User talk:Matt Keevil

Your recent edits
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Talkback

 * Ditto.--NYMFan69-86 (talk) 00:18, 19 October 2010 (UTC)

Welcome

 * }

Well friend...
Truly fantastic images. The article features several of them now (more will probably be added)!--NYMFan69-86 (talk) 03:03, 21 October 2010 (UTC)
 * Oh, and I finally replied to your comment left toward the top of my talk page.--NYMFan69-86 (talk) 18:52, 24 October 2010 (UTC)

I just saw you are a herpetologist
I think it would be stunning to have for the description section, top and bottom images of each turtle. Sort of like what we have for the western painted turtle under taxonomy. As it is now, it's incredible that we have them at all, but they are action shots, rather than really illustrations. It's hard to tell the midland from the western for instance. Do you have one of each to throw on the table and photograph? Just curious.TCO (talk) 02:04, 12 December 2010 (UTC)
 * This would be a great help (to the article, to the reader, and to us all...no pressure). :-P NYMFan69-86 (talk) 03:35, 12 December 2010 (UTC)

You in?
WikiProject Council/Proposals/Turtles? If you feel like you would like to join, you can sign your name.--NYMFan69-86 (talk) 19:09, 21 December 2010 (UTC)

WikiProject Turtles
The project has been created. If you do want to join, stop by anytime, the bouncer should let you in. ;-)--NYMFan69-86 (talk) 17:30, 3 January 2011 (UTC)

Alligator snapping turtle
We can keep the conversation going here for now.

First of all what is a "hatchling Snapping Turtle." Is it some sort of particular species or did you mean it's literally just a very young regular snapping turtle?

Second how can you tell, the images are kinda crappy so you can't see the 3 ridges running down it's back.

Third don't worry about the turtle, he's only been in contact with his own species of turtle in the wild, and fish, of which he has killed and eaten 50 or so, and a few unlucky frogs and crayfish. He's perfectly healthy and very active. Toxic Ninja (talk) 07:52, 22 July 2011 (UTC)


 * I can tell because I do research on Snapping Turtles and have seen hundreds of hatchlings and juveniles (hatchlings are newly hatched individuals). Both species of Snapping Turtles have three keels on on their carapace which are lower in common Snapping Turtles but are fairly prominent when they are young. The presence of the keels does not diagnose an Alligator Snapper. The presence of an extra row of scutes called supramarginals that occure between the costal scutes and the marginal scutes is diagnostic. Anyway, Alligator Snappers do not occur in the wild in Ontario. Really though, they look totally different to anyone who is familiar with these animals. I am still worried about the turtle. Most captive turtles die quickly. They need special care, especially since these turtles grow very large and if they don't die do to poor care can live to over 40 years (they live much longer in the wild). They need special lighting, a huge tank (really a pond), a huge filter, and constant water changes. They are prone to nutritional problems in captivity, especially due to over feeding which can cause shell deformities. Turtles can also contract diseases, such as Rana virus, from fish such as feeder fish purchased from pet stores (or wherever). Your friends need to ask themselves whether they will still be interested in their 'pet' a year from now when they need to drop more money for a bigger tank and better filter (eventually they will need to spend hundreds of dollars for a big canister filter) and the constant water changes have become a chore. Wild animals belong in the wild.Matt Keevil (talk) 15:18, 22 July 2011 (UTC)

Alright I'll tell them, but knowing them they'd probably buy the expensive tank and expensive filter rather than abandon him, they really love the little guy. I don't know about the over-feeding, he doesn't eat the fish food, he just eats the fish at will, so bare minimum he has to work to catch them first. Would you be willing to provide any care tips that I could give them to ensure a better chance of survival such as scrubbing his shell down with a toothbrush or something? Or is it one of those animals that's better left to take care of itself? I'll tell them right away that they need to change the water frequently, any recommended cycling period? Months? Weeks? Thanks for the information, and any more information you can provide. Toxic Ninja (talk) 07:54, 23 July 2011 (UTC)

Phrynops hilarii video
Thanks Matt. Yes the original uploader finally, after many discussions, discovered it was not a snapping turtle. He admitted his error and the video was removed. It was a stressful episode but I was glad the situation was resolved. By the way this summer I found four different snapping turtles out of the water and was able to get very close for photos without, I hope, stressing them too much. They showed no emotion at least, ... how would one show emotion? Three of them were approximately 60 cm in length (not counting heads or tails)! Truely magnifcent animals. Cheers. Dger (talk) 22:36, 22 July 2011 (UTC)
 * No problem. I found out later that it was figured out, just posted in another section. Definitely a weird situation. I'm glad I bowed out earlier or I would have totally lost my cool. In retrospect it is just funny. BTW, next time you see turtles that big you might want to break out the measuring tape and camera as the longest known carapace lengths on record are <50cm to the best of my knowledge. Snappers are one of those animals whose size is routinely dramatically overestimated. Cheers Matt Keevil (talk) 22:57, 22 July 2011 (UTC)
 * I almost lost my cool but I would write and than erase comments to remain civil. Good idea about the tape. I don't normally carry a tape measure but perhaps next year at egg laying time I could get a better estimate. Frankly they make me nervous. I have thought for some time that the snappers around Ottawa are bigger than what has been reported but we need to collect the evidence. Dger (talk) 23:47, 22 July 2011 (UTC)
 * Here's a picture of the biggest one. Common Snapping Turtle.jpg Dger (talk) 00:12, 23 July 2011 (UTC)

Message on Commons
Hello Matt, I have left you a message on Commons. --Jovian Eye storm 22:26, 30 September 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the input! I have fixed the sub-species as Yellow-bellied slider based on a another photo I had on my computer. --Jovian Eye storm 02:52, 1 October 2011 (UTC)