Snapping turtles enjoy a wide variety of food and are often considered the top predator in their environment. The alligator snapping turtle's diet consists mainly of fish, which they lure using a pink worm-like appendage on the end of their tongue. Common snapping turtles are more active hunters and will eat just about anything.
Snapping turtles do not make good pets, usually, as they will never stop growing. The largest snapping turtles on record have weight records of around 600 lbs. Alligator snapping turtles have been known to grow even larger.
The Snapping turtle's main defence mechanism is their powerful snapping jaws, which enable them to make short work of attackers and small prey. They also have monstrous, thick claws on their front and back legs which they use to tear apart food and to climb hills each year where they lay their eggs (in a similar way to sea turtles).
The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America, where it is generally found in the more southern waters of the United States. The smaller and more aggressive common snapping turtle inhabits lakes and streams from South America to Canada.
Snapping turtles spend nearly all of their lives in water, with typically only nesting females actually venturing onto open land. Snapping turtles can remain submerged underwater for up to three hours at a time.
Alligator snapping turtles and common snapping turtles have a very different looking appearances. The alligator snapping turtle has a long head and almost spiky shell, where the common snapping turtle has a more rounded head and a smoother shell. They are also easily distinguished by size as the common snapping turtle is smaller than the alligator snapping turtle.
Snapping turtle mating takes place once a year generally in the spring time. The female snapping turtle can lay anywhere from 10 to 50 eggs which take 3 or 4 months to hatch. It is thought that snapping turtles are capable of living until they are 150 years old but they typically live until they are between 20 and 50 years old in captivity.
Common Snapping Turtle Adaptations
A chief adaptation of the common snapping turtle is its long and flexible neck. These animals can stretch their necks almost over halfway of the back of its shell and snap its prey with its strong jaws.The beak –like jaws with sharp cutting edges enable it to tear its prey easily.
It is noteworthy how its nostrils are located high above the snout. An excellent adaptation that allows the turtle to breathe even when it is halfway submerged in water.These turtles can tolerate temperatures from 49 – 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Common snappers are not able to retain their body moisture as in the case of other turtles.
Common Snapping Turtle As Pets
If you are thinking of keeping the common snapping turtle as a pet, think twice! As cute as they appear to look when young, they can get equally difficult to handle as they grow, owing to their aggressive nature. So come to think of it, the common snappers are not suitable for the definition of an ideal pet.The flexibility of its neck allows these turtles to bite its handler even when picked by the sides of its shells. Moreover, its jaws are so powerful that it can easily amputate the handler’s finger!
Furthermore, those who furnish the idea that these turtles can be safely picked by the tail are absolutely wrong. Picking them by their tail not only injures the poor animal’s tail but also its vertebral column.
One handling the turtle with hands must also note that these animals also have sharp claws that can cause serious wounds.If confronted with a scenario wherein one will have to rescue the common snapping turtle, it is always recommended to use a stick, allowing it to bite on it and drag it to a safer spot.
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