The other week I saw a cool picture of a rare albino deer that was spotted in Minnesota and it started a discussion about whether or not if anyone around Central Minnesota had ever seen one before. Little did I know it would lead me to something even more rare. A rare albino snapping turtle in Minnesota.

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Imagine my surprise when someone sent a message via our app, saying

I have an albino snapping turtle! 1 in 100,000 are born albino.

Say what? How cool is that? Naturally this piqued my curiosity and you can't just let that hang and not ask more questions. Reached out to the owner Angie the Reptile Lady with a few questions and got some really interesting information about not just any albino turtle, but a Minnesota albino snapping turtle.

Image Credit: Angie Cairl (Angie the Reptile Lady)
Image Credit: Angie Cairl (Angie the Reptile Lady)
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When I asked her to tell me a little more about her nickname Angie the Reptile Lady, her pet turtle and how she came to owning it, here's what Angie had to say:

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I owned a pet store for a little over 10 years and would bring snakes to school for show and tell for my kids. When I closed the store (wow! 10 years ago now) a couple people asked if I would still come do show and tell. They started paying me so I got more stuff to bring. And now because of social media I'm pretty much booked all summer! I never thought I would do professional show and tell, lol! I do daycares, birthday parties, scouts, expos and I have been a staple at the Benton County Fair for awhile now.

Telling me a little more on the albino snapping turtle, she replied,

As for Bones (named after the character on Mario Bros, Dry Bones), she is an Albino Common Snappy Turtle. She was found in the yard of some people that live on a lake in the city of Big Lake when she was a hatchling about four years ago. I was super lucky to get chosen to care for her! They are pretty rare, only about 1/100,000 are born albino! They usually don't make it past a year in the wild with no camouflage. In captivity they could possibly go 100 years!

I also volunteer for the MN Herpetological Society at the MN Renaissance Festival and Bones was a big hit in the turtle pond this year!

Again, this isn't just any snapping turtle, is an albino snapping turtle founded in Central Minnesota and still living here. A true born and raised Minnesotan! Tune in next week as Angie the Reptile Lady stops by with Bones and another one of her turtles and learn a little more on this fascinating creature of Minnesota. Here are a few more photos until then of the Rare Minnesota Albino Snappy Turtle!

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Bones as a Hatchling

Image Credit: Angie Cairl (Angie the Reptile Lady) Bones as a baby
Image Credit: Angie Cairl (Angie the Reptile Lady)
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Bones with friends

Image Credit: Angie Cairl (Angie the Reptile Lady)
Image Credit: Angie Cairl (Angie the Reptile Lady)
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Bones and Angie the Reptile Lady

Image Credit: Angie Cairl (Angie the Reptile Lady)
Image Credit: Angie Cairl (Angie the Reptile Lady)
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