Snapping Turtles

If you are in a lake or pond, watch for eyes because one wrong move and you can be face to face with a snapping turtle. These turtles have been known to be mean when pulled out of the water. Most of the time, the attacks on humans is when the turtles mistake a human limb for fish and will cut right through a persons hand or foot if corned. Common snappers live through more than half of the USA. Alligator snappers live only in the southern parts of the USA. Common snappers can be 50 pounds while alligator snappers are 200 pounds. All snappers have a very long tail that it takes up half of the turtles body length. It's shell is serrated with sharp points for defense. The alligator snapper eats only fish and lures in the fish with a worm like tongh.    Common snappers are omnivores and eat algae, fish, frogs, salamanders, water foul, and other turtles. Snapping turtles also eat human flesh that they bite. Always beware of those sharp jaws. When going into hibernation, these turtles hide in mud, logs, and dead plants. The snappers don't come to the surface until the water has melted and they get the air through their mouths and throats. Snappers mate for life and every year, the female comes onto the shore to lay 40 eggs. the eggs re the size of tennis balls which are kind of big. Once she is done laying, the snapper will abandon her eggs and slide back into the water. Common snapper eggs take 55 to 125 days to hatch and alligator snapper eggs take 100 to 140 days to hatch. Common snappers take 4 to 19 years to become adults and alligator snappers take 11 to 13 years to become adults. 1 out of 1400 eggs survive to become adults. The predators are like alligators, skunks, raccoons, bears, coyotes, and humans. We have been using snapping turtles meat to make soups and meals. Humans also at turtle eggs to. Unlike other turtles, snappers can't pull their legs and head into their shell all the way, but they are very well protected with claws and sharp jaws.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf4QCZHterQ