Tank the snapping turtle was found in the middle of a parking lot in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, when he was just a baby.
The people who found him were afraid he would get run over, so they decided to bring him home with them. The family rescued him in order to save his life, but eventually decided to find him a more permanent home, as he couldn’t be returned to the wild after spending so much time with humans. Tank was transferred to the care of their friend, Steve Gilfillan.
… but that didn’t stop him from exploring his new home …
… and enjoying time in his pool.
Soon, Tank grew to be quite large.
But he still loves to be held.
Despite the fearsome reputation of snapping turtles, Tank is super gentle and sweet with his family. “Tank is hand fed and goes out of his way not to bite,” Gilfillan said. “In the event he does grab me he lets go immediately.”
One of Tank’s favorite activities is hanging out with his siblings, and they love lounging in the grass together.
“Tank has grown up with my kids, so he’s just one of the family,” Gilfillan said.
Tank often seems to act more like a dog than a turtle, and even comes when he’s called – just a little more slowly.
Tank is very important to the Gilfillan family, and they’re so grateful that he came into their lives the way he did.
“He is a unique turtle, my once in a lifetime turtle,” Gilfillan said.