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Post by Shawn(snakebite) on Dec 13, 2006 23:52:51 GMT -5
Has anyone ever kept a softshell turtle? Ryan Wunsch, you've kept alot of things, have you ever had one in your collection?I remember years ago , there was a spiny softshell in a pet store here in Yorkton when there was a Brays pets. Man !, I was always intrigued by that turtle and used to beg my mom to buy it for me.She would never budge to do so and I remember it was there along time.Very cute little thing to it was.I beleive they have quite the attitude as well , almost like a snapper.You sure don't see things like that in pet stores nowadays like you used to.I also recall years ago , Pats Pets , had alligator snappers and crocodiles and some really wild stuff, now you rarely see anything besides some corns,kings,milks and the odd monitor or other lizard.Things are definately no timproving , but maybe it's for the best that such exotics are not readily avavilble.Now , it's like if you really want something a little different , you have to work a bit at it and track it down and get it shipped.I think this makes the buyer much more dedicated to their purchase and it's not just an impulse buy and not well thought out, So , It's probably for the better.
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Post by kaley on Dec 14, 2006 9:19:40 GMT -5
Has anyone ever kept a softshell turtle? My parents and me/Byron each "turtle sat" one for over a year about two years ago - for a herper named Colin who was living in BC at the time - he went off to Brazil I believe to do some reptile work... Anyways, he dispersed his rather large collection of critters out to various people, and our households each got a HUGE soft shell to look after (along with tanks, filters, etc). Mom and Dad had a Florida and we had a Spiny. Both were about the size of toilet seats, and had quite the personalities... Ours was rather secretive, and took great offense to being disturbed in any way - she'd bury into her sand in a great huff - and God forbid you touch her - I think a still have scars from the couple times I had to remove her from her tank - Man, do they have claws!! Mom & Dad's would actually interact with them a bit - beg for food, follow their fingers around on the glass, etc - They actually got really attached to her... They really were fascinating critters - I enjoyed having them!! Colin was happy too, because apparently the two soft shells were almost the only things to return from their "sitters" - I guess everyone else had really bad luck keeping his stuff alive... Anyways, it was a great experience...and we got our two Cherry head Red foots in "payment" for the job.... I think that is a very good thing!!! At least these more "exotic" things have a better chance if they end up with experience, motivated keepers as opposed to some twit who just thought it looked neat in the pet store... Kaley
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Post by joeysgreen on Dec 16, 2006 5:46:23 GMT -5
Soft shells have been on my want list, but need a lot of room and a much better aquatic settup than your average red eared. The floridan's get snapper size, and as mentioned the spiny's get pretty big as well. The texas spiny though, only get's slider size, if that.
Ian
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Post by Ryan Wunsch on Dec 17, 2006 19:50:29 GMT -5
Has anyone ever kept a softshell turtle? Ryan Wunsch, you've kept alot of things, have you ever had one in your collection? Nope, I've never had one. Gary Dawson had one the last time I was down for a visit, and both types tend to pop up here and there on occasion. Over the last couple of years there has been talk of new legislation (Federal) that would prohibit the keeping as pets of Spiny softshells in all of Canada (native in Ontario) - but as far as I know nothing has passed yet. It might be a good idea to try and get one before any legislation like that might come into effect.
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Post by Shawn(snakebite) on Dec 17, 2006 20:13:50 GMT -5
:PBanning the Spiny hey? Well thanks for the heads up Ryan.
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Post by Ryan Wunsch on Dec 17, 2006 21:49:14 GMT -5
:PBanning the Spiny hey? Well thanks for the heads up Ryan. It's been a couple of years since I was in the loop on the federal laws for endangered native animals. I've heard it mentioned a few times here and there, but I don't personally think it is something that is going to happen any time soon. Black ratsnakes, wood turtles and others would have also been included in the same group - possibly even hognose snakes and bullsnakes. Wood turtles are the bestest turtles ever by the way. So very smart, and so very cute. Just don't let your wife decide to put them in the warm room, right above the room heater. They will die before you get home from work....
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Post by Shawn(snakebite) on Dec 17, 2006 23:31:32 GMT -5
Wood turtles are neat , but I'm into ancient looking unique turts and I like water ones .I like messin with filters and adjusting water quality and those kinda things.Don't get me wrong , I love em all , but I very much lean towards snappers and other bigger water turts.I'm guessing your woods had a little too much heat?..Bummer
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Post by minnow on Dec 17, 2006 23:35:00 GMT -5
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Post by kaley on Dec 18, 2006 16:23:48 GMT -5
Yeah, I've been following that one...It's caused quite the ruckus...
I do find it rather disheartening the number of people who don't see the connection between buying WC animals and the continuing removal of large numbers of animals from the wild...As much as I would like to have some of those kinds of animals, I would never condone buying WC endangered or threatened species because every WC animal that is purchased is further justification for people to keep on catching them from the wild.
Interesting thread though.
Kaley
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