Common Snapping Turtle…

Unlike other turtles, snapping turtles are too large to completely withdraw inside their shells, therefore their defense is snapping. They are shy animals when in the water, but on land they are hostile and aggressive, and can inflict a very painful bite. Luckily, snapping turtles rarely bite humans — they’d rather just try to get away. They will also produce a foul odor from the underside of the body if they feel stressed.

The common snapping turtle is an omnivore and eats just about anything it finds — aquatic plants, fish, frogs, insects, snails, leeches, snakes, small mammals, baby ducks and even carrion (dead, decaying bodies of animals).

The female turtle will migrate great distances in search of a suitable nesting spot. The gender of the young depends on the temperature of the nest: higher temperatures produce more females, and cooler temperatures produce more males. The young break out of their shells with the help of an egg tooth, which they shed within their first 3 weeks.

Common Snapping Turtles are featured in the following book:
101 Facts… Turtles!

The YouTube video playlist below contains a video about Common Snapping Turtles. Details of the videos featured are underneath.

The Playlist:

1. Man vs. Snapping Turtle by Todd Bieber
2. Huge Snapping Turtle by Bruce Causier
3. Common Snapping Turtle (Juvenile) by TheeLifeOfBob
4. Baby Snapping Turtle in my Backyard by NaturesFairy