IT WON'T KILL YA, BUT...

[yagyujubei]

A week or two ago, I was sitting on the porch after mowing, and look who strools up my drive:


It's a male common snapping turtle. 14" carapace and about 25 pounds.(10kg)
He was very wild, and didn't like me one bit.

[Pieter89]

Little scary, but really interesting! Awesome!

[Ales]

That is adorable!

Where u stay?

[yagyujubei]

I'm in the US. Northern Ohio.

[fredsmith]

Mean looking animal! Wow.

[fuscusV2]

That there is the reason I don't understand Americans who skinnydip!

[cvanvollenstee]

I would not mind raising one of these captive bred hatchlings. They are so cute and they grow into these dinosour looking animal. Simply awesome.

[fastback]

Thanks for sharing!

I think they are stunning creatures, them and leeches .

[yagyujubei]

I would not mind raising one of these captive bred hatchlings. They are so cute and they grow into these dinosour looking animal. Simply awesome.

The hatchlings are very personable, and I have seen very tame large adults. This one was VERY bitey, in the second pic, he's in a typical agressive stance, ready to strike. They can extend their neck a seemingly impossible length, and at the same time, launch themselves forward using those huge legs and tail. I really wouldn't want to get bit. I took him to a local river for release since I really didn't want him in my pond, plus my neighbor eats 'em.

[cvanvollenstee]

plus my neighbor eats 'em.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Bushviper]

Wow I wonder how old he was. I have been told the females do not leave the ponds and only the males move around. Tricky to handle them I guess.

Is it legal to eat them? Poison a road killed one and give that to your neighbour. If he get sick or even dies then thats just so sad. Might be a deterrent to others to leave them alone.

[Aaxel]

awsome!!,but scary!

[froot]

It was looking for your cat. I must be honest, that is not a pretty creature, but thanks for sharing.

[F1refly]

I want one. You say it is a Snapping Turtle right? i didn't even know there were different species other than the ol Alligator Snapping Turtle

[yagyujubei]

:smt007 I want one. You say it is a Snapping Turtle right? i didn't even know there were different species other than the ol Alligator Snapping Turtle

Yes, this is a Common Snapper (Chelydra serpentina)widespread in about 1/2 of US, and southern Canada. Alligator snappers are mainly in the Southeast US. There are also Florida snappers, and a couple of South american species. When they get to this size, they're difficult to carry around, especially if they are trying to seperate you from a couple of fingers.They can stretch their necks backwards to about halfway on their shells.I have to admit that I wasn't real comfortable with this guy. In May and early June around here is Springtoime, and they seem to move around from place to place.

Wow I wonder how old he was. I have been told the females do not leave the ponds and only the males move around. Tricky to handle them I guess.

Is it legal to eat them? Poison a road killed one and give that to your neighbour. If he get sick or even dies then thats just so sad. Might be a deterrent to others to leave them alone.

In Ohio, thay're legal to kill with a fishing lisense. Most of the turtle eaters are in the southern US. My neighbor, who thinks they're a delicacy, has given me eggs that he's found on a couple occasions while dressing them, which sucessfully hatched.