Snapping Turtle

Chelydra serpentina

  

What They Look Like

The Snapping Turtle has a broad, brown, black, or olive carapace which often has algae and moss growth on it and a small, cross-shaped plastron that leaves much of its skin exposed on its underside.  Its feet are webbed with heavy, curved, claws, and its head is large with a pointed snout and sharp jaws with a hooked upper beak.  As an adult they grow to be 8-20 inches long which makes them the largest turtle in Michigan.

Where They Live

Snapping Turtles are common throughout the entire Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan in permanent bodies of water.  These include quite, mud-bottomed ponds, lakes, sloughs, and slow streams with dense foliage and aquatic vegetation.

What They Eat

The Snapping Turtle is mostly an ambush predator but will also pursue prey when necessary.  They are very opportunistic and will eat just about anything that happens their way and will also scavenge on occasion.  In the absence of teeth they use their heavy claws on their front limbs to help tear prey into bite-size pieces.

Things to Know

Although their eggs and young suffer high losses from predation they are still very common throughout the Great Lakes.  Snapping Turtles 12 inches or longer can be harvested in Michigan with a fishing license.  They are also commonly hit by cars, but if you see a large one on the side of the road it would be best to leave it alone since they are very quick to bite and trying to handle it by its tail could damage its spine.

Why We Have One

We got our Snapping Turtle in 1989.  It has a permanent eye injury and possible spinal damage so it cannot be returned to the wild.