Caught a baby soft shell turtle today while netting a bunch of gambusia and shrimp to dump in pond

Will this little feller hurt much in the pond ? I don't mind sharing a few fish with him . There is at least three other turtles that eat pellets


Pat W

I have added adult soft shells, but they seem to leave. My goal is diversity, so why not? They look cool.

RAH

this little guy is abou 3" dia. And thinks he is BAD . Tried to bite my finger but couldn't get a hold of it lol give him a year or two..... Ouch



Pat W

My last one was 14" shell length. I am good with attitude. We swim in our pond with no worries.

To paraphrase someone, any fish eaten by a turtle was too stupid, old, or sick to survive anyway, and deserved it!

If I recall correctly, Sparkie says they don't make very good companions in aluminum jon boats.....of course, Sparkie is the only person I know who would take his soft shell turtle out for a day on the water in his boat.

He does have some odd ideas about proper pond stocking, management, and recreation.

Well this little guy is going to have a new home soon. They can be a hoot to watch. Folks around here kill every turtle they see. I keep telling them there is enough room for everybody


Pat W

Point of clarification: It was a snapper, not a softshell. Softshells may become mildly disgruntled. Snappers will go freaking ballistic over petty trivialities like being hooked in the mouth, hauled from the water and thrown in the bottom of a jonboat.

Thanks Yolk. The turtle and I had nearly succeeded in putting that unfortunate incident behind us. Going to have to double up on the melatonin just to get some sleep and stave off the nightmares.

But as for me, I'm probably gonna' be up all night.

Gosh, I completely disremembered that event, sorry Sparkie.

I don't think I'd give the turtle any melatonin, though, it's more of a mammalian peptide and I'm not sure reptiles would respond very well. Maybe just give him a warmed up emulsion of golden shiners or tadpoles, and a good lulaby, something like "Moon River".

And just for my own edification, how can you tell when your turtle is having nightmares?

Rapid eye movement, thrashing, horrible facial expressions, crying out. Usually preceded by a long list of dubious reasons for needing to sleep with a light on.

A man endowed with your keen scientific curiosities could learn a lot from observing a snapping turtle, Yolk. Might I suggest taking one with you to the office from now on? Yes, it stings a little while learning to put the bridle on, but you'll get the hang of it straightaway.

Wow what have I started!

I've got as much respect for softshells as I do for snappers, and if push came to shove, maybe more. They don't have a long tail that acts as a convenient carrying handle, and I really think they have a longer neck. For sure, they are just as fast.

I used to catch a LOT of them when I was a teenager, and found out that they could be butchered with a fillet knife. I wish I had learned the compressed air trick for skinning - I did it all with the knife.

With 4 big webbed feet, they sure can pull against a hook!! I'd snag them as they swam around in the lake, and caught them on trot lines baited with chicken gizzards and cut fish when fishing for catfish.

In my back yard "pond" 1200 gallons, I have two base ball size Red Ears, one softball sized soft shell, one golf ball size snapper and one softball size Diamond Back Tarpon. I feed them so all seem to be behaving, but the tilapia do harass them a little around feeding time, can't wait for the snapper to get fast enough to catch a tilapia, just to put them in there place.

Rob C

Yep they are fast no doubt!

Rob C

What makes you thnk your turtle is having nightmares? Yes indeed, Sparkie, but it is my highly developed powers of observation, honed by multiple opportunities to observe Omaha on "the day after", that make me question the veracity of your diagnosis.
I believe you have mistaken turtle nightmares for the symptoms of acute ethanol poisoning. I'm glad I was able to clear this up for you; I would definitely keep your turtle away from the cooler over the long weekend.

Whatever you're having-- share, I want some too !
Lol


Pat

Do you have predators in the pond?

If so I would think the "little feller"
will be something's dinner real soon.

This is no laughing matter, Pat. More than once my friend Sparkies semantic misperceptions have caused confusion and gnashing of teeth here on the forum, such as his inability to discriminate between the terms "modified" or "improved", vs "contaminated" or "adulterated" when discussing the presence of cyanellus genetic material within other lepomids. The proper diagnosis and description of turtle related health problems is clearly an issue of significant concern in this country, as the newest healthcare coding system, ICD-10, is said to contain THREE TIMES MORE TURTLE RELATED CODES THAN THE OLD SYSTEM, ICD-9.

