My Little Bear

grumpa

SMF Supporter
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
4,690
Points
113
First Name
Jim
That's his name given by my youngest granddaughter, found him while cutting the lawn around one of our ponds.
His shell was about 2 inches long at the time, thank God I saw him before he was shredded. He started out in a 10 gallon tank, now he is in a 75 gallon tank with a powerful filtration system.
He is a real monster now at about 9 inches or so across his shell, ponds are frozen now but he will gladly take any
raw meat or fish he also loves shrimp.

100_1121 (4).JPG100_1124 (3).JPG100_1128 (3).JPG100_1130 (2).JPG100_1133 (3).JPG100_1136 (2).JPG100_1137 (2).JPG100_1138 (2).JPG Jim
 

JR

Member of the Rabble and Pyromania Consultant
SMF Supporter
Joined
May 26, 2015
Messages
17,215
Points
113
Location
lincs
First Name
John
Than tank is a credit to you Jim, you can see just how clean the water is from the state of the pebbles.:thumb2::thumb2::thumb2:
 

The Smythe Meister

Born to be WILD....... until about 9pm
SMF Supporter
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
5,617
Points
113
Location
Devon
First Name
Andy
What a cracking little chap/girl :smiling3:
Excellent pictures too Jim,nice one.
Andy
 

minitnkr

Rabble & escape committee member
SMF Supporter
Joined
Apr 27, 2018
Messages
6,655
Points
113
Location
Dayton, OH
First Name
Paul
They don't stop growing, I'm told. I have seen several shells from snappers that were a couple feet across (displayed in a bar that featured turtle soup). Once saw a duck disappeared by a snapper. Duck paddling along--an eyeblink later--ripples. No fish anywhere near that big in the lake I was fishing.
 

RonGlass

SMF Supporter
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
579
Points
93
Location
United States
First Name
Ron
They don't stop growing, I'm told. I have seen several shells from snappers that were a couple feet across (displayed in a bar that featured turtle soup). Once saw a duck disappeared by a snapper. Duck paddling along--an eyeblink later--ripples. No fish anywhere near that big in the lake I was fishing.
So was the turtle, fishing that lake. You're probably lucky you didn't end up doing a Roy Schreider impersonation Paul
 

Mini Me

SMF Supporter
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
10,158
Points
113
First Name
Rick
The largest Snapping Turtle I've seen weighed over 70 lbs. And was caught by a buddy of mine who was fishing behind the Base when I was stationed at Whiting Field down in Florida. Might add, they are on the menu along with Crawdads, Rattlesnake, and Catfish as well as other "delicacies" in the deep South.
 

The Smythe Meister

Born to be WILD....... until about 9pm
SMF Supporter
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
5,617
Points
113
Location
Devon
First Name
Andy
HA,That menu's nothing Rick.....
.... Down ere in our Deep South,(West),our menu consists of such exotic wonders as,Steak Pasties...erm... Peppered Pasties.... Minced steak Pasties,OR if you're feeling really adventurous you could sample completely different types of food,such as, Chicken, vegetable,balti or curried lamb....... Pasties........
..... Oh,......I see what you mean!! ;)
Andy
 

grumpa

SMF Supporter
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
4,690
Points
113
First Name
Jim
So prehistoric looking, is it a snapping turtle Jim? and is that as big as it will get?
Yes Ian, it is a common snapping turtle native to the lower 48 (states).
In our southern states there are also alligator snappers which get much larger than the common snapper.
The common snapper is much more aggressive and will actively hunt down prey, the alligator species is much more docile
and is a lye in wait predator with a small worm like appendage on its tongue that it waves about to attract small fish into it's gaping jaws
then...SNAP! They are more ornate and depend on camouflage to hide their bulk.

common snapper
Image result for common snapping turtle
Image result for common snapping turtle


alligator snapper
Image result for World Largest Alligator Snapping Turtle
Image result for World Largest Alligator Snapping Turtle
Image result for World Largest Alligator Snapping Turtle


Alligator on left, common on right
Image result for common snapping turtle vs alligator snapping turtle

I love em all!

