- You guys are used to seeing me catch enormous
mud dragons, turtles that weigh between 20 and 50 pounds.
Let's just take a look for a second
at a baby snapping turtle.
(epic music)
What's going on, guys?
So one question I oftentimes get is,
"Does Coyote Peterson have any pets?"
Earlier this year, I introduced you guys
to my dog, Charlie Bear.
She's a rambunctious Rhodesian Ridgeback
mixed with a Grayhound.
And I also have a Sulcata tortoise named Greenbean Sherman.
However, I do have four temporary pets,
a few baby common snapping turtles.
Now, a number of years ago when we were out
on the road doing the Brave Adventures book tour
I said to a couple of the different audiences
when they would ask if I have pets, "Yes,
"I have four turtles that I actually rescued
"from a weird sort of lagoon that was around
"a swimming pool."
So they must've hatched and went into this area
that was not exactly conducive for baby snapping turtles.
So we rescued them and those four turtles
have now grown over the course of the past
two years into mini-dragons.
These two are just the first two that are big
enough to head off into the wild.
And let me introduce you to Rock and Atlas,
two of my baby dragons.
Hi guys, how are you doin'?
Are you excited?
I know, right now they are thinking to themselves,
"Wait a minute, I'm not inside my terrarium.
"I hear birds, I hear running water.
"I can smell the swamp.
"I wanna get out there and hunt.
"And don't worry guys, in just a few minutes
"we are going to release you into this protected
"wildlife sanctuary."
Now, I'm gonna put one of the turtles back down
into this little tank.
And let's just take a look for a second
at a baby snapping turtle.
You guys are used to seeing me catch enormous
mud dragons, turtles that weight between 20 and 50 pounds.
And these guys are tiny but you will notice
that the design of a baby snapping turtle
is almost identical to its bigger brothers and sisters.
Of course you have the carapace, which is the top
of the shell.
And then the plastron, which is the bottom
of the shell and which is much lighter
in coloration on a baby turtle.
But then you've got that head and that neck.
Look at that big long neck stretched out.
And now, are you developing some aggressive
tendencies yet?
Let's see.
You gonna bite?
No, not yet.
Sometimes they do try to bite me
and that's exactly what I wanna see, the turtle
taking on its natural behaviors even when in captivity.
Now you may be asking yourself, "Well, Coyote,
"if you've had these turtles in captivity
"for a couple of years, how will they know
"how to go out and hunt?"
Snapping turtles never lose their instincts
for being reptiles.
So as soon as these turtles are into the environment
they're immediately gonna start hunting
and they're immediately going to start thriving.
Now, these turtles are two years of age.
But keep in mind when a snapping turtle hatches
it's only about this big.
That's pretty much bite-size so anything
that comes across it is going to take
the opportunity for a quick meal.
Now, Rock and Atlas have definitely reached
the size where they are ready to head back off
into the environment.
These are voracious predators at two years of age
but there are still predators out there
for turtles of this size.
Mink, raccoons, even fox will take advantage
if they come across a turtle like this.
Now, where we're releasing them is very close
to where they hatched out.
The environment is covered in duckweed,
it's got thick mud, plenty of lily pad cover,
and with any luck these turtles are going
to have an easy time staying hidden
and out of the way of danger.
So you guys stay safe.
I'll be thinking about you often.
We'll always go back and look at your little
baby photos because in a way they're kind
of like my children.
I'm sad to see them go but I'm very happy to know
that they now have a better chance at eventually
growing into the monster-sized mud dragons
that we're constantly searching for.
I'm Coyote Peterson.
Be brave.
Stay wild.
We'll see you on the next location.
All right, guys.
It's time to head off into the swamp.
(upbeat music)
All right, well, the baby snapping turtles
are officially off and into the wild.
With any luck, they are going to thrive here
in this protected body of water.
I feel like a parent watching his kids go off to college.
It was a good day.
If you thought these baby dragons we rescued
were adorable, make sure to go back
and watch the episode where I should you
the safest way to help a snapping turtle cross the road.
Turtle saving is a hobby.
And don't forget, subscribe and click
the notification bell so you can join me
and the crew on this season of Dragon Tails.
(wilderness sounds)