How Many Types of Snapping Turtles are There?

Just What is a Snapping Turtle? Snapping turtles – guess what – they snap. They have strong jaws that can give you a serious gumming. Snapping turtles belong to the family Chelydridae, and they are widespread throughout the north, east, and south of the United States. They are also found in Central and South America.

There are five species of snapping turtle:

• The alligator snapping turtle – Macrochelys temminckii
• The common snapping turtle – Chelydra serpentina
• The Suwannee snapping turtle – Macrochelys suwanniensis
• The South American snapping turtle – Chelydra acutirostris
• The Central American snapping turtle – Chelydra rossignonii

The most distinctive feature of this family of turtles is their bite. The power of a common snapping turtle bite is fearsome – as much as 658 newtons. (That’s about the same as a human bite, and a human is a much larger animal.)

Snapping turtles are amongst the largest freshwater turtles in the United States. They can grow to over forty pounds in weight. They are quite adaptable, being able to live in brackish (slightly salty) water as well as in freshwater. This ability to tolerate different environmental conditions has undoubtedly helped them survive and thrive. Adaptability may be an important factor for survival as we face climate change.

All snapping turtles can be dangerous. A bite from one of these rather prehistoric-looking creatures is no joke. Because they live in water that might be less than clean, bites are easily infected. The alligator snapping turtle and the Suwannee River snapping turtle are the most dangerous to humans. Put your finger too close to his mouth, and you might be missing that finger from here on in.

As a family, they tend to have a look of alligators about them, with longish tails and shells that can look rather rough, even scaly. Snapping turtles, like all turtles, lay eggs; usually once a year. When they hatch out, the baby turtles are very vulnerable to just about every animal there is. Baby turtles need to get to the water fast, where they are a little safer from predators.

Can I get a Turtle From the Wild?

Absolutely not. It is against the law to take turtles from the wild. Instead, buy from a known breeder or pet store, that can give you assurances that your turtle is captive bred.

What Do Snapping Turtles Like To Eat?

Snapping turtles are omnivores; that is, they are prepared to eat just about anything they find in their natural environment. That would include:

• Fish
• Mollusks
• Worms
• Crickets
• Crustaceans
• Carrion
• Amphibians
• Snails
• Crawfish
• Other turtles
• Small reptiles
• Birds
• Weeds
• Algae
• Fruit
• Mushrooms
• Nuts

Young snapping turtles eat more meat-based foods than do older turtles. This is likely because of the need for protein in a growing animal. Protein is the building block for muscles and tendons. Once an adult animal is fully grown, protein is needed for maintenance rather than growth. As snapping turtles grow older, they are more like to include plant matter in their regular diet. Vegetables make up around 65% of the diet of the average adult snapping turtle.

Do Snapping Turtles Make Good Pets?

Snapping turtles are popular pets. When you see them in the pet store, they are almost always young and look very cute with their wise little turtle faces and attractive carapace (upper shell). Before you go head over heels in love with a baby snapping turtle, here are some things to consider:

• Snapping turtles can live to be fifty years old in captivity. Do you have the ability to make this kind of long-term care commitment?
• This family of turtles might look cute when they are little, but as they get bigger, they can become large and dangerous – remember that lost finger?
• Snapping turtles grow fast, and can get to 40lb plus in weight. You will need a large home for your fully grown turtle – at least a fifty-gallon tank.
• You will also need a good filtration system to keep your pet’s water clean and healthy, as well as lighting to ensure that the air and water temperatures are correct. On the plus side, they are pretty hardy, not too fussy about temperature, within a range, and they don’t mind too much what they eat. You can give them branded turtle food, but it’s a good idea to also give them fresh food occasionally. It’s good for their health and provides a bit of interest for them.
• If you are thinking of having a group of aquatic creatures together in the same environment, then you should know that snapping turtles are just not nice neighbors. They will likely eat anything smaller than they are if they get the chance.
• Snapping turtles are not friendly to their owners. Even if you have had your pet for many years, it will not hesitate to attack you if you handle him. Snapping turtles are strictly for admiring from a distance. They aren’t turtles for the absolute beginner.

The Common Snapping Turtle – Chelydra serpentine

When you read the Latin name for the common snapping turtle, you’ll notice the word “serpent” in there. That’s because this turtle has a long neck, reminding the people who gave it its name of a snake.

It’s a large turtle that lives in freshwater, and it has a range that stretches from Florida in the south, southwest to the Rocky Mountains, and up into Nova Scotia. The common snapping turtle is the most abundant in its family, as the name indicates.

In appearance, this turtle has a long and very mobile neck, a prominent head, and they have a fearsome beak. They have a tough-looking carapace, or upper shell, which has ridges when the turtle is young, but these fade away as the animal ages. Although they look fierce, their main defense mechanism is to swim away and hide in the mud. In terms of reproduction, they have a pretty poor success rate, which they make up for by being long-lived – up to over a hundred years old – and by reproducing frequently.

Due probably to climate conditions, the northern population doesn’t mature until around twenty-five years old, whereas in the south, maturity comes at around twelve years. In the wild, snapping turtles grow to about 20″ long, and weigh up to 35lb. They never stop growing throughout their life, and in captivity, they have been known to reach weights of eighty pounds or more.

