Our Resident Common Snapping Turtle

Common Snapping Turtle

(Chelydra serpentina serpentina)

Did You Know?

Unlike other turtle species, Snapping Turtles cannot hide in their shells for protection!

Description: A very distinctive turtle, the Common Snapper looks almost prehistoric with its large head and long ridged tail.  The Carapace is covered in several pronounced ridges that diminish with age, and on the underside, an unusually small plastron.  Snapping Turtles have a sharp pronounced beak and barbels on the chin.  The feet of this turtle are webbed and heavily scaled with large claws.

Size: Snapping turtles can be quite large, up to 19 inches in length and over 85 pounds

Lifespan: In the wild snapping turtles usually live to around 30 years, in captivity they have been known to live for over 45 years.

Diet: An primarily nocturnal opportunistic hunter, snapping turtles are important scavengers that will eat just about anything, including dead plant and animal matter, fish, frogs, snakes, insects, even other turtles and birds.

Habitat:  These turtles prefer slow moving and shallow waters, though they may also be found in small streams and near the edge of large lakes.

Range: Found throughout southern and eastern Canada and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States

Other Notes:  Often feared and misunderstood the Snapping turtle is generally timid in the water and will most often swim away to avoid a confrontation with humans.  They do however deliver a powerful bite and should respected, especially when encountered on land where they have no easy escape route, and therefore tend to stand their ground.