How to Know When a Snapping Turtle Hatchling Is Ready to Start Eating

Snapping turtles are reptiles known for their bite. Omnivorous dinosaurs of the modern world, mature tortoises have been known to consume ducklings in the wild. Hatchlings, though, begin life as fragile as other newborns. Beginning nourishment comes from insects, worms, vegetation and man-made diets. Snapping turtles spend most of their existence in an aquatic environment from the hatching moment and need water for ingesting food. Preparation, observation and anticipation will inform a handler when a domestically raised snapping turtle hatchling is ready to feed for the first time.

Things You'll Need

  • Snapping turtle egg(s)
  • Snapping turtle hatchling
  • 12-by-8-inch observation aquarium tank
  • Non-abrasive sand
  • water
  • One bag aquarium gravel
  • Snapping turtle pellet food
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Instructions

  1. Feeding a Snapping Turtle Hatchling

    • 1
      Snapping turtles are 1 inch in length at hatching.

      Prepare a 12-by-8-inch observation aquarium tank by filling the bottom with non-abrasive sand, 1 inch deep. Fill with water to the depth of one-half inch higher than settled sand. Create an island rest area out of gravel by layering in one corner of tank, and then pour enough sand over the rocks so all are covered evenly. Place hatching eggs or hatchlings onto the sandy mass.

    • 2
      Hatchlings score shell with "eggtooth" prior to emergence.

      Inspect the eggs daily. Hatchlings use their egg tooth, a tooth-like growth on the end of their beak, to cut themselves free from shell. After the slit appears, babies may take several days to exit their shell. Newborns are nourished by a yolk sac attached to their underside area, called a plastron, during hatching and up through the first three days of life. Absorption time of the yolk sac varies during those three days.

    • 3
      Snapping turtles are unable to consume food outside of water.

      Observe hatchlings throughout the day. Monitor the size of the diminishing yolk sac. When the sac has dwindled, offer two to three turtle pellet food pieces by placing them in the tank water. Monitor the babies closely to determine their appetite. If the babies do not show interest in eating for a day or more after their yolk sac has disappeared, call a veterinarian for assistance. Snapping turtle hatchlings should exhibit regular feeding habits before transferring into larger aquarium.