Personally, I thought the old codes were adequate:

879.8---bitten by turtle, initial encounter
E906.3--bitten by turlte, subsequent encounter
E929.5--bitten by turtle, sequala
E906.8--struck by turtle, initial encounter
E906.9--struck by turtle, subsequent encounter

you can see why they have trouble
eating a lot of healthy fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKzOHuf2Z-I

Having witnessed Omaha "post event" myself, I must admit that there are certain similarities, especially regarding the unnerving facial expressions and muffled outcries. Your hypothesis is indeed worthy of consideration, and I will take immediate steps to get to the bottom of this issue.

Naturally, you will want to see this experiment through to the very end....I would expect nothing less from a scholarly, inquisitive individual such as yourself. And in light of the fact that my old Igloo may have already proven itself quite incapable of resisting a determined chelydra, I will require additional testing materials.

If you would be kind enough to have a new Yeti cooler drop shipped to this location, we may yet lay this issue to rest in a timely fashion. I believe a 65 quart model will suffice nicely.



I neglected to mention that for an additional, modest fee, Yeti might be persuaded to personalize the test enclosure with some full-color graphics. And since a snapper's diet consists of a goodly amount of fish, having the likeness of an ENHANCED brim on the side might provide additional stimulation.

The turtle might find it enjoyable also.

Not to sure what I see..... Think I'm having what they had...or have had.... And Prolly will have..... All I know is this is a lot of fun.... Never knew what I was missing


As far as any predators, not that I know of unless you count me..

Pat W

Just saw one today in big pond. Grandson saw it about a month ago and I questioned his estimation of size. Biggest one I ever saw as a kid was 6" shell or so. This bugger was probably 12"x14" shell. Biggest one I ever saw.

I caught a 14" one (shell length) this year, and it is the largest one I ever saw as well. I have not seen it since putting it in the pond.

Snrub and RAH.....were they softshells, or snappers? A 14" softshell is a BIG critter.

There is one down by the creek near me downstream that was prob14-16" absolutely the largest soft shell I've ever see. It was basking on the bank so I got a good look


Pat W

Definitely softshell. I have not even seen one since I was a kid till this one (but I have not hung around ponds and creeks except for the last couple years since I was a kid also).

I see numerous snapping, redear sliders, etc. This was definitely a soft shell that was fixing to move from my main pond to the sediment pond which is separated by only a road. He was up on the bank about 3' when I came around with the backhoe and spotted him as he lunged for the water and hid under a mat of FA.

I spotted him right by my dock a couple nights ago, but all I saw was a grey, dishpan shape move up in the water column till about a foot depth, then sink right back down as he probably saw me. But I did not get a good enough look to be sure what it was. Got a good look today and my Grandson was not exaggerating any on the size of it.

They were pretty rare to see as a kid (compared to other turtles) and if there was a turtle race to be won, they were the ringers.

I did not realize there are two kinds of soft shell in Kansas. Did not pay enough attention to see which it was, but likely spiny. Kansas turtles

If you want to bring your boat down, we can see if we can catch it and get it in the boat.......... or is that a sore subject?

We called them "leatherbacks" when I was a kid.

I can assure you that based on my experience, soreness of one form or another would be a likely probability. Not much maneuvering room in a johnboat, even less when you have to share the real estate with an angry turtle.

All kidding and good natured hijacking aside, and speaking of Yeti coolers, I recently came into possession of a stainless, Yeti drink tumbler. This thing is flat out amazing....I add ice in the morning and fill it up, refill it a couple times throughout the day,( no additional ice), and by quitting time the ice STILL hasn't melted away. Set it on the counter at bedtime, get up in the morning....still has ice.

Absolutely love this thing. All I need is a cupholder with a belt loop, as I never want to go anywhere without it!

It was a big honking softshell. I have seen bigger snappers.

Well baby soft shell got his freedom today ! Free at last free at last


Pat

Update: several weeks later spotted little soft shell , so nobody has eaten him - yet
Also painted and red ear sliders are fun to watch bobing for floating pellets


Pat W

I've pulled two huge snappers out of my pond. When I say huge I'm talking bigger than trash can lids. Funny.... no more of my ducks have turned up missing since then. I'm perfectly fine with the regular guys hanging around but those snappers are not welcome.

