# How do you age a snapping turtle?



## The AmBASSaDEER

I caught a pretty good size snapper Sunday, while I was catfishing. 

I was wondering how I could tell how old he is? Oh and how to tell M/F?

Hes in the cooler right now. Gonna eat him when he gets ready(thats another thread)


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## The AmBASSaDEER

I cant find my camera, but Ill try to get a cell phone pic up here tomorrow.


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## Twenty five ought six

There is no reliable way to age turtles.


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## Ta-ton-ka chips

The AmBASSaDEER said:


> Gonna eat him when he gets ready(thats another thread)



He may never get ready. What if he doesn't want you to eat him?


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## KDarsey

You could wait till his next birthday and count the candles on his cake...


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## runs with scissors

If he has an arrowhead or a musket ball in the shell, its old

There have been a few of the big ones caught in the past that still had some of these in the shells


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## slightly grayling

Start with your little finger....if he can snap it off easily he is at least 3; ring finger about 5, middle finger 8, pointing finger 12, thumb over 20.......this is where it really gets difficult (you might want to have a "friend" do this part for you) wrist....ankle.......


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## The AmBASSaDEER

Man that sucker broke lose yesterday!!!

I just had a brick settin on top of the cooler, next thing I know Charlie (dog) was goin nuts!!! (He bayed a turtle .) But a snatched him up real quick like. 

He made a good run, but still is gonna end up in my belly!!

Still no pics, they didnt turn out.


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## JustUs4All

Snapping turtles age well in medium to large size farm ponds.


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## dawg2

The AmBASSaDEER said:


> Man that sucker broke lose yesterday!!!
> 
> I just had a brick settin on top of the cooler, next thing I know Charlie (dog) was goin nuts!!! (He bayed a turtle .) But a snatched him up real quick like.
> 
> He made a good run, but still is gonna end up in my belly!!
> 
> Still no pics, they didnt turn out.



I know for a fact they will climb out of the bed of a full sized pickup.  They are realy strong and the best escape artists.


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## Tag-a-long

The AmBASSaDEER said:


> Man that sucker broke lose yesterday!!!
> 
> I just had a brick settin on top of the cooler, next thing I know Charlie (dog) was goin nuts!!! (He bayed a turtle .) But a snatched him up real quick like.
> 
> He made a good run, but still is gonna end up in my belly!!
> 
> Still no pics, they didnt turn out.



Charlie's a TURTLE dog!  Who'd have guessed ... and he hasn't even had any formal training or anything!!


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## The AmBASSaDEER

Tag-a-long said:


> Charlie's a TURTLE dog!  Who'd have guessed ... and he hasn't even had any formal training or anything!!


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## letsemwalk

dawg2 said:


> I know for a fact they will climb out of the bed of a full sized pickup.  They are realy strong and the best escape artists.




thats the seconds time i`ve heard a story about this happening....must be true.


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## ghill4

"The difference between sexes shows mainly in the structure of the tail, and for the male snapper the tail is longer, thicker, and the vent is located much further from the edge of the plastron then that of the female."

The plastron is the shell on the belly area.


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## The AmBASSaDEER

ghill4 said:


> "The difference between sexes shows mainly in the structure of the tail, and for the male snapper the tail is longer, thicker, and the vent is located much further from the edge of the plastron then that of the female."
> 
> The plastron is the shell on the belly area.



What is the "vent"?


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## letsemwalk

The AmBASSaDEER said:


> What is the "vent"?


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## SarahFair

The vent in chickens is where they excrete bowels mate and lay eggs
If its the same with turtles I wouldnt know but dont think it would be much diff


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## The AmBASSaDEER

SarahFair said:


> The vent in chickens is where they excrete bowels mate and lay eggs
> If its the same with turtles I wouldnt know but dont think it would be much diff



So I guess the "vent" is the second line...?


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## SarahFair

The AmBASSaDEER said:


> So I guess the "vent" is the second line...?



looks like to me


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## The AmBASSaDEER

ghill4 said:


> "The difference between sexes shows mainly in the structure of the tail, and for the male snapper the tail is longer, thicker, and the vent is located much further from the edge of the plastron then that of the female."
> 
> The plastron is the shell on the belly area.



