A few weekends ago I helped out tabling at an environmental festival in Southeast PA. The guy organizing our table wanted a snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina).

I thought a little about that, thinking of little kids poking at the snapper, tugging its front claws until SNAP! I crossed my fingers and hoped for a small one, and as luck had it I found this little guy cruising a large puddle for tadpoles.




I also caught a cutie stinkpot (Sternotherus oderatus)...



and a painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) to round out the table.



The little snapper behaved quite well. It didn't musk, and didn't so much as hiss at the table-goers. It only snapped at me when I put it back in its home puddle, launching a strike back at me as I nudged it into the water.