Along with my alligator gar, I need to add.....maybe a crocodile to my collection?
Image result for baby crocodile
......:smiling:

Oh wait!...I already have one!
100_7988 (7).JPG
 

Tim Marlow

Little blokes aficionado
SMF Supporter
Joined
Apr 27, 2018
Messages
16,544
Points
113
Location
Somerset
First Name
Tim
HA,That menu's nothing Rick.....
.... Down ere in our Deep South,(West),our menu consists of such exotic wonders as,Steak Pasties...erm... Peppered Pasties.... Minced steak Pasties,OR if you're feeling really adventurous you could sample completely different types of food,such as, Chicken, vegetable,balti or curried lamb....... Pasties........
..... Oh,......I see what you mean!! ;)
Andy
Wot, no clotted cream pasty…with Jam first of course…..
 

grumpa

SMF Supporter
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
4,690
Points
113
First Name
Jim
The largest Snapping Turtle I've seen weighed over 70 lbs. And was caught by a buddy of mine who was fishing behind the Base when I was stationed at Whiting Field down in Florida. Might add, they are on the menu along with Crawdads, Rattlesnake, and Catfish as well as other "delicacies" in the deep South.
I spent some time in Louisiana when I was in the service...I think....anyway,
I loved the whole Cajon cuisine except for the crawdads or "mud bugs" as the locals called them.
No matter what they did to them they still tasted like, well....mud.

Image result for crawdads
Image result for crawdads


They also love to eat turtles and gators, I had eaten fried alligator tail, tasted like fishy chicken....weird.
I love all turtles too much to even consider killing a single one for any reason plus they too taste fishy and slimy...ugh!
 

The Smythe Meister

Born to be WILD....... until about 9pm
SMF Supporter
Joined
Jan 30, 2019
Messages
5,617
Points
113
Location
Devon
First Name
Andy
Yes Ian, it is a common snapping turtle native to the lower 48 (states).
In our southern states there are also alligator snappers which get much larger than the common snapper.
The common snapper is much more aggressive and will actively hunt down prey, the alligator species is much more docile
and is a lye in wait predator with a small worm like appendage on its tongue that it waves about to attract small fish into it's gaping jaws
then...SNAP! They are more ornate and depend on camouflage to hide their bulk.

common snapper
Image result for common snapping turtle
Image result for common snapping turtle


alligator snapper
Image result for World Largest Alligator Snapping Turtle
Image result for World Largest Alligator Snapping Turtle
Image result for World Largest Alligator Snapping Turtle


Alligator on left, common on right
Image result for common snapping turtle vs alligator snapping turtle

I love em all!

Along with my alligator gar, I need to add.....maybe a crocodile to my collection?
Image result for baby crocodile
......:smiling:

Oh wait!...I already have one!
View attachment 442766
What a cool post!!
One of the best I've seen on here,(non modelling wise obviously.!!
Top thread also... As a proud and devoted "owner" of a Bearded dragon,and a mating pair of Crevice Lizards,I love these cool creatures.They may well look like they're Dinosaur ish,but as has been said,they are pretty clever and react to my,and Rach's voices.... "Cohan",our Dragon,in fact will only eat now,if it's from us directly!! :smiling3:
Andy
 

grumpa

SMF Supporter
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
4,690
Points
113
First Name
Jim
Hi Jim
Fascinating creature but certainly not a pet you'd want to cuddle.
Jim
Actually Jim, I've seen videos of folks holding and petting them but Little Bear makes some very ominous moves towards ones digits
when offered. I think I'd like to keep mine so no cuddling.
 

Mini Me

SMF Supporter
Joined
Jun 1, 2018
Messages
10,158
Points
113
First Name
Rick
We have all manner of Reptilian and amphibious folks on and about the property.....encounters are not rare and we leave each other alone......besides, they keep the insect population down and that is a good thing.
 

grumpa

SMF Supporter
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
4,690
Points
113
First Name
Jim
Than tank is a credit to you Jim, you can see just how clean the water is from the state of the pebbles.:thumb2::thumb2::thumb2:
Thanks John, filter is a Sun Sun brand (Japanese) remote canister system which pumps 375 gallons per hour.
Seeing as he is in about 35 gallons of water (tank half full) it's turned over about ten times per hour.

Jim.
 
Top