Ok well,,, I think _He_ is a _She_ then!! 

Gonna have to change his name too. The neighbor kids were calling "him" Terry


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## ghill4

Lol Terry the snappin turtle. What kind of snappin turtle is it? Alligator or Common? If it's an alligator, they they are protected. Just to let ya know in case you didn't. ^_^


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## ghill4

Difference in snapping turtles:







And a big give away, an alligator snappin turtle is black on the inside of the mouth and common is a whiteish pink color.

As for age.... I am not sure.


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## ghill4

SarahFair said:


> The vent in chickens is where they excrete bowels mate and lay eggs
> If its the same with turtles I wouldnt know but dont think it would be much diff



Yeah it is basically the same thing.


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## boneboy96

I had an alligator snapping turtle in my back yard years ago...about the size of a galvanized garbage can lid.  I never knew they could extend that neck as far as it did...took the broom outta my hand and bit the handle in two.   I let him be after that.   1st and last 1 I've ever had up close to me.  Guess they don't like being prodded with a broom.


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## bigrob82

ghill4 said:


> Difference in snapping turtles:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a big give away, an alligator snappin turtle is black on the inside of the mouth and common is a whiteish pink color.
> 
> As for age.... I am not sure.





the one on the right taste the best


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## ghill4

bigrob82 said:


> the one on the right taste the best


 That may be true but it is protected here in Georgia. Can get fined for even touchin them.


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## letsemwalk

ghill4 said:


> Difference in snapping turtles:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And a big give away, an alligator snappin turtle is black on the inside of the mouth and common is a whiteish pink color.
> 
> As for age.... I am not sure.



Also, with bein in ENR in the FFA, if you find skulls of them, this is how you tell what they were.


left is an alligator snapping turtle skull because there is no ridge above the skull, it's flat. Learned that in ENR, along with lots of other things.

right pic. is a common snappin turtle.


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## contender*

Neat thread!! I actually learned something today.
I did know that the neck would extend and they are strong in the jaws. They are also fast with those jaws. When you think of a turtle you think of a slow moving animal like on the cartoons but that neck will stretch out there and them jaws will clamp shut just as fast as a snake. It's fun to play with them after you know that. The first time you figure it out will give you a warm feelin in the seat of your pants...


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## The AmBASSaDEER

ghill4 said:


> Lol Terry the snappin turtle. What kind of snappin turtle is it? Alligator or Common? If it's an alligator, they they are protected. Just to let ya know in case you didn't. ^_^



He is a common.


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## The AmBASSaDEER

He was takeing the cooler pretty well, till last night. 

He almost turned the thing over.


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## ghill4

That won't be good... lol You eat em yet?


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## The AmBASSaDEER

ghill4 said:


> That won't be good... lol You eat em yet?



Yep Sunday, and she was guuuud!


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## weedahoe

boneboy96 said:


> I had an alligator snapping turtle in my back yard years ago...about the size of a galvanized garbage can lid.  I never knew they could extend that neck as far as it did...took the broom outta my hand and bit the handle in two.   I let him be after that.   1st and last 1 I've ever had up close to me.  Guess they don't like being prodded with a broom.



I remember as a child and being up in the mountains of NC I ran into one once. Like you I was going to pick him up and came up on him from behind and just as I grabbed him he whipped that head all the way back and tried to get me. And you know what? I left that mean S O B where he was.


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## olchevy

well acording to what i found if it is full size it was at least 12 years old.

Common snappers shell smooth out over time and supposdley by the time they are 50+ their shells are almost completley smooth

however aligator snappers shells get pointer over time.....so it could have been older than You


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## j_seph

dawg2 said:


> I know for a fact they will climb out of the bed of a full sized pickup.  They are realy strong and the best escape artists.





letsemwalk said:


> thats the seconds time i`ve heard a story about this happening....must be true.



Here's the 3rd time, got one yesterday and he came out of the back of the truck at 65mph. Hatchrooster had to dodge him while the turtle flipped and slid 40 or more feet. Needless to say he was mad(the turtle) hopefully it will be ready to be ate this evening. I might of gave it a pardon had it not tool an ambassador and rod out the truck with it and broke em.


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