Common Snapping Turtle Shell
The common snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina is a species of large freshwater turtle in the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia and Florida.
Read about Chelydra serpentina Common Snapping Turtle on the Animal Diversity Web.
Basic facts about Common Snapping Turtle lifespan, distribution and habitat map, lifestyle and social behavior, mating habits, diet and nutrition, population size and status.
Meet the common snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina including their appearance, diet, habitat, range, facts, breeding and behavior.
The Diet of a Common Snapping Turtle Common Snapping turtles are omnivores, which means that they will eat fruits, vegetables, as well as meat, insects, and pellets. A well-balanced diet for a pet common snapping turtle will be mainly based on pellets, with the occasional fruits, vegetables, and dried insects. What to Feed Your Common Snapping
Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina What do they look like? Like all turtles, snapping turtles have a shell that covers their back, also called a carapace. In snapping turtles the carapace is normally between 8 and 18 12 inches long. The shell color ranges from dark brown to tan and can even be black.
Snapping Turtle Native Range and Habitat Snapping turtles prefer to live in water bodies with muddy bottoms and dense vegetation. They frequently bury their shell and leave their head exposed to forage in camouflage. Their range is extensive, spanning most of North America. In Canada, the Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina lives in Ontario Quebec Manitoba Nova Scotia Saskatchewan
Description Snapping turtles have large heads with powerful jaws and necks. The carapace has a jagged posterior edge and three longitudinal keels, which are most prominent in young specimens. The plastron is small and cross-shaped. The tail, adorned above with large, saw-toothed scales, is much longer than that of any other North Carolina turtle. The shell offers only limited protection to the
Once the turtles have grown some and their shells harden, they are virtually predator-free. Interesting Facts Snapping turtles are nocturnal and spend most of the time underwater, lying on the bottom of the waterbody. Their dark-colored skin and moss-covered shell enables the turtles to lie in wait and ambush their prey.
Discover the facts about Common Snapping Turtles from their physical and behavioral differences to the Alligator Snapping Turtle, to their size, lifespan, habitat, diet, eggs, shell and hatchlings. Learn about caring for a pet Common Snapping Turtle and find out what food options are available for them both naturally and commercially.
