Question: Is it ok to release my turtle ?

Answer: It depends. First, they shouldn't be released before winter. The best time for that is in early summer - this is when all the animals which are potential snapper food become active and the chances of catching a meal increases for the snapper each day. They should also never be released in an area with lots of people. The snapper's new home should be a secluded place with already established snapper population. They shouldn't be let go in your neighbor's pond or any commercial fish farm area ! Most young snappers will have no problem adjusting to life in the wild. They have strong hunting instincts and will know what to do. The same goes with older adult snappers, which have been in captivity for a long time. To them a fish is a fish, and if it smells like fish they will go for it when hungry. The problem with releasing long captives is with the fact that they loose their fear of people. They are intelligent animals and will associate humans with food. Unfortunately, many people who are not educated about snappers will see them as dangerous. Many people also see them as pests and then there are those who just don't like them. Many encounters between snappers and such people end with the poor innocent and harmless turtle dead or injured. Please make sure before releasing your snapper that it is strong and healthy. Give it a nice head-start and make sure that the chosen area is safe and right. Before exercising a release option, I would suggest trying to find a new home for your turtle with other animal lovers. There are people out there who would love to adopt your beloved pet. By doing this you would also have a chance to know how is your turtle friend doing in the future ! To read more about snapping turtle trapping and relocation please click here Thanks for asking! Stan

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