Behavior of Snapping Turtles

Snapping Turtles can live for up to 30 years in the wild, according to the Animal Diversity website. They are a fascinating species, that has evolved over thousands of years to adapt to an ever-changing environment.

  1. Territorial Behaviors

    • Snapping turtles are aggressive, anti-social animals by nature. The males of the species battle each other for territorial mating rights, while the females are known to defend their eggs until they have hatched. Snapping turtles are mostly omnivorous, eating whatever they can find. They have been known to bury themselves in the mud in order to ambush small freshwater animals.

    Habitat Behaviors

    • Snapping turtles do not produce their own body heat and have to sun themselves near the banks of freshwater streams. Most of their time is spent underwater, where they crawl and leap about in shallow waterways searching for food. Also, the Tortoise Trust website reports that in winter months the snapping turtles group together for warmth and hibernate in the mud.

    Reproductive Behaviors

    • The reproductive behavior of snapping turtles is quite similar to that of other reptiles. The male turtle fertilizes the female and the female then lays eggs. According to the Animal Diversity website, females can lay up to 83 eggs. Interestingly enough, the female snapping turtle can also store sperm for ovulation in months where a suitable mate could not be found.