# hrmm... they said snappers dont bask



## hyphen (Apr 4, 2004)

this is the second time i've caught him basking..


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

My old guy would bask too. most shops who say that they dont most likely dont give the turtle a chance. Maybe it has a hobby and enjoys basking...lol


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

I always see big snappers basking on the pond bank in the wild.


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## His Majesty (Apr 5, 2005)

haha he looks like such a Don basking his ass off their

im sure he probably enjoys it. who doesnt?


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

TimmyTeam said:


> I always see big snappers basking on the pond bank in the wild.


Nice turtle!
How long have you had him?

Yeah,
I've seen them basking too.


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## dark FrOsT (Sep 23, 2006)

i have two and both i see basking at least every other day. the only one i have seen that doesnt was an adult (50 lbs +) alligator snapper (which isnt mine, at a zoo i volunteer at) always just stays in the water.


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

Ya a huge snapper, would probably use less energy, especially one that most likely gets fish dropped in its mouth. So i don't think he'd need to warm up as much because he does so little. The little guys are still growing and learning to hunt/feed/scavange.


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## hyphen (Apr 4, 2004)

Winkyee said:


> I always see big snappers basking on the pond bank in the wild.


Nice turtle!
How long have you had him?

Yeah,
I've seen them basking too.
[/quote]

not too long, a month and a half roughly. i bought a pair of snappers from a dealer earlier this year and they both died the following day







this guy is much healthier and doing really well. can't see from the pics but he's shedding a lot.

i also dropped in about 18 guppies when i got him. he ate all of them but 2 and those 2 are just hanging out, eating his scraps. i have a vid of him eating a pinky in the non-piranha pic/vid section.


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## fury (Nov 30, 2003)

for the most part they don't. baby and juvenile snappers bask now and then while older snappers perfer floating at the surface to bask and rarely come out.


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## Omnius (Mar 20, 2006)

Careful with the amount your feeding him, or he will grow very fast and that actually can cause some issues, I feed mine twice a week, with no more than can fit inside his head if you were to take it off and hollow it out, and he is still managing to gain weight despite that feeding schedule and amount. I also handle mine three times a week for 10 minutes to keep him tame, and it seems to have worked as he now seldom struggles when held, nor does he do other "snapper things" like bite or musk.

As for basking, yes snappers engage in it, mine most likely does when I am not looking, but I have caught him basking many times before









Also make sure you feed him lots of fresh veggies, these are omnivorous animals by natural and do well with a varied diet. He has also eaten every aquatic plant I put in there from hornwort to amazon swords. Another good way to get veggies into them is to feed the various algae pellets and other diets made for vegetarian fish.

Now for the pics!



























I have him trained to eat out of a food dish, he is getting some duck I got as a special treat.

Another one of his favorite foods:








And another, though he likes his carrots diced.









Here he was six months ago
^^









And here he was when I got him, fresh out of the nest, he had just finished hatching, and unfortunetly his nest was discovered and crows were finishing off the other ones, he was the only one left.









Well I hope you enjoyed and sorry for the hijack.


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