Snapping Turtles: How Big In Northern Minnesota?

The common snapping turtle is Minnesota's largest species of turtle. They are found across the forests, lakes, and prairies of the state and are distinguished by their size, keeled upper shell, large head, and long, bumpy tail. But how big can they get? Well, snapping turtles have upper shells (carapace) that can measure up to 20 inches from front to back. Including their tail, neck, and head, they can grow to be over four feet long and weigh over 65 pounds! However, snapping turtles of that size are very rare, and most have shells ranging from eight to 14 inches long, weighing between 10 and 45 pounds.

Minnesota's largest species of turtle

Minnesota is home to 13 species of turtle. The largest of these is the common snapping turtle (*Chelydra serpentina*), which can be distinguished from other turtles native to the state by its size, keeled upper shell (or carapace), large head, and long, bumpy tail. The snapping turtle's carapace typically reaches 8-14 inches (20-36 cm) in length, and adults usually weigh up to about 45 pounds (16 kg). However, the largest snapping turtle recorded in Minnesota weighed 65 pounds (29.5 kg) and had a shell length of 19.5 inches (49.5 cm). Male snapping turtles tend to be larger than females.

The common snapping turtle is found throughout Minnesota, in a variety of aquatic habitats, including ponds, lakes, marshes, rivers, and creeks. They are highly aquatic, spending most of their time in shallow water, less than three feet deep, but they can swim to deeper parts of lakes. They are often found in water bodies with mud bottoms and a lot of aquatic vegetation. During the winter, snapping turtles bury themselves in the mud or decaying vegetation to survive until spring. They are also known to congregate in large numbers to hibernate under the ice.

The common snapping turtle has a diverse diet, consuming carrion, aquatic invertebrates, small vertebrates, and aquatic plants. They are not picky eaters and will eat almost anything available in their environment. Adult snapping turtles have very few predators, but eggs and young turtles are common prey for other animals, including crows, herons, bitterns, bullfrogs, snakes, large predatory fish, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and opossums.

The common snapping turtle is long-lived, with a lifespan of about 30 years in the wild and an even longer lifespan in captivity. They are slow to develop, reaching sexual maturity in about 5-7 years. Breeding occurs in both spring and fall, and females lay large clutches of 25-50 eggs. Despite their high fecundity, only a small number of hatchling turtles need to survive each year for a population to remain stable, thanks to the species' long lifespan.

In Minnesota, common snapping turtles are trapped for their meat by licensed trappers. Due to concerns about possible over-trapping, the species was listed as a Species of Special Concern in 1984. New trapping rules were implemented in 2004 to help prevent further population decline, and in 2013, the snapping turtle was removed from the state's list of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species.

How to identify a snapping turtle

The common snapping turtle is Minnesota's largest species of turtle. It is easily identifiable by its size, keeled upper shell (called a carapace), large head, and long, bumpy tail. The carapace of a snapping turtle can reach 8-14 inches (20-36 cm) in length, and adults can weigh up to about 45 pounds (16 kg). Male snapping turtles are larger than females, with proportionally longer tails. The largest snapping turtle ever recorded in Minnesota weighed 65 pounds (29.5 kg) with a shell length of 19.5 inches (49.5 cm).

Snapping turtles are often covered in mud or algae, and their shells are typically brown, olive, or black. They have well-developed limbs with strong claws. Hatchling snapping turtles are dark brown to black with small white flecks on their underside.

Snapping turtles are found in a variety of aquatic habitats throughout Minnesota, including ponds, lakes, marshes, rivers, and creeks. They spend most of their time in shallow water, less than three feet deep, but can swim to deeper areas. They are highly aquatic and spend much of their time lying on the bottom in shallow water, extending their long necks just enough to reach the surface for air. They also float beneath the water's surface with their nostrils and eyes exposed. During the day, they hide under submerged logs, rocks, and debris, becoming active at night to crawl along the bottom in search of food.

Snapping turtles are known for their aggressive behaviour and powerful jaws. They can deliver a painful and damaging bite, so it is best to avoid close contact. If handling is necessary, it is recommended to grasp the turtle's hind legs near the shell and hold it at a safe distance from your body.

How long do snapping turtles live for?

The common snapping turtle is Minnesota's largest species of turtle. It is easily distinguished from other turtles by its size, keeled upper shell (carapace), large head, and long, bumpy tail. While it is impossible to know a snapping turtle's precise age without knowing the exact date it hatched, we do know that they live extremely long lives.

In the wild, the lifespan of the common snapping turtle is poorly known. However, data from Algonquin Park in Ontario, Canada, suggests a maximum age of over 100 years. In captivity, the species can live much longer. Female snapping turtles can live to be 50 years old.

The common snapping turtle has a life-history strategy characterised by high and variable mortality of embryos and hatchlings, delayed sexual maturity, extended adult longevity, and iteroparity (repeated reproductive events) with low reproductive success per reproductive event.

The approximate age for first nesting (sexual maturity) is 19 years, although this can vary depending on location and food abundance. In Minnesota, sexual maturity is reached in about 8-10 years when the turtle's carapace (shell) reaches about eight inches long.

The common snapping turtle is native to the Middle Rio Grande and has been present in this drainage since at least the 17th century. It is the most widespread of the three species of Chelydra and the larger alligator snapping turtles.

Snapping turtles are curious and friendly freshwater reptiles. They are highly aquatic and spend most of their time in the water. They can be found in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, preferably with slow-moving water and a soft muddy or sandy bottom. They are also capable of surviving harsh winters by burying themselves in mud or decaying vegetation until spring.

What do snapping turtles eat?

The common snapping turtle is Minnesota's largest species of turtle. They are found in a variety of aquatic habitats, including ponds, lakes, marshes, rivers, and creeks. They are sexually mature in about 5-7 years and have a lifespan of about 30 years.

Common snapping turtles are omnivores with a diverse diet. They are known to consume both animal and plant-based food. Here is a list of the types of food they eat:

• Insects
• Crayfish
• Clams
• Snails
• Earthworms
• Leeches
• Freshwater sponges
• Fish
• Fish eggs
• Frogs
• Toads
• Tadpoles
• Amphibian eggs
• Salamanders
• Snakes
• Small turtles
• Birds
• Small mammals
• Carrion
• Aquatic plants

They swallow small food items whole, and hold larger prey with their mouths and tear it apart with their claws.

How do snapping turtles reproduce?

The common snapping turtle is the largest species of turtle in Minnesota. They are sexually mature at around 5-10 years, when their shells reach about eight inches long. In Minnesota, female snapping turtles lay eggs in May and June. They often travel long distances from water to find suitable open areas for nesting, such as sandy river banks, open fields, road embankments, muskrat houses, and lawns.

Female snapping turtles dig a nest four to eight inches deep using their hind legs and typically lay a clutch of 20 to 50 eggs, though clutches can be as large as 83 eggs. The eggs are white, have a tough, leathery shell, and are shaped like ping pong balls. The incubation period for these eggs is temperature-dependent, ranging from 9 to 18 weeks. In cooler climates, hatchlings overwinter in the nest.

The common snapping turtle has a life-history strategy that includes iteroparity, or repeated reproductive events, with low reproductive success per event. They mate from April through November, with their peak laying season in June and July. The female can store sperm for several seasons and uses it as necessary.

The common snapping turtle is an important part of the ecosystem, acting as scavengers that feed on dead and decaying bodies of fish and frogs, helping to keep the water clean. They are also long-lived, with a lifespan of over 100 years in the wild, though their reproduction rate is relatively low.

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