should i get a musk, softshell, or alligator snapping turtle

[amphiboy77]

i found a 28 dollar baby alligator snapping turtle for sale.

[newbiefrogger12]

A musk needs a 40 breeder a snapper will need a 400 stock tank


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[amphiboy77]

i have a huge tank 50 gallon.

[SkeletalFrog]

50 gallons is nowhere near sufficient for an alligator snapper. If you can't afford to drop several thousand dollars on its tank and filtration, you shouldn't get one, period.

Hell, even most softshells can't live in a 50 gallon all of their lives.

[amphiboy77]

ok i was only going to keep him for a few years and buy a bigger tank when he/she gets to big then sell him or give him away

[SkeletalFrog]

Congratulations, you are the epitome of irresponsible keeping.

If you cannot take care of the animal for its entire lifespan, DO NOT BUY ONE.

Do you have *any* idea how hard it is to place such a huge creature? Sure, you can pawn it off on someone with slightly more room, but what about when it gets too big for them? What happens to the turtle when it's been given away 10 times, and is now a 3-foot-long, 200 lb goliath capable of biting a man's arm off? Do you *really* think there are huge numbers of people with the room, money, experience and facilities to keep these animals?

This is exactly why Burmese pythons are bred in huge numbers, then dumped - everyone just passes the buck and evades responsibility until the poor animal either dies in the hands of a woefully inexperienced keeper, kills someone, or is released into the wild to wreak ecological havoc.

What are you going to do if you CAN'T find someone to take it? Zoos are full and don't have the money to be the last resort home for everyone's cast-off, and keepers with those facilities are few and far between. Are you going to euthanize it just because you made a stupid decision to take on more than you can handle.



Responsibility means making realistic plans for the future, not just passing the buck. Know when to put your wants on hold for the sake of the animal.

[ToadPaparazzi]

Congratulations, you are the epitome of irresponsible keeping.

If you cannot take care of the animal for its entire lifespan, DO NOT BUY ONE.

Do you have *any* idea how hard it is to place such a huge creature? Sure, you can pawn it off on someone with slightly more room, but what about when it gets too big for them? What happens to the turtle when it's been given away 10 times, and is now a 3-foot-long, 200 lb goliath capable of biting a man's arm off? Do you *really* think there are huge numbers of people with the room, money, experience and facilities to keep these animals?

This is exactly why Burmese pythons are bred in huge numbers, then dumped - everyone just passes the buck and evades responsibility until the poor animal either dies in the hands of a woefully inexperienced keeper, kills someone, or is released into the wild to wreak ecological havoc.

What are you going to do if you CAN'T find someone to take it? Zoos are full and don't have the money to be the last resort home for everyone's cast-off, and keepers with those facilities are few and far between. Are you going to euthanize it just because you made a stupid decision to take on more than you can handle.



Responsibility means making realistic plans for the future, not just passing the buck. Know when to put your wants on hold for the sake of the animal.

Very well-put... I second this.

[amphiboy77]

jeeze what the heck ok! ok!

[amphiboy77]

what about the other options?

[amphiboy77]

wait! when did i even say the 50 gallon was for the snapping turtle. maybe it was for the musk turtle