COMMON SNAPPING TURTLE
Chelydra serpentina serpentina
These large turtles may weigh more than 50 pounds . Color is variable and may be greenish, brown, tan or nearly black. Underside of legs and plastron are yellow. The head is large and somewhat pointy, with a very thick neck.
Length: 8-14 inches.
Snapping turtles are fully aquatic, and only leave the water to lay eggs or move to a new home with better resources. They rarely bask in the sun like other aquatic turtles. Habitats include ponds, lakes, rivers, sloughs, marshes, swamps and water filled ditches. They occur Statewide.
These turtles have a bad reputation among humans. It is believed they will eat all the fish in a pond or lake wiping out game fish. While it is true they enjoy eating fish, they typically catch slow, weak, sick or otherwise slow moving fish. This cleans your pond of potentially sick fish, making it a healthier environment for your game fish. As these turtles age their diet changes and they consume a lot more plant matter. They are true omnivores and will eat pond plants, crayfish, muscles, fish, invertebrates, and most anything that may fall into the water.
Length: 8-14 inches.
Snapping turtles are fully aquatic, and only leave the water to lay eggs or move to a new home with better resources. They rarely bask in the sun like other aquatic turtles. Habitats include ponds, lakes, rivers, sloughs, marshes, swamps and water filled ditches. They occur Statewide.
These turtles have a bad reputation among humans. It is believed they will eat all the fish in a pond or lake wiping out game fish. While it is true they enjoy eating fish, they typically catch slow, weak, sick or otherwise slow moving fish. This cleans your pond of potentially sick fish, making it a healthier environment for your game fish. As these turtles age their diet changes and they consume a lot more plant matter. They are true omnivores and will eat pond plants, crayfish, muscles, fish, invertebrates, and most anything that may fall into the water.
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Fun Fact: Turtles belong to one of the oldest reptiles groups in the World, and have been around for more than 200 million years. In all that time, they have changed very little. |
