Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was given a commom snapping turtle in Sept 08. It was found as a hatchling and kept thru the summer. By the time I got it, it had shell rot which I have treated and it's looking really good. It is more than 4 times the size it was. I had orignally planned on releasing it when the weather gets warm. But now, I'm debating on what to do???
I have other turtles that are very healthy and in a huge tank so I'm not new to them. None of them have any problems other than being pigs..hahaha

My concern is this snapper has gotten very use to being fed here. As soon as it sees me come in with food, it knows and follows me. It's been eating pellets, crickets, live fish, some greens too. Should I keep this guy or turn him loose?? I can't decide?? I figured if I turned him loose, I'd stop the pellet food for awhile and just do fish so he won't be looking for pellets once back in the wild.

I would advise against releasing it. It has obviously become accustomed to being fed by you, and in a wild setting may have a difficult time acquiring its own food.
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Bill
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1.0 Banded Cal King
0.1 Striped Cal King
0.1 Aberrant Cal King
0.1 Chihuahua Mountain King
1.0 Arizona Mountain King
1.0 Anery Jurassic Milk
1.0 Nelson's/Corn snake hybrid
0.0.1 Alligator Snapping Turtle
0.0.1 Florida Snapping Turtle
0.0.1 Loggerhead Musk Turtle
0.0.1 Common Musk Turtle

Yep, that's what I was thinking since it was a hatchling when I got it. That's no problem though, I have a garage full a tanks to upsize too. Eventually one of those huge stock tanks they have at Tractor Supply.

People might not agree with me here, but if hes of good size and you don't want him anymore he should be able to survive in the wild no problem. These guys are hardy as hell and can sniff a carcus out miles away.

I can't see a captive snapper having any trouble scavaging for a while before hes ut and about hunting. But if hes way over weight and not very mobile I'd cut his meals in half and start feeding him live animals likee crawfish, frogs for about a month so he gets used to working for his food. Stick some big rocks in the tank, catch a bunch of crawfish and leave em in there for a month, toss a bull frog in once a week, and keep live fish in there that the crawfish would be able to catch.

They'll hide under the rocks, but when they come out to eat, over time he'll start to learn how to find em.

One thing not mentioned yet: in many states it is illegal for you to release a captive turtle into the wild, even if you got it there originally. The reasoning is that captive turtles too often acquire diseases and infections of various kinds, from their captive conditions, that might not be present in the wild area where they would be released. To then release that turtle would possibly introduce into the local environment a potentially serious outbreak of some disease. Check your local laws before you release anything.