Tame Snapper

I have a one week old common snapper that I want that tame. What should I do???

same thing you would do with a mean ass snake, daily handling and make sure it gets used to YOU. its important only you bond with the turtle early in life. this isnt full proof, but it usually works. you cant beat millions of years of evolution that tells an animal to be mean, so be careful.

i'd have to call it tempting fate or maybe natural selection. not real smart. yes handling frequently helps, but that doesn't mean sticking parts of your body right in front of their mouths. whatever the animal. you may get way with it for years, but its the one time it happens that will change your mind.

I can see animalman has never worked with Northern Snappers. You should talk about only what you know.

Are you saying that its responsible and safe to hold a turtle ( doesn't matter what species it is ) in front of your face like that? Do you do this when you are showing your animals at presentations? These are honest questions. I'm not try to argue.

I don't think anybody meant to be too harsh over this pic. It's risky given the potential for disfigurement. That's really cool that the turtle is that laid back. I just wouldn't want a child to see the pic and try it for themselves.

i had a snapper like that once.... eat out of my hands and wouldnt take the food if it looked like there was a finger in the way.... i had him since he hatched and kept him for 7 years before i let him go to live out the rest of his life as a wild turtle :)

I'm not trying to sound like a jerk guys. I just have alot of experience with a certain spread of herps and snappers are one of them. Snappers are very predictable (unlike what we have learned from books) and a tame snapping turtle is a safe snapping turtle. Also, I do present these animals this way and I do educate the public about whats safe and what is not. A particular focus on wild animals to domesticated ones. As far as the risk of disfigurement is concerned, I have dogs which are capable of much worse than that snapping turtle (at any size) and I still let my kids snuggle up and put there faces close to these dogs. Dogs are alot less streight forward than reptiles and give alot of thought to their actions, where as the majority of reptiles either do or do not. Just letting you in on my views, please enjoy my pictures when you get the chance and have a safe New year. Leo

leo, i would like to see more of your snapper pics. especially of that tame one.

thanks,
greg

i see this pic and the ones with your children and i think, wow it would have been so cool to have had a dad like u lol. your kids will have a great education about reptiles when they are grown and they wont be like the ppl that freak out over large snakes because of a lack of knowledge. i was lucky enough to have a dad that tought me about the local snakes in my area. just wish he had let me keep one. u are doing a great job.