a common snapping turtle, and are just about funded enough to build a terrarium for it. It is about 8" long, about 5" wide and mean as [bleep]. I'm ready to drop some bills on a tank, filtration system, and whatever I need to do. Should I use rocks, sand or mud? or a combination? What kind of filtration system are you guys using? Any suggestions?

Also I'm clueless on sexing a snapping turtle. Can anyone help me on this?

These turtles need room. I think plastic kiddie pools are the only way to go without spending a lot of money. I have mine in our basment with a submergable heater.

I have switched to an in tank, Whisper 40i, filter for my 14 six month old snapper hatchlings. They make quite a mess. The whisper filter does a great job of keeping water clean

I set up a terrarium for a baby snapper a few weeks ago based upon a setup I’ve used with success in the past in keeping frogs. It’s pretty simple and can be used for just about any size tank from 10 gallons and up. I used a 20 gallon “long” tank. You need the tank, gravel, a submersible powerhead, clear tubing to put on the powerhead inlet and outlet, gravel, and a plastic container (Tupperware type thing). The tank is pictured below. The powerhead is behind the plastic box underwater. The outlet tube is spilling water into the box which is filled with gravel and has some water-friendly plants in it. The box has several holes punched on its right side at water level. Water flows from the outlet tube through the gravel in the box and out the drain holes with direction of flow toward the right of the tank. The powerhead inlet tube is long and has its intake near the right of the tank under the gravel. I have polyfill suffed into the inlet of the intake tube as a pre-filter to keep junk out of the powerhead. You can add sticks, rocks, bark, etc. like I’ve done here. There is a Plexiglas tightly fitted top on the tank with some drilled vent holes. A fluorescent tube rests on top providing light and enough heat because of the fairly tightly closed system. This one has been set up about a month and the turtle seems to be doing well. His roommates include a green treefrog and two juvenile bullfrogs. I did one partial water change on it last weekend. It’s easy because I just put a pail under the water outflow tube and dump it out, then replace by pouring new water in.

I’ve not kept snappers long-term before, so this tank is somewhat of an experiment. I’m not sure it provides all that a snapper needs environmentally to stay healthy. He seems alert, healthy, and is always looking to eat something despite the kids giving him food every couple hours or so. He has nearly doubled in size since the kids caught him.

Cheers,
WK

Great looking set up it reminds of a swamp,bog . Nicely done.

Thanks very much. The turtle seems to like it. I put natural bark and leaf litter in there so tannins contained within them would leach out in the water. Tannins are what gives the water a tea-colored appearance, and have been shown to have anti-microbial properties. I'm hoping this will help keep turtle relatively free of skin infections.

Cheers,
WK

I have seen musks and mud turtles in waters like that near the shore with over hanging branches,etc imagine snappers esp small ones must enjoy that to .
I havent seen those tho but imagine in area.

It must be nice to watch them in that kiddie pool. Do you find that even when kept indoors you nedd the heater?
thanks