Snapping Turtles: Everything You Need To Know!
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2024
- The largest freshwater turtles found in most of North America, snapping turtles are some of the most unique and ecologically important animals in our freshwater ecosystems. Learn what snapping turtles eat, how they live, and what you can to to help them out in this episode of The Wild Report!
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If you've made it this far in the description, remember to be safe when creature adventuring! Most wild animals can cause injury if harassed, and I do not recommend attempting to capture any creatures without purpose and practice. The reason that I interact with wildlife is to produce these educational videos, and I have years of zoology experience under my belt. Also, I always ask permission from a land owner before exploring on their property, and you should do the same.
Keep adventuring everywhere, and keep your adventures safe at all times!
-Ben Zino
"How many are your works, Lord? In wisdom you made them all, the earth is full of your creatures."
Psalms 104:24
#wildlife #turtle #reptiles
A snapping turtle laid eggs by my driveway in southwestern Michigan on June 6th. 28 turtles hatched on August 14. 69 days. How I saved from predators: Once the mother left, I cut a square of tight wire fencing and laid brick pavers on each side of the square but touching each other. A week ago I pushed up the middle of the wire so there was enough clearance for them to move. Checked a few times a day starting a week before they were born. After about an hour of admiring, my five year old grandson and I took them to a nearby stream. We both enjoyed the experience.
Beautiful
@Katheryn. You should’ve named it either Donatello or Raphael.
What a great story! I always stop 🛑 when I see a box turtle 🐢 in the road to help. These little guys need us!
All turtles come in my yard and lay eggs, snapping, wood, painted. This year something dug up six spots in my yard and ate all the eggs a few weeks after they were layed.
@@toddac61 I haven’t seen another one in a couple years. 🙁
The intro killed me😂
IKR? Who does that?
@@benjamindover5676A crazy man
I can tell you are extremely passionate about these animals, and I greatly respect your emphasis of the perils they face from vehicles. The amount all sorts of species of turtles/tortoises I've seen killed by cars is so depressing, and many people have a bias towards "ugly", "gross" animals, typically reptiles and arthropods which makes it even more important to get this message out. Keep up the great work.
Thanks so much for the kind words, wildlife conservation is definitely my passion and I'm so glad that shines through in my content!
I was fishing for carp a few weeks ago. My buddy was getting some tugs but it wasn't a carp so he left his line out. When he finally decided to reel it in to check his bait, it was like he was pulling a horse! Turns out, he caught a bullhead and an opportunistic snapping turtle was making a snack out of him. That turtle was about the same size as the one in this video- BIG. The crazy part is that the turtle wasn't hooked. He just REFUSED to let go of HIS bullhead. My friend pulled that turtle clear out of the water and all that was left of the bullhead was the face and some guts. I have never in my life seen such an ornery animal!
That's a heck of a fishing story. Good one.
Haha that's fantastic. He knew he had something good and he wasn't letting go.
You can see how far their neck reaches around the back, so make sure if you're going to move one, only grab the back 1/3 of it's shell.
Yup, don't want to get a finger stuck in that beak!
I’ve found that, with the larger ones, you can position a hand underneath between the in hind legs. Really helps to add a lot of stability when holding the big girls!
Everyone says 40% but out of experience I agree more like 1/3
@@torstenrenner9941I agree. I always support them by their plastron. They generally don’t even get defensive if you pick them up this way. Fun fact, if you know how to interact with them they are pretty easy to socialize. The bite isn’t as bad as people think anyway. They do not produce 2K lbs psi. More like 350 lbs. Humans have more bite force.
@@TheWildReportOfficial Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
1 corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
One of the most underrated species in North America---incredibly resilient.
They are so incredible!
I have helped a couple of turtles finish their road crossing but I have been worried about getting bit by a snapping turtle. Your demo has given me some confidence to try.
I like this dude just bashing into the water and grab the turtle and never think that this turtle can bite his arm off in instant.
The worst thing that would happen would be a damaged finger, snappers can't take arms (fortunately for me).
I think you might be confusing a common snapping turtle (the one in the video) with an alligator snapping turtle. Alligator snappers have much bigger mouths, with very sharp points on both the upper and lower beak!
Snappers are so prehistoric and cool..tough to handle because of bite force, you really have to pick them up by the rear ⅓ & be careful..VERY CAREFUL.. THEY CAN BITE THROUGH THICK, HEAVY GLOVES!
