Trying to raise a turtle?

Question

My boyfriend found what appears to be a baby snapping turtle and has decided to keep it as a pet. The thing is that we don't know anything about raising a turtle. What type of environment should they live in, at what temperature should we keep the tank at and about what size tank do we need? What do they eat and should we put anything in the water to neutralize the chlorine? We need all the help and information you can give us. Thanks for your time and help.

Answer 1

First, determine what kind or turtle you really have. Don't guess. You could post on Y!A with a link to a photo or find a local herpetologist to ask. Only then can you get good answers to some of your questions.

Others can be answered now. Figure 10 gallons of tank per inch of shell. Some turtles need a basking area; some don't. Keep the tank as bare as possible. Definitely no gravel. Chlorine isn't much of a problem but it won't hurt to keep tap water in a tub for a day before using it to fill the tank.

Baby turtles are carnivores. Feed it earthworms, fishes (not goldfish), soft-bodied insects, and strips of liver dusted in bone meal.

You may or may not need a basking light.

Answer 2

Let's assume it is a true Snapping Turtle...

1. It might have been illegal to catch and remove. They are covered under several laws in most states.

2. WHY ON EARTH would you want to start your turtle career with an animal that is going to grow huge and need a ton of money for food and housing?

Otherwise, this is an easy to care for species. The easiest habitat is...

- Get a 50 gallon plastic tub or aquarium, fill it about 1/2 with water.

- Use an in-water heater or two to heat the water to about 75-80F

- Get a good turtle dock. A simple cheap one will work to start. Never use a rock for this.

- Put a light over the tank. Aim it to heat the dock to about 90F and light the tank for about 12-14 hours a day.

- A layer of small gravel on the bottom (even though it is going to make cleaning tough.)

- Get a BIG external cannister filter to treat the water, and a good siphon cleaner to suck the crud off the bottom and change about 1/4th of the water every week.

Feed it about 1/2 good brand pellets, and 1/2 live or frozen/thawed 'fish foods' like worms, small fish, shrimp, krill, insects, beef heart, etc. Avoid freeze-dried foods.Feed it one small portion daily.

Try http://www.chelydra.org for more cares.

Answer 3

release it back into the wild you idiots. why would u keep an innocent turtle prisoner . i think snappers should be in the wild. they can get to more than 100 lbs and very big.

Answer 4

put in back in the wild... but if you want to keep a snapping turtle you need a huge tank and they eat mice meat etc.... also they get big and nasty

  

Answer 5

Unless if that turtle is extremely friendly, put it back where you found it because if you haven't checked the name they SNAP- hard. My best friend has a pond that has snapping turtles living in it and she says that it is extremely painful when they bite you!!!

Answer 6

They should live in a big aquarium at least  6ft long 6ft deep 3ft high.  There should be some land to rest on and lots of water you could make a pond we land on the side or a land in the middle with like a moat. They would eat worms like earthworms you find in your yard and some greens.  Mostly worms though.  The chlorine would hurt him so neutralize that.  That is most of what you need.