When you think about snapping turtles, you probably think of something large, aggressive, and somewhat terrifying if you found one underwater.
Truth be told, these freshwater turtles are not something to be messed with. Found primarily in North America in areas such as southeastern Canada, the West coast in the Rocky Mountains, and down the east coast to Florida. They can be found in swamps and river systems and occasionally more open water like small lakes.
They are interesting because the majority of the areas they inhabit do have winter and thus entails this species to hibernate in certain habitats but by no means all when you consider Floridian turtles, for example.
They remain a rather exotic addition to a tank setup than most creatures you might wish to add to your community. While there are three types in this family, we are focusing on the Common variety C.serpentine or Chelydra serpentine.
The choice to have one should not be taken lightly as these creatures will easily live for 30 years and can reach up to 50 years, depending on their care.
Let’s look at all of the aspects of these fascinating miniature turtles in more detail.
Baby Snapping Turtles Behavior
Snapping turtles are sort of like they sound. Aggressive by nature and aggressive by name.
Their scientific name is a clue to their belligerent behaviors, which include a head rotation that would make anyone who’s seen The Exorcist blanch. These turtles will bite if given the chance and must be handled correctly to avoid serious injury.
They look pretty cute, especially when they are small, but we would challenge anyone who saw a full-grown specimen while swimming in a lake to stay calm!
They are aggressive amongst themselves, which can often result in one of the two in dispute not surviving. As such, they are solitary creatures.
When they are on land, they turn into temper tantrum turtles and can display behaviors that include hissing, snapping of the jaws in warning, and may even attack.
They tend to spend their time in the water, usually in lakes or slow-moving currents. They can also burrow into the ground and keep their nostrils and eyes above the water while surveying their surroundings incognito. One to watch out for!
These turtles also need to bask on land, so their habitat will need to allow for them to amble above water to do what they do in the wild.
Baby snapping turtles will usually hide, so providing ample space for these creatures to do so in your aquarium/aqua-terrarium is key to keeping them stress-free.
They look rather primitive and have powerful jaws and necks that can stretch out enormously by up to 12 inches, almost like E.T.! It’s not surprising that their scientific name contains the word ‘serpentine,’ meaning snake in Latin.
Despite their diminutive size as babies, they can grow to huge proportions. Their grumpy and aggressive nature means they are not advisable for the novice hobbyist either. All the same, they remain a beloved specimen to collectors who enjoy keeping interesting and unusual creatures.
Baby Snapping Turtles Lifespan
Depending on the care and attention you provide, you should expect your Snapping Turtle to live anywhere from 30 – 50 years.
Therefore you need to consider the commitment required to have one of these turtles.
We will discuss more on tank requirements a little later in this article.
Baby Snapping Turtles Appearance
As juveniles, they will usually have black or black/brown shells.
Their prehistoric-looking heads have a sharply pointed nose and a neck that elongates up to a foot. This makes handling them rather risky for the uninitiated.
They can reach anywhere from 15 – 20 inches in length, which is formidable. They can weigh up to 75 lbs but are more commonly around the 35 – 45 lb mark.
Not only do they possess powerful jaws with a bite force that resembles an alligator, but they have super sharp claws on their webbed feet.
Their shell has a three ridge formation, and their tail is jagged, which also adds to their slight dinosaur look.
Baby Snapping Turtles Habitat And Tank Requirements
Let’s remind ourselves of their native habitats.
These turtles are freshwater species that inhabit swampy areas as well as slow-moving rivers and also smaller open water areas in large river systems.
In some areas they inhabit that have winter with freezing conditions, these turtles require silty water beds that they can burrow into during those cold months.
Let’s look at some specifics that are needed.
Tank Conditions
While these turtles are hardy, they still need knowledgeable care and handling in order to thrive. It’s not a case of plunking the baby turtle in a tank; they can’t escape and hope for the best.
You can fashion an enclosure from a child’s swimming pool, plastic fish pond, or glass terrarium, but they need to be secured overhead with a sturdy wire to prevent escape.
Ideally, you will need water to be a deep as the shell is in length as a general guideline.
Adding clutter like stones, sticks, and the silt-type substrate will keep your turtle happy. They need places to hide and feel safe and secure. This might sound strange for such an aggressive species, but making them feel secure is one way to reduce outward and active aggression.
Gravel can also be incorporated but ensure it is rounded.
Plant-wise, vegetation is not strictly necessary but is perhaps more aesthetically pleasing. They need open swimming, so nothing should be used that is too restrictive. Choose things like Java Fern, Hornwort, and Anacharis.
A basking area that is heated is required. Although they mostly stay in the water, they need a little above water area that has a heated lamp that reaches around 90ºF.
They follow a circadian rhythm like we do and need a day and night routine, so you’ll need to ensure you can mimic this with lighting on a timer if need be.
