i found a baby common snapping turtle on my lawn?

Question

problem is...he was under a bunch of leaves and at first he wasnt movin ..i think he was tryin to hibernate under them. i took him in cuz i didnt kno wat to do ..he was far from water...i tried to feed him and he wont eat..i went to a pet store and asked for help.. the lady said to let him go and he wil bury himself...problem...again its cold out and he started to dig but then stopped and its like he fell asleep..i think he has problems buryin himself good enough........so i brought him back in wit a bunch of dirt in a container hopin if he had heat he could bury himself better....so im gonna see how this goes...and i dont wanna put him in the lake cuz its deep and he will surely die.......any help would be great on how i could ..either let him go or get him to eat or hibernate..cuz im confused

Answer 1

I do Reptile rescue here in north Florida, and I have dealt with baby alligator snappers. They are primarily aquatic, in fact it is quite rare to see them out of the water. If you choose to keep him to see him thru the winter, set up a 10 gallon tank with a UV bulb, enough water with him to swim around in, and a place he can get out and bask, like a big rock. I don't know what you tried to feed him, but they are very successful predators, so I would try live prey like earthworms, crickets, etc. Your pet store should carry a vitamin supplement like Repti-Cal, dusting his prey before feeding will make sure he gets all the nutrients he needs. You can email me directly if you have any questions.

Answer 2

i actually caught an adult snapping turtle when i was a bit younger. if he's not caring for himself depending if you have an adequate sized tank you can put a large mound of dirt on one side and fill the rest of the tank with water since that's there normal home. i don't know your geographical location but if he's not hibernating in the proper enviroment give him some heat and lay some hot dog in his cage and see how he reacts. if it's already cold and he doesn't have a place to hibernate and stay then being put back out he won't last long at all. just watch your fingers.

Answer 3

Turtles actually burry themselves in the mud at the bottom of the water. If you put him in the water, he will instinctly know what to do. Don't worry about him eating because they don't eat when they are hibernating during the winter. Just let him go in a lake and he'll be fine. Best of Luck to You and the Turtle.

Answer 4

Well if you put him in the lake he will swim to the bottom, bury himself in the mud, and hibernate until spring. Eventually he will grow to be a big snappy just like Big Al (A snapping turtle in Moose Pond where I live) Don't worry, it'll be fine.

Answer 5

If this is really a Snapper, it will be fine if you release it back on the water's edge.

On the other hand, if this is a Box Turtle, it wants to hibernate on land.

Identifying baby turtles is not always easy, so I wonder if there was an error here. Even if it IS a snapper, wild-caught turtles make iffy pets, so let it go.

Answer 6

if you feel attached to him,hold on to him for the winter,he could be a pet that someone did not realize what they had,that is why it is so far from the water.when it gets warm,it is best to let him go,for you ad him,also they are show off pets,not pets that you should really keep.if you do keep him for the winter,you might have to spend a lot of money on a set up.if i were you i would find yhe nearest wildlife rehab center and bring him there.good luck.

Answer 7

Yes, just let it go. They are equipped to deal with the outside weather, don't worry. Unless the lake is already frozen over, he will manage just fine.

Answer 8

Snapping turtles do not hibernate on land, they hibernate in the water.
This turtle is probably a hatchling that became lost after hatching- this is not uncommon.
It doesn't sound like you know how to care for it. You should find a body of water deep enough so that it doesn't freeze to the bottom, preferably with some aquatic vegetation for cover, and release it. That will be the turtle's best chance for survival.

Answer 9

See if there are any animal refuge centers in your area (you can call a vet and they will give you the number if there is one), be careful because in most states it is against the law to have a indigenous animal in your house.

Answer 10

LET HIM GO, stop trying to interfear! He will take care of himself if you LEAVE HIM ALONE! He knows what to do and now you know what to do! Leave wild things wild and don't interfear!