Hobbies And Interests
Habitat
Though snapping turtles originated on the East Coast, they are now found in North, South and Central America. In the United States they live east of the Rocky Mountains but also make their home as far north as Canada and even as far south as Ecuador. Snapping turtles are freshwater turtles that live near lakes, ponds, streams and rivers and spend much of their time in shallow water.
Body
We call them snapping turtles for their extra long neck that sticks out without a moment's notice and a strong jaw that can hurt you very badly if you are not careful. Their mouth will snap away at anyone that tries to pick them up, therefore they do not make a pleasant pet. The carapace (shell) of the turtle is a greenish brown, and as the turtle ages, moss will sometimes grow on it. There is also another shell layer beneath the carapace called the plastron. The plastron is typically a yellow color. To live in the water, the snapping turtle needs to have webbed feet to help it swim, as well as a long tail.
Diet
Snapping turtles are scavengers and eat just about whatever they can find. They are omnivores, which means that they eat their vegetables as well as meat. Their favorite meal is usually the dead body of an animal, which is typical of scavengers. They feed on plants and other food items along the bottoms of rivers, lakes and streams but they also like to hunt small live animals such as fish and frogs.
Snapping Turtle Babies
Even though snapping turtles spend most of their lives in the water, they usually travel long distances away from the water to lay their eggs in order to keep them as safe as possible. Mother turtles lay eggs this way to keep pollution and the destruction of the habitat from harming their eggs. Mother snapping turtles have the ability to become pregnant but not form their eggs until they've found the safest of conditions.