But saving one is worthwhile moment!
This is the first video I've seen of yours. I'm really impressed. Hard to find good biology/ecology content like this online. Keep it up!
Thanks for another great video! I moved to NC 5 years ago and your videos have really helped me get over my fear of snakes, especially the Copper Head. Keep up the great content!
I just hit the subscribe button after watching a Hurricane Ian video of a chaser saving a normal turtle and seeing the comments saying to never touch snapping turtles. Thanks for showing how to do it and describing them so well. Great job!
Welcome aboard, glad you enjoyed the video!
Great video’s as always thanks for the knowledge and keep making these videos ! Awesome bro
I helped a snapping turtle cross the road up in mooresville and I grabbed lower side like you said ! Thanks to you man I kept all my fingers !!
That is awesome, thanks for helping out!
Subscribed. Never stop what you do!
Wow! I love the way you started off this video with the dive to catch the turtle -- then followed up with a really interesting description of the animal. I have been binging on videos for the past few hours and this was, minute for minute, the most interesting and informative. Very, very well done! 👍👍
Well that's great news, thanks for the positive feedback!
Love me some mud dragons! I'm glad you added these amazing creatures to your Everything You Need to Know series! Awesome encounter, great conservational message.
Thanks Spencer, glad you enjoyed! I've been meaning to make this style of video about these guys forever but as you know they can be challenging to find and catch here in the Piedmont.
Straight to the hook lol loved the beginning of the video, I wish more people started their videos like this!
I love your videos. I always learn something new. Keep it up!!
thank you for making this video. You are quick to be able to chech the turtle, I have saved many painted turtles, but no snipers. Keep up the good work.
A beautiful animal. Every spring they have warnings out at Presque Isle State Park in Erie,Pa to watch out for all different Turtles crossing the road.
Hey Ben !
We had a new broom in the van and used it to get a snapping turtle off the road. Was not going to pick it up !
Gently did it !
Love what you show us !
Hey that's a great idea, great way to give them a gentle nudge from a safe distance!
ha ha I've done it with a broom twice now...but gonna try the 1/3 back rule next time!
That was wise. You do NOT want one of those things latching onto one of your fingers or toes!!!
That was quite a catch Ben, and a nice sized turtle! I love snapping turtles, and that was a really calm one from what I could tell. I liked your discussion about the value of protecting big adult turtles and their role in maintaining the species, that's a good way to explain why overhunting is so detrimental. Great work!
- Harrison and Evan
I live in North Carolina and my neighborhood pond has many turtles includimg snappers. One of which will swim to the same little area and greet me every day. It is easily as large as this one
The cahonies on this man jumping headlong into a pond with this beast 😅
Really impressive turtle, I definitely will try and scoot any along I see alongside the road trying to get across...though probably not by picking them up haha.
Good size snapper there. We have lots of them here in TN. Off topic but I ran across a beautiful copperhead today. Got some nice images. Great video!
I can’t believe you dove in that pond, snatched a snapper out, and only got 37k views. Great video and advice
Haha it's all about the fun of the adventure and quality of the content, the views aren't up to me so I might as well not worry about them too much!
Excellent video - thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it!
Ben, you should do a side-by-side comparison of the common snapper with the much larger alligator snapper. Thanks for another awesome show. I loved how you jumped right in to the subject.
I'll try to get one of those videos in the works, that would be super fun!
I subbed just based on that 10/10 dive into the water and without skipping a beat “hey everybody” great video
Fantastic, glad to have you here on the channel!
I thought I saw u today at Costco in moorseville. I wasn’t sure if it was u.But anyways great job on these awesome video they are informative. Keep doing the great job ben.
Yep you saw me haha! Also thanks for the kind words.
One of my favorites. I've found 3 ever that I would put over 40 ibs, absolute units! The biggest was over a yard head to tail, in Minnesota. Couldn't catch it. Just found 2 20ibers in north Texas today in what amounts to a glorified puddle. Awesome animals.
Very informative video! Great catch at the beginning
Thanks!
Great job! Keep up the conservation work.
Thanks, will do!
Very cool! Well done, Ben!
Thanks very much!
I never planned on picking up a snapping turtle before this moment
But you convinced me and I will if I ever see one tossing the road. Thanks!
