I don't really have to try....

[daniel1983]

I would say that one was a two or three years old juvenile. The snapper in the pictures that I posted yesterday I would call a yearling. I have seen full grown grown common snappers 5x larger than that little one in the pictures on this thread.

I have not seen any big adults this year but hopefully that will change in the upcoming weeks.

[RoyalGuardian]

last pick looks to me like he's saying " give us a kiss!" LOL.. you would be missing your lips >_< ouchie

[Mettle]

I love that last pic, haha. Thanks for sharing!

[redpython]

i am confused as to why you post photos of you holding a snapper in that manner. that is a dangerous position for the turtle.

if you grab it by both hands at the rear to the middle of the shell it cannot bite you...and you'll look more manly in your photos.

[Patrick Long]

http://www.chelydra.org/snapping_turtle_handling.html



I have always wanted one of those......if only I had a pond here in Cali!!!

[DutchHerp]

i am confused as to why you post photos of you holding a snapper in that manner. that is a dangerous position for the turtle.

if you grab it by both hands at the rear to the middle of the shell it cannot bite you...and you'll look more manly in your photos.

If he wants to look manly he'll post photos of himself free handling a cottonmouth.

As for the tail grabbing, I suppose it's more of a concern with larger snappers, although I don't recommend the method at all.

[Ladydragon]

cute snapper. that last picture is priceless!

[daniel1983]

Actually I only handle small turtles like that. Large snappers have alot of weight to them so it usually a two handed deal. That is the way I had been shown when I was young and had always read in field books that it was ok.

I would like to see some xrays of injuries from holding by the tail though.

Next time I will handle the smaller ones by the shell for good measure. Thanks for the concern.