Powerful filtration is non-negotiable. They will generate a massive amount of waste as they grow, and you will also require adequate aeration.
The best way to achieve this is through chemical, mechanical, and biological filtration. If you can tackle the filtration needs with a three-pronged approach, it will make your life that much easier and is better for your turtle.
Water changes will need to happen every other week of at least 30%.
You will need to do additional manual cleaning yourself in addition to the above-described filtration routine. Substrate and decor need to be scrubbed, and sandy types of substrate changed every 2-4 weeks to reduce the likelihood of harmful bacteria growth.
Water conditions should be noted, tested regularly, and maintained as follows:
- pH of 6.8 – 7.2
- Water hardness: not overly hard or soft
- Water temperature between 78 – 80ºF (25 – 27ºC) for hatchlings, and 75 – 78ºF (24- 25ºC) for adults
- Ambient air temperature needs to be stable at around 80 – 86ºF (26 – 30ºC)
- Humidity 70 – 80% above the water
- Lighting needs to be high-quality UVB for the basking pad and timed in 12-hour cycles.
Tank Size
For a baby-sized turtle, three square feet is a good starter size. But you need to be prepared to upgrade as they grow and without delay as they do.
You should also be prepared to bear in mind that as a fully grown adult, you will require 60 square feet (or 120 gallons) of tank enclosure to successfully keep them without stress and for optimum health.
That means there is a lot of sizing in between. If you’re not sure about how much space you need, you should ask an experienced keeper based on their shell size for starters.
Needless to say, you will not house more than one!
Choosing Tank Mates For Baby Snapping Turtles
Given that this turtle is a stone-cold predator that doesn’t tolerate being around its own kind, it’s not that easy to surmise what would survive within reach.
Yes, they live alongside fish in the wild, but those fish can escape, whereas in an aqua-terrarium they cannot.
Realistically there isn’t anything you should keep alongside this turtle. People say that small, fast-moving fish will escape, but there is a certain air of eventuality about their precarious position that we can all see coming.
Better to just leave these guys solo, the way they prefer to be.
Baby Snapping Turtles Diet
Snapping turtles are omnivores who are not particularly picky about what they consume. This is partially why having any tank mates is ill-advised!
Under 6 months old, they need feeding twice a day, up to 2 years once a day, and after that, three times a week is sufficient.
Ideally, you should offer food and then observe how much they can consume in a 10 – 15 minute period and then remove any excess. This will help reduce water fouling and keep them from getting fat, which is hard to recognize under their shell.
Baby snappers should be fed a diet rich in protein like redworms, tiny fish, and store-bought nutrient pellets.
When they grow to adults at approximately 2 years of age, you can begin working in plant materials to the tune of about 30%.
The plant matter should include leafy things like greens, duck week, water lettuce, and fruits such as apples, pears, grapes, berries, and even carrots.
Keep food provided cut into small pieces to make it easier for your turtle to consume and manage within your time slot for feeding.
Baby Snapping Turtles Common Health Issues
Snapping Turtles in captivity are unfortunately susceptible to a variety of health issues that can significantly shorten their life span.
In many cases, it’s inadequate care like water conditions, lack of UVB light, or food supply that can lead to these hazards.
Things that can be potential health hazards include:
- Obesity
- Respiratory infections
- Eye infections
- Vitamin A deficiency
- Metabolic bone disease
- Aural abscesses
- Internal parasites
- Egg retention
Symptoms you should be on the lookout for include lack of appetite, lethargic movement, changes in appearance and skin texture, swollen soft parts of the body, or discharge from the mouth.
How To Breed Baby Snapping Turtles
You won’t be having any captive breeding in a home aqua-terrarium setup purely because of their ornery and already aggressive nature.
But in the spirit of how it goes in the wild, turtles will face each other and offer physical displays to show that they are prepared to mate.
This may include leg waving and head movement that will provide a visual cue to their prospective mate.
Courtship is straightforward. From the age of 6 months onwards, they are capable of mating and displaying reproductive intent behaviors.
The female will lay a clutch of eggs proportional to her size, which on average are around 24 but can reach a staggering 100 in one egg drop.
Baby snappers, once hatched, will hang around the nest for up to 90 – 100 days before they leave and go on their own independent journey.
Are Baby Snapping Turtles A Good Idea For The Hobbyist?
This all sort of depends.
If you’re looking for one specimen to care for, and don’t mind that they are not the friendliest of cohorts, then they may be for you.
Their ancient looks make them quite exotic to own, but they definitely require some specific know-how in terms of handling. In addition, they require committed time investment into their care and upkeep, which is not always easy at the best of times.
It’s imperative to remind you at this point that while babies look cute and tiny, they will grow rapidly, and this needs to be factored in with some careful thought in terms of habitat growth to match theirs.
If you think you are experienced enough to take on one of these prehistoric-looking behemoths, then do so with caution, ample education, and a keen sense of humor!