Excellent video. Very informative!!! Thank You.
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed!
Thanks for making this content
Nice job, Ben! Love these mud dragons!
Thanks man!
One of the best intros to a video I've ever seen 😂👏🏼👏🏼
Thanks Matt, much appreciated :)
Great informational video, and wow! What a catch!
I almost hit a large snapping turtle with my lawnmower last summer. It was nestled down in the dirt along a fence line near my neighbor’s shallow pond. The mower passed over the top of it, but she was nestled down low enough in the ground and didn’t get hit with the blade. Phewww!
I just spotted her hunting in the shallows this morning, almost a year later, and she’s huge. I’m glad she’s still thriving ❤
Awesome! Great video!
Thank you!
I just had to relocate one that showed up in my driveway today. I once had to get one out of a road and didn't have any way to nudge it into a box or tote like I did today, and it takes nerves of steel to grasp that lower part of the shell and carry them. Kudos to you good sir.👍
Glad you are helping move them to safety. Thank you!
🤣 that intro! Took one for the team on that one. Oh, dang, I didn't know you took a bite from one. Holy moly! Good info in this one, Ben. Keep rockin' that conservation message.
Haha it was pretty hot outside so a swim in the pond wasn't the worst thing ever. Also thank you, will do!
Awesome video! I live a bit further north in Vermont and we have a few really large snapping turtles here. I'm not sure if they are common snapping turtles or not but they are very large. I've never tried to pick one up and will probably keep it that way but it is good to know that you can if you grab the back 1/3 of the shell.
Thanks Adam! In Vermont they are definitely Common snappers.
Those are amazing creatures - that thing looks like it could snap your arm off - pretty brave diving into that murky water to wrangle that thing out!!!
They are amazing, and actually extremely docile in the water. Once you take them out of the water is when they get snappy.
@@richardhincemon9423 Oh wow, I'll go check it out now!
@@TheWildReportOfficial there was a 86 pound caught in South Carolina. Google 86 lb monster Turtle caught in South Carolina- ebony gentleman UA-cam. They can get really big hope you find one over a hundred pounds! LOL
Years ago me and my grandpa used to fish for carp and sometime we would catch a snapping turtle. It was very tricky to get hook out of their mouths. Always used a long stick to do this and had the most respect for their powerful jaws!!! They are amazing animals! Like a living dinosaur!!!
They really are prehistoric looking, glad you always tried to get those hooks out!
My grandpa used to take me pond fishing also. And he really did like his whiskey as well. He used to catch a snapper now and then, instead of the bluegills, perch and bass he was hoping for. Some were huge, like this one, or even bigger.
It would infuriate him so much he'd go get a big rock and smash the turtle's brains out. He was a real menace to snapping turtles, but I sure did have fun fishing with him. I am literally talking about 65-70 years ago, folks...
Kudos for you for taking the hook out. I went fishing with this guy who would sometimes get softshelled turtles on his line. He just cut the line saying the hooks dissolved. He was right. He caught a small one and let me take it home as a pet. I was a kid and couldn't get the hook out, it kept trying to bite me and i couldn't blame it. One day the hook was gone.
Mine weighed at 45lb. When caught he weighed in about 35lb. Shell length was about 17" in length by 16". He'd bite when caught but became totally docile when brought home. Just caught a 30 pounder by the Uncanoonuk mtns. in Wear NH. about 3 weeks ago. He was right in the middle of Mountain Rd. I took him home & released him into the Pennichuck ponds (our water supply ponds) I don't handle them the way you do. I grasp the tail (not lift it, just use to hold in place) I then slide my hand under the Plastron & lift. If it's a big one, I'll use by arm like a fulcrum against my chest. All I can say is it works fine for me.
Great job!
Very good video. A lot of info and not a lot of boring nonsense. 🐢
What a great video! THANK YOU!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
They definitely get big. A friend of mine is an underwater welder - he said he saw one as big as a car while repairing a dam.
That's crazy, I'd probably be both amazed and terrified.
Thank you for sharing that wonderful critter with us.
Absolutely, glad you enjoyed!
I was fishing off the shore a few years ago and had a couple of large mouth bass on a stringer in the water. When I decided to move my spot I looked down and a snapping turtle was eating my bass! LOL Hey, I wasn't going to argue with him. I just waited for him to finish so I could get my stringer back. LOL
Haha I'm sure he appreciated your generous contribution
my current intrest are snapping turtles and this was really informational! thank you for this
Glad it was helpful!
Amazing video. Well done, thanks for sharing. That water looks pretty dirty though, I'm amazed it doesn't make you sick on some level.
Glad you enjoyed! I definitely made a point not to drink too much of the water haha
Cool bro!
Exciting and informative. 🥇
Thanks very much!
Great video. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching!
I loved seeing the actual snapping behavior. Hadn't seen it before. God, they're so fast!
Yeah they are awesome, it is how they make their living after all!
There was one crossing a road in a State park in Massachusetts almost 30 years ago, started to lift it but judged it to be too unwieldy, the road was low traffic so it made it across on it’s own. (Wompatuck).
Are they all around NC or just in certain areas? Great video btw. Look forward to each of your uploads!
These can be found all throughout North Carolina, but are active throughout much more of the year at the coast and in the Piedmont than the mountains. And thank you!
I just found a huge one in my yard in NE Minnesota.
Dude works out. He is shredded. Quads nicely defined and thick. Stay strong my man. Cool video. Lots of turtles around here in windsor ontario. Now i know how to safely move them and look like a pro...to pick up chics of course.
Yeah they come up from the lake and lay their eggs up the hill in the trees.... I move a couple across the road every year. 👍. Great information !
Good job. I live in McDowell County NC. Helped along a turtle (not a snapper) with yellow spots on his/her back.
Sounds like a spotted turtle, they are actually pretty rare here in NC!
Love this video.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Have handled a few of these creatures over decades and with varied circumstances, have come to respect them a great deal. I think their eyes are among the most beautiful of the animal kingdom. I've had a few that were recurrent captures to make acquaintance with and they become quite amenable to interacting, especially if you have a food item they like. I used to make "turt balls" out of ground up dog biscuits and canned cat food - they loved it. I've handled sizes up to about as large as the one in this video and you demonstrate such passionate knowledge, Kudos!!
They truly are stunning animals, sounds like you are a snapping turtle expert!
I remember one time I caught a snapping turtle and he didn’t really snap at me when I held him but he did try to bite me when i got to close to his head
In Pennsylvania there is actually a season . So I guess you could say they are somewhat protected in Pennsylvania. Beginning of July to the end of October is the season for snapping turtles.
That's a cool approach to management, it seems to be working up that way for the most part!
Thank you for your important message ❤❤❤❤
Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed!
You are a legend
Ben.. I have to say.. you most likely looked at your fingers after releasing her and said..
Whew.. still got all ten :)
Beautiful turtle 🐢
Yep pretty much. I don't think this one could've actually taken a finger, but it wouldn't have felt great either.
Nice find. She is a beautiful creature.
Thanks Ricky, she definitely is!
I found a little baby snapping turtle walking across our road we live in Pennsylvania and I can't think of any waterways or even near us it would be miles and miles away anyway this thing is about the size of a golf ball and I don't know what to do I don't know how to raise it or where to take it can you help
I would just re-release it where you found it, it probably had some goal in mind when it was crossing the road!
Great video. I'll bet a lot of people have been bitten by underestimating how long their neck is. It looked like it got pretty close to you a couple of times
Thanks!
Thanks so much for your support, Robert! I really appreciate your willingness to support my educational mission.
That was really a huge common snapping turtle... Wow, I love to catch one in the wild like that and bring it home as a pet... ☺️
Yeah it was awesome! I don't recommend capturing one as a pet though, they don't always do well in captivity.
There used to be a massive one, under a fallen tree where I fished awhile ago. It was totally hidden.
That intro. 😂😂
Good Video
Thanks Mark!
Thank you for sharing this information ! They are so beautiful ! 👍👍👍🥰🥰🥰😊😊😊
Thanks for watching, they really are incredible turtles!
Hey, I have a question. I found a turtle flipped over and it appeared to be hit by a car. It was on an overpass of a small stream passing under the roadway. I didn’t know which way it was heading, so I placed her back down in the grass on the same side that I found her. Neither side really seems like a great place for her to go. Did I do the right thing or did I just make it more difficult for her to get across once again? That was actually the second time I passed her and she was flipped over again in the shoulder
Sounds like you did the right thing, just getting her off the roadway and right-side up was probably very helpful.
@@TheWildReportOfficial hey thanks for getting back. Hope she persevered!❤️
Dude.... You just dove head first after something that can take fingers off!!!
Do not try this at home.
Really cool animals though, glad to see a big one.
Haha yeah do not attempt at home should have been at the beginning xD She was a huge girl, so lucky to have spotted her!
I seen a turtle laying eggs, she covered them up, I seen Turkey Vultures flying above, I have seen many turtle nest open and egg shells open on the ground, so I put a pile of leaves on top to camoflague them, I mountain bike there so I looked at the nest often, then one day I seen baby turtle tracks all headed for the lake, it wasn't far away, I was a proud grandpa.. LOL I have also seen turtles lay eggs, and on the next lap around seen a rottenccoon eating the eggss.. after that I tried the leaf deal and won against them rottencoons. Happy Trails
So these things are cool and help the balance of the body of water. As a bass fisherman, I’m on the fence on how to feel about them. If the snappers aren’t there, will bluegill/crappie overrun the small lake I fish? Bluegill/crappie are food for the bass. Should I off the snapper for hopes of higher quantity of bigger bass? I catfish sometimes, sometimes snappers come up. What should I do about that?
The snappers are likely not having a negative impact on the bass population, since they typically just eat whatever the most abundant food source is (usually smaller panfish). As far as the snappers pursuing your catfish, it'll probable keep happening since they think it's an easy meal opportunity. I'd just recommend switching to circle hooks so if you do accidentally get one on the line the hook shouldn't set too deep.
Do you know if the Florida snapping turtle is a subspecies of the common snapping turtle or are those both subspecies of the snapping turtle?
Great question, the Florida snappers are just a subspecies!
We have one named Moses in one of the lakes in my town
I guess a big question though is if say if hypothetically the eye infection could be cured, would mean sedating it probably at a vet, would be skeptical if sight could be restored for the most part but maybe or partially.
Bro just dove in 💀
I just pulled over in North Georgia this morning and got the biggest snapping turtle ive ever seen out of the road. He was bleeding a little but seemed ok. He was gone when i came back.
Thanks for helping it out!
Great video about the coolest turtles in the world
Thanks Mike!
I always enjoy seeing turtles especially snapping turtles.
Found one yesterday! Haven’t seen one in yearssssss
They are such a treat to observe in the wild!
I know of a snapping turtle oasis where I live in South Carolina. I go there to catch Catfish but end up snagging multiple snapping turtles the size of the one in this video and bigger! If there is any bait that they cant stand please do tell.
They will eat pretty much any fish bait, but you could potentially look into using barbless fish hooks that will be easier to fall out of their mouths if they do get snagged.
It's Turtle Man...!!!! Yeeeeee!!!! I notice how far out that turtles head and neck can stretch out....to reach up and around to chomp off half of your hand if you get too close.
Greetings from the BIG SKY of Montana. We have turtles here, but I've never seen a snapper yet.
Hi there! Yeah I'm sure your turtles have got to be pretty hard to find.
I grew up close to a huge pond in CT and turtles that size and larger would come up our street to lay eggs on an embankment. Always wondered why they walked 2 blocks away from the water to lay eggs. How did the hatchlings find their way back?
The females select nesting sites based on soil characteristics, often migrating to upland areas with sunnier, sandier soils to make the actual digging process easier in addition to expediting incubation. I think the hatchlings just move downhill, but they also may have a mechanism for smelling water.
@@TheWildReportOfficial That makes sense as we lived far uphill from the pond and the area used had very sandy soil facing East. Used to find the eggshell remains now and then next to our yard. Those huge turtles were like mini-tanks and caused quite an uproar when they appeared in the road. Unfortunately, they killed a lot of ducks and baby swans.
Turtle Power!
I like the info, I caught a 40 lbs turtle a couple days ago.
But snapping turtles have r selected reproduction.
I remember when I accidentally caught an alligator snapping turtle on a fishing trip in Arkansas. I was fishing with family for catfish when I saw that head pop out of the water that was about the size of my fist. Not even a minute later I felt jerking on my line. I reeled it in and he was ticked. We got him off the line and put him back but I have never forgotten that.
Wow, that must have been amazing!
THEY ARE PRECIOUS !!
They're just big grumpy water dragons!