A snapping turtle belongs to the Reptilia class.Snapping turtles are distinguished by their relatively small shell that does not accommodate their body to hide in it. These animals hail from the Chelydridae family, and their scientific name is Chelydra serpentina.Snapping turtles are endemic to the region stretching from North America to Central America. These animals reside in a water habitat. Snapping turtles perch mostly in slow-moving rivers, fresh lakes, streams and ponds, and brackish water. They are local to habitats of temperate climates, which are neither too hot nor too cold. The snapping turtles live in the mud of shallow waters.Species of snapping turtles can widely be found in North America, some of the famous sites being Canada, the Gulf of Mexico, and Florida. These turtles are aggressive in nature and are solitary animals. They appear to be tanned in black or brown, and their skin has scales. The weight of snapping turtle species can be between 22-220 lb (10-100 kg) and even more in rare cases.These turtles live up to 30 years in the wild, and in captivity, their lifespan may reach 50 years. Snapping turtles are nocturnal, and they hunt during the night. These animals have a pair of dark eyes, and their mouth is like a hooked beak. They have webbed toes along with four legs. The legs of these turtles have five strong claws each. Their body is laterally symmetrical. The shell or carapace of the snapping turtle is either black or brown. The common snapping turtle, along with the alligator snapping turtles, makes up the two species of the snapping turtle. Their tail is as long as their shell and is covered with ridges.The shell plate of these animals does not protect them from predators. They hide at the bottom of lakes or ponds if in water and when on land, they move fast aggressively towards the threat with their sharp claws ready. The animal’s head and neck can approach swiftly and viciously towards a threatening opponent or an animal that’s their prey.If you liked reading about turtle facts, we recommend our fun facts articles on how do turtles breathe? And how do turtles sleep?What is the best snapping turtle food?Snapping turtles are omnivores. Their diet includes both plants and animals, their favorite food of these reptiles is fish. These snapper populations are vicious hunters.The prominent food of these animals is fish, frogs, and even birds. They also eat rodents, insects, crayfish, and plant vegetation under their habitat range. Their powerful jaws allow them to crush anything and make it their food.The common snapping turtle and the alligator snapping turtles are ambush predators. The common snapping turtles can attack a duckling swimming on a lake and drag it into the water to eat it. They dash to frogs in the water and attack them. The alligator snapping turtles possess a flexible tongue; they wiggle or twist their tongue like a worm. Alligator snapping turtles hide under vegetation in water to make their tongue appear like a worm and lure passerby fish, as the target approaches, they grab it. They also trace prey by detecting the vibrations when the prey is around. The plant diet of the common snapping turtle and alligator snapping turtles includes ferns, lilies, and algae.Crickets are one of the best snapping turtle food. These can be replaced by pellets if there is no choice of food.How much should you feed a snapping turtle?With a big appetite, the snapping turtles are also pretty high up on the food chain. Their diet chart is as comprehensive as their appetite is big. With a mouth like a beak, these snappers can crush and eat anything they are given as feed.Live baits such as snails, worms, crickets, and any feeder fish can feed the snapping turtle in captivity. Collard greens, kale, lettuce, or spinach can comprise their vegetarian diet. Formula foods like floating pellets and buffet blend turtle food also make an ideal option. Feeding snapping turtles correctly is very important for their well-being and health in captivity.From five months to fully grown, these turtles have to be fed every day. However, once they reach full maturity, they are supposed to be given food only 2-3 times a week.What do snapping turtles eat in the wild?The snapping turtles have a wide choice of food as they are omnivores. These turtle species, being both herbivorous and carnivorous, have a unique way of hunting food.The snapping turtles that live in the wild are opportunistic eaters; they eat anything that comes their way. Snapping turtles are bestowed with a flexible head and neck, which they can move like snakes. Snapping turtles can stretch their head out far from their shell, like snakes, allowing them to access prey easily.They feed on small mammals, amphibians, dead animals, birds, insects, and fish. In the wild, they can also eat aquatic plant food. As a part of their territorial act, snapping turtles can behead other turtles accounting for their swift and aggressive nature or lack of sufficient feed.Do snapping turtles eat lettuce?Snapping turtles sit high up in the food chain, and these turtles can eat various foods.These turtles eat vegetation in addition to other animals since they are omnivores.As mentioned earlier, lettuce is an optimal food source for these turtles in captivity or the wild. It provides the animal with sufficient nutrition for the plant part of their diet, being stomach-filling at the same time. The common snapping turtles can be fed with these vegetables of five lettuce leaves 2-3 times a week.Food That You Should Avoid Giving A Snapping TurtleSnapping turtles need to feed depending on their size and age. Younger ones have to be fed relatively more than the older ones as baby turtles need surplus nutrition to reach full size.It is vital to understand that the snapping turtles have to be given food only underwater as the animal requires water to swallow food. In the absence of water, the animal can either choke or not digest food properly. When feeding snapping turtles with insects or pellets, it is important to give the animal as much as the size of its head, this is ideal.As growing turtles, young turtles, less than five months old, eat twice a day or more. However, as the adult turtles reach full size or maturity, they need to be fed only two or three times per week to avoid obesity. Obesity is a significant health issue for adult turtles, for they are opportunistic eaters in the wild living in a pond or another water body with a plethora of foods at their reach.Snapper eggs hatch in August. The young baby hatchlings break out of eggs to start exploring the aquatic world. The gender of eggs of these snapping turtles can be determined by the temperature at which they hatch and come out. The eggs that hatch at temperatures above 87.8° F (31° C) typically hatch as female turtles; eggs hatching after incubation at less than 81.8° F (27.6° C) typically hatch as males. Eggs incubated at the temperature range between these two temperatures have an almost equal chance to hatch and birth either male or female snappers.Having learned about the eating habits of these reptiles, it is also always essential to keep in mind for humans that it is not ideal to approach a snapping turtle; if you must, try to handle it with its tail as it can act swiftly with its head; however, it cannot reach behind its tail to bite. It is always ideal for watching this reptile from a safe distance accounting for its aggressive nature.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what do snapping turtles eat? Then why not take a look at can turtles hear? Or Snapping Turtle Facts.
A snapping turtle belongs to the Reptilia class.