Mitch
Don't blame ya for ridding of those guys . Other turtles are fun to watch at times, they do some goofy things

Pat W

I would be thrilled if the snappers in our ponds started hammering the waterfowl.

Get some coyotes they will take care of most anything that ain't tied down

Pat W

Got plenty of coyotes. They don't spend much time swimming around in the ponds after the birds, unfortunately.

Duck season is opening soon!!

The woodies are in the flooded timber! Haven't seen the little soft shell in a while but a large red ear has taken to come close to the pier and beg for food. Threw him a large grasshopper which he wolfed down and waited for more... Threw him some fish pellets and he was happy. He not scared of me at all now

Pat W

Just saw the soft shell turtle that I put in over a year ago. It was about 3" dia now is 6-7". Guess he made it

Softshells can get BIG. I've heard you can eat them like you do snappers, although I haven't tried it personally.

Not suggesting that you eat your pet.

Nah I wouldn do that , he has a home as long as he wants it

I get that, sort of like the chickens running around here. Although I'm guessing the turtle doesn't stare at you through the living room windows.

Sprk, as much as we tried to get you to eat the chickens that are NOT your pets, you are going to bring up eating a softshell. What gives????

Snappers are pretty tasty, Ben. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat chicken however, and I cannot abide eggs. Fried, scrambled, poached, boiled....nope.

How I grew up, we ate whatever we had. Including chicken, and eggs. Eggs all the time. Turtle however, was a treat.

sprk another one of my baseball coaches got a Yeti tumbler for a birthday gift a while back. He says the same thing about his. Ice last 2 days. That's crazy. But for about $40 for a drinking glass it needs to have an act!! How well would it work with hot coffee?

Honestly, I've never used mine for hot beverages. I don't drink coffee, so my experience is with cold drinks. But, after a year with my Yeti, I'm fairly confident in it's ability to keep hot drinks, hot. Amazing product.

I love this tumbler. I can unabashedly recommend it as doing exactly what the company claims it will do. They are expensive, but good gear always is.


( I don't eat eggs, or drink coffee. No surprise that breakfast is my least favorite meal?)

I had never seen a big one till last year. They are very reclusive and so even as a kid that spent a lot of time outdoors had only seen a few, most under 6" long. They were highly prized possessions if there were any turtle races coming up as they were FAST.

Last year grandson said he saw a huge turtle in the main pond that had feet like fins. I figured he just saw a snapping turtle but what he described was different. A week or two later I spotted it crossing from the sediment pond to the main pond. Did not get to look long because as soon as it saw me it was gone into the water in a flash.

Biggest soft shell I ever saw for sure. Front to back of shell I'm guessing at 14". Big as most of the snapping turtles we see.

They are neat looking turtles. I think it must have moved on. Maybe a female laying eggs nearby or something. Never saw it again.

And sprkplug, I'll take the chicken and eggs any day of the week. Never ate turtle, though my older brother has several times and says they are good. He eats all kinds of weird stuff though so I don't put much faith in what he says is good.

I've eaten a number of softshell turtles. You can cut them open with a knife, once you know where to cut between the top and bottom shells.

14" front to back was too small to keep, I'd catch them a LOT larger. They are harder to hold than a snapper because their tail is short - too short to be used as a handle. You have to grab one of their rear legs, and they can pull it back into the shell with a lot of force, making them hard to hold onto. Plus their necks seem to be longer than a snappers, so holding them out away from your body where they couldn't reach your leg was a challenge.

Biggest one I had hooked got away. The landing net was over 24" wide and it wouldn't fit into the net.

Grab their nose with a pair of pliers, pull their head out away from the shell and cut it off with a hatchet. Hang them by a hind foot to drain. Their legs still moved over an hour later when I'd skin them out.

Now I see where you can insert a needle and use compressed air to help loosen the skin from the meat.

I've heard they were tasty but seems like more work not to get chomped on than it's worth.... LOL

We remove the head, and insert a garden hose down through the neck into the body cavity. Take care not to enter the stomach, but place the hose just inside the skin. It's easier than it sounds.

Use a hose clamp to tighten the neck around the garden hose, and turn on the water. The turtles legs will straighten out, and you can see and hear the skin tear loose from the meat. Makes cleaning much easier.