My Little Bear

[The Smythe Meister]

Yes Ian, it is a common snapping turtle native to the lower 48 (states).
In our southern states there are also alligator snappers which get much larger than the common snapper.
The common snapper is much more aggressive and will actively hunt down prey, the alligator species is much more docile
and is a lye in wait predator with a small worm like appendage on its tongue that it waves about to attract small fish into it's gaping jaws
then...SNAP! They are more ornate and depend on camouflage to hide their bulk.

common snapper


alligator snapper


Alligator on left, common on right

I love em all!

Along with my alligator gar, I need to add.....maybe a crocodile to my collection?
......:smiling:

Oh wait!...I already have one!
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What a cool post!!
One of the best I've seen on here,(non modelling wise obviously.!!
Top thread also... As a proud and devoted "owner" of a Bearded dragon,and a mating pair of Crevice Lizards,I love these cool creatures.They may well look like they're Dinosaur ish,but as has been said,they are pretty clever and react to my,and Rach's voices.... "Cohan",our Dragon,in fact will only eat now,if it's from us directly!!
Andy

[The Smythe Meister]

Wot, no clotted cream pasty…with Jam first of course…..

Jam first indeed mate....
...... careful.... You could start wars with loose talk like that!!

[grumpa]

Hi Jim
Fascinating creature but certainly not a pet you'd want to cuddle.
Jim

Actually Jim, I've seen videos of folks holding and petting them but Little Bear makes some very ominous moves towards ones digits
when offered. I think I'd like to keep mine so no cuddling.

[Mini Me]

We have all manner of Reptilian and amphibious folks on and about the property.....encounters are not rare and we leave each other alone......besides, they keep the insect population down and that is a good thing.

[grumpa]

Than tank is a credit to you Jim, you can see just how clean the water is from the state of the pebbles.:thumb2::thumb2::thumb2:

Thanks John, filter is a Sun Sun brand (Japanese) remote canister system which pumps 375 gallons per hour.
Seeing as he is in about 35 gallons of water (tank half full) it's turned over about ten times per hour.

Jim.

[grumpa]

:smiling2:

We have all manner of Reptilian and amphibious folks on and about the property.....encounters are not rare and we leave each other alone......besides, they keep the insect population down and that is a good thing.

In summer we are blessed with a whole myriad of creepy crawlies.
I'm always upset when we disturb nature, which is unavoidable in our business, I can't tell you how many baby squirrels
and birds we've brought home over the years and gave to the kids to "save" with mixed results at times.:confounded:
It's a positive thing I feel for it gives them a sense of compassion and caring.

One of our hires once chided my older boy (he's 45) for scurrying about to collect up some baby squirrels to a safe place and called a break
to see if mamma would come and get them which more often than not they do within a short time.
We for the life of us couldn't figure how he got so wet and muddy ......he of course had no comment.:smiling5:
.

What a cool post!!
One of the best I've seen on here,(non modelling wise obviously.!!
Top thread also... As a proud and devoted "owner" of a Bearded dragon,and a mating pair of Crevice Lizards,I love these cool creatures.They may well look like they're Dinosaur ish,but as has been said,they are pretty clever and react to my,and Rach's voices.... "Cohan",our Dragon,in fact will only eat now,if it's from us directly!! :smiling3:
Andy

That's great Andy, good Lord my Missus could tell you tales of what me and the boys put her through over the decades.
When we lived in NYC (our home town) the first 16 years of our marriage was filled with mostly snakes.
Everything from rat and milk snakes to a giant breeding pair of Burmese pythons and everything in between.
Thank God we had a basement, she had me wall in the washer and dryer area and put in a spiral staircase:smiling2: