• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Shedding in Florida Snapping Turtles

M

MCSnakes

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Hello Everyone!

I have a question that I'm hoping someone can answer for me. I have had two baby Florida Snapping Turtles since early March. I'm currently keeping them in a 40 gal breeder but I have different tub/stock tanks ready for them when they are larger. The tank has a 511 Zoo Med external canister filter, an underwater heater that I keep between 76-80 F., and a 100 watt heat lamp + UV bulb dual lamp. Both turtles seem to be doing well; both eat well (though one seems to be much less shy and seems slightly bigger) on floating sticks, they have those vitamin/calcium block things. What is concerning me is that I've noticed both turtles with small, flakey pieces of skin coming off of their necks, legs, tails- basically any skin. It reminds me of when a snake or lizard sheds... I've owned many snakes and lizards over the past decade, but these two are my first turtles. I've googled it many times but I keep finding articles on the SHELL shedding (scutes) but not the skin.

Is this normal for a growing turtle or is this a bigger health or husbandry issue? Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated! These two are so cool, and I want to provide the best care possible.

Thanks!
 
Aquatic turtles shedding small pieces of their skin is not uncommon, nor is shedding their scutes as they grow. However, it can be also be a response to avoid infection or a water quality issue.

Be sure they both have adequate climbing spots to get out of the water. They are not really "baskers" like other water turtles, so your heat lamp may be a bit too much. You have not provided the temps of your tank where the heat lamp is.

They also need a more diversified diet than just reptile sticks. These are snappers! You haven't said how old or large (in terms of inches in length) they are, but snappers are carnivorous .. even the young ones. Reptile sticks ain't gonna cut it, they need live food and they need protein.

I'm sure you are aware how large they grow and how long they can live. That is a big big commitment. Not trying to sound preachy, but I took in a "pet" common snapper that the owner no longer wanted as it got too large. Took me over a year to reacclimate it to the lake behind my house.

My only other encounter was when I found an adult common in my front yard years ago and thought what a great educational tool for my young boys. Put the snapper in a big, big tub and kept for a couple days, teaching my boys. Then I decided to take him out of the tub to release back to the lake. I held him under the front and back carapace, fully aware of his long neck and attitude, lol, and talking to my boys the whole time; the next thing I knew his back right leg nails ripped open my right arm under my wrist. I thought they could not do that if I held properly! 28 stitches later I was good and my boys were highly amused. Just be aware that there are better turtles to make pets. Best of luck to you and the turts :)
 
Hi Laura,

I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions! The length of their plastron is between 2.5"-3" for both. Their main diet is the floating repti-sticks, but I give them small mealworms and freeze-dried krill two days a week, though I've never seen them show any interest. They also get the floating Zilla chasers which them go crazy for.

Also, no worries, you didn't sound preachy, just doing your part to educate. While it's true these are my first turtles, I've kept very large reptiles in the past and read up a lot on keeping them long term before committing to them.

The water tends to evaporate fairly quickly and I have to replace roughly 1/3rd of it a week. I just did a complete tank cleaning and added extra logs half-under/ half out of the water. I will try without the heat lamp to see if that encourages them to bask more.

Thank you very much for the help! I greatly appreciate it!
 
The phenomenon is typical in rapidly growing young Chelydra. Not to worry.
 

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