Snapping turtle - Chelydra sewrpentina   by Stan Gielewski
 

 
In the wild
 
     Snapping turtles are fresh water turtles. They are four subspecies of snapping turtles: Common Northern snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina), Florida snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina osceola), Mexican snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentine rossignoni) and Ecuadorian snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina acutirostris). They live in lakes, ponds and rivers of Eastern and Southern North America, Central America and Northern part of South America. At times, they can be also found in brackish water.
 
     In the wild turtles eat a variety of fish, snails, worms, small, birds, mice and other small mammals that happen to fall in the water. They also consume some vegetation growing in the water and will also grab berries or other greens that fall into it.
 

 
     Common snapping turtles have a prehistoric look. They have long and spikey tails. Also their necks are very long - they can reach back about two thirds of the length of their carapace. Snappers are very strong, especially their legs and jaws. A large adult snapper can inflict some serious injury. This is the reason why they should always be handled with caution. They should not be handled by the tail, especially the larger adult snappers. They are quite heavy and such handling could injure them.
 
     Despite being famous for their ferociousness snappers are not aggressive by nature. Their ‘snap’ is just how they catch their food, and it is also their most useful defense mechanism. Snapping turtles are rather shy animals and will bite only when bothered. When approached, they prefer to turn around and walk or swim away. Snapping turtles never jump or chase after people! Common snappers are one of the largest turtles in North America. They can be as heavy as 60 pounds and live 40-50 years.
 

 

 
     Another snapping turtle species which belongs to the same family is the alligator snapping turtle, Macroclemys temmincki. It is the largest fresh water turtle in North America. It can weigh in excess of 250 pounds. The alligator snappers live in the Southern U.S.A. It looks even more like a dinosaur than the common snapping turtle relative, because of its clearly visible three ridges that running along its carapace.
 
     There is also another distinctive feature that this species possesses the reddish fleshy worm-like lure at the bottom of its mouth. Lying at the bottom with its open mouth, the alligator snapper wiggles it to attract fish and slams the jaws once a fish swims in - making a meal.
 
     The alligator snappers jaws are very powerful and sharp, and it is not impossible to loose more than just a finger if caught between them!
 

 
In captivity
 
     Since snapping turtles grow to such large sizes, serious thought should be given before making the decision of acquiring a snapping turtle. Eventually your turtles will require a very large tank or even a pond. For those who decide on caring for snapping turtles as pets (many snappers end up at our homes as a result of rescue or adoption), the tank should be large enough for the turtle to turn around easily inside it. Water should be deep enough to cover the snapper but not too deep so that the snapper is able to reach its surface for breathing while sitting at the bottom with its neck fully extended. The water should always be clean (use a powerful external filter) and warm (heated with a submersible heater with thermostat). The temperature should be kept at around 22-25 C all year round. Snappers kept in captivity, unless housed outdoors, don’t require hibernation.
 
     Decoration in the tank should be kept to minimum. If you can afford to set up a large tank or pond space, you could transform it into a beautiful display and make it look like it is a part of a lake (examples can be seen in some Zoo’s). An addition of an inch of gravel at the bottom of the tank is nice but is not crucial. A large heavy stone and a heavy, stabilized piece of driftwood should be placed inside to give the turtle a chance to rest and climb out of the water. Many keepers have been successful in caring for snappers for years in a virtually empty tank with only water and minimal decoration in it.
 
     Snappers should be exposed to a day-night cycle and have a light source suspended above the water. As many suggest, basking light is not crucial for snappers, but I would suggest that such a light is a helpful tank addition, as all of my snappers, especially when they were young, were regular baskers.
 
     Snapping turtles should not be fed in excess. Overfeeding leads to obesity which is not healthy. Small snapping turtles should be fed once every 2-3 days, and larger turtles once a week should be fine. They will eat a wide variety of foods. They will thrive on raw beef, fish, liver and hearts. Live food should be given as a supplement only. If live food is not available, use whole frozen fish. The turtle should swallow food whole with bones and heads. Also commercially available snack turtle food is always a good vitamin and mineral supplement.
 
     It is a good idea to take your snapper for ‘a walk’ on a sunny day as it helps them produce vital reptile’s vitamin D3. It is a lot of fun to observe a snapper exploring their surroundings. They are very curious creatures with a lot of character. One reminder though, just don’t let them out of your sight!
 
     Many snappers become tame with age. You will find them to be quite easy to keep taking care of their basic needs, after getting used to handling them. These turtles are very hardy and will eat a lot. Just remember that they do grow in size to about 60 pounds!
 

 
To read more ...
                                  ... about the biology and captive care of the snapping turtles, please explore the Snapping Turtle Page - www.chelydra.org