Where do they live?

These turtles like to live in shallow ponds and streams; they are not lovers of deep or fast-flowing water. They love to bask, and can be seen enjoying the warmth of the sun either on the bankside, or actually in the water with their head just poking up for air. Females lay between twenty-five and eighty eggs each year and may travel quite a distance to find a suitable sandy spot in which she can deposit her clutch of eggs.

Common snapping turtles are travelers. They are known to move considerable distances if their habitat is disturbed, in search of better food sources, or to avoid pollution. Common snapping turtles are considered as of least concern to the IUCN.

The Alligator Snapping Turtle – Macrochelys temminckii

The alligator snapper is the big boy of the snapper gang. The REALLY big boy. You seriously do not want to meet this character if he’s in a bad mood. His enormously strong jaw, while not being quite as bad as an alligator’s, is quite powerful enough to break bones. The carapace has three well-defined ridges, and these have spiky projections. In color, it varies between brown, black, gray, and olive green. The large head also has spikes over the cheeks and chin, and the whole thing looks frankly prehistoric and frightening. It has a worm-like ending on its tongue, which it sticks out to lure its prey.

Growing to 40″ long, and weighing up to as much as 180 lb., the alligator snapper is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world and the largest in North America. It is found in the southern United States, and usually in rivers that flow into the Gulf of Mexico.

Alligator turtles in the wild start to breed when they are around 13″ long and weigh about 18lb. This is when they are around twelve years old, although the alligator snapping turtle is thought to be capable of living to two hundred years old or even more. In captivity, they live to around 120 years old.

A true carnivore, it will eat fish, mollusks, carrion, snakes, and amphibians, including small alligators. They will also eat other turtles, water birds, and even mammals that venture into the water.

Do Alligator Snappers Make Good Pets?

As you will have realized by now, this is a creature that will need the greatest of care in handling. Not to mention, that you may be taking on a hundred-year commitment. Alligator snappers are quite easily available, and you might be tempted to have one of these ferocious beasts as a pet. Some states, such as California, do not allow you to keep an alligator snapper as a pet.

If you are an experienced turtle owner, then with care you could consider having an alligator turtle as a pet. Research the conditions that you will need to offer, and be sure that you can take good care of this animal. You can find a care sheet for alligator snapping turtles here. The IUCN has designated the alligator snapping turtle as threatened, largely due to the illegal pet trade and habitat loss.

The Suwannee River Snapping Turtle – Macrochelys suwanniensis

Once thought to be a subspecies or variant of the alligator snapping turtle, it has now been identified by geneticists in 2014 as a completely distinct animal. It is found in very limited locations – specifically, the Suwannee River in the southeastern United States.

This turtle has a history that goes back to the late Miocene period of history – meaning that it has been on the earth for a staggering 13.4 million years. They have a rugged-looking brown carapace and a long tail – almost as long as the turtle’s body.

Looking very similar to the alligator snapping turtle, the Suwannee river snapping turtle is confined to the Suwannee River and the streams that feed it. The best way to identify it is by its location – Georgia, and Florida, in and around the river from which it gets its name.

Although the population is under threat, with just 2,000 individuals left in the wild. This turtle is being considered for listing as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Factors threatening the Suwannee river snapping turtle are hunting, being caught as by-catch by anglers and commercial fishermen, stealing from nests, the illegal pet trade, and swallowing fishing hooks and line.

The Central American Snapping Turtle – Chelydra rossignonii

The Central American snapping turtle is often known as the Mexican snapping turtle or the Yucatan snapping turtle. They can be found throughout Mexico and Central America – in Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala.

This turtle likes to live in rather hidden places – small ponds, and muddy water, surrounded by plenty of vegetation in which to hide. They are rarely seen on land, spending most of their time shyly lurking in the water. They don’t like to bask on dry land.

You can identify this turtle by its rough-looking upper shell, or carapace, that has three clear ridges. It can be olive in color, brown, or black, with a plastron (lower shell) that is paler in color. The upper shell is often covered with algae, offering excellent camouflage. The plastron can be gray, yellow, cream, or tan.

They have a rather large head and a sharply pointed nose, with barbels around their mouth, usually four or six. The barbels may help to attract its prey; fish, small frogs, insects, and crustaceans. It also eats plants.

This turtle has suffered a population collapse in recent years, with a decline of perhaps 30%. It is protected in Mexico and Guatemala, but it is also hunted for food, and the legal protections do not appear to have much in the way of teeth.

These turtles are not very frequently found in the general pet trade. There are captive breeding programs, so if you do want to keep one of these creatures, ensure that your pet comes from one of these programs.

The South American Snapping Turtle – Chelydra acutirostris

These turtles are found in Northwestern and central South America, and it’s thought that they may have in the distant past migrated from the north. They are found in Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, Honduras, Panama, and Cost Rica.

In contrast with the common snapping turtle, the South American snapping turtle has a long, rather sharp snout. It likes to live in rivers and swamps and is generally found in shallow, slow-moving water.

They grow to 13 – 18″ in length, and are considered to be quite aggressive, and not suitable as pets for inexperienced turtle keepers. They feed on the usual diet of fish, tadpoles, crustaceans, insects, worms, and even carrion.