Shelldon's New Home

Want to join us in making a difference? We're raising money for MooseWood's snapping turtle and any donation will help make an impact. 

Shelldon's Story
Shelldon was taken from the wild as a very young turtle by a resident of Wisconsin. After a time kept as a pet, and too big to keep, he was given to the Wisconsin Humane Society. Sometime after, they sent out word that a snapping turtle was in need of a permanent home. In 2011, MooseWood Nature Center  was able to give “Snappy” that new home. Through a condition set by the Humane Society, he could not be released back into the wild since he was raised in captivity and a natural release was not possible.

A Valuable Educational Animal
Since the time Shelldon arrived, he became an educational animal giving visitors a greater understanding of snapping turtles.

"Shelldon is one of our most popular educational animals and turns heads to the many visitors of the nature center,” says board member, Tiffany Rantanen.

Snapping turtles are often feared and misunderstood. Unlike other turtle species, they cannot hide in their shells for protection. On land "snapping" is the only means they can protect themselves while not in the water.

In Need of Bigger Enclosure
Estimated to be eight to nine years old, Shelldon is still a young snapping turtle.  He could live up to 45 years or more and could grow to be over three times his current 17 pound weight.

Shelldon is living in a temporary enclosure not specifically designed for snapping turtles and he is quickly outgrowing it. Our goal is to provide him with a new larger enclosure allowing him to swim freely and accommodate his size as he grows to maturity. Our ideal enclosure will provide 25% dry space and 75% swimming space with a water depth of 15-18 inches.


The new enclosure will be built by volunteers and use local supplies from area businesses if at all possible. The features of this project will include: a width of 8 feet, depth of 4 feet and a height of 4 feet without stand. The water depth will be approximately 2 feet. It will be made of lumber and marine grade plywood and hold 430 plus gallons of water. A land basking area allowing the turtle to completely come out of the water will also be included. The highlight of the enclosure will be a 6.5 foot by 3.5 foot glass front viewing area. Lighting will be comprised of LED back lights with two 150 watt ballasted mercury vapor bulbs providing LED, UVA, UVB and heat. The enclosure will also use a 1000 gallon pressure filter with 1200 gph pump or a less expensive DIY canister filter. Access to the tank water will be via drop-down doors on both sides of enclosure and have a removable wire cloth top. 

Further Uses of Your Contribution
Diet: Improve upon Shelldon's eating habits by offering more of his wild foods.  A snapping turtles diet is wide and varied. They are omnivores, but the majority of their diet is aquatic vegetation (about 65%). The other major part of their diet is fish. Because they are slow and ungainly swimmers they usually eat slower moving fish, water snakes, amphibians, invertebrates like crayfish, worms, or beetles. Even the occasional small mammal if they can catch them. Dead animals too.

Veterinarian Care: Turtles that are well cared for can fall ill from time to time. Your contribution will help provide any necessary vet care.


Please help Shelldon achieve our goal of giving him a great home where people can see a comfortable and happy snapping turtle.

Thanks in advance for your generous contribution to this cause that means so much to us. If your not able to donate today, your help sharing this fundraiser will help too.


More information about MooseWood: Environmental Education Programs, General/Other: Public Presentations (331 Attendees)