Meet The Snapping Turtle, Connecticut’s Largest Freshwater Turtle

It's been a long, dry Summer in Connecticut, the kind where bugs get big and our wildlife thrives. Today I pulled into my driveway to find the little visitor you see in the photo above - a baby snapping turtle.

Common Snapping Turtle are natives and found across Connecticut, they are the largest freshwater turtle in our state, and can grow to be around a foot wide and weigh 10-35 pounds according to ct.gov. They have long tails and a sharp, hooked beak that can produce a loud snap as they clamp down on whatever comes close. Snapping turtles are omnivores, they will eat fish, snakes, fish, plants, and ambush turtles, birds, and small mammals as they grow.

Are Snapping Turtles Harmful to Humans and Our Pets?

I made the mistake of trying to pick up a 2–3-pound snapper when I was a kid, I came in from behind and picked it up mid-shell, and almost got bit as the turtle showed how long it's neck is. You might think that there's no way for it to reach, maybe you've watched too many wildlife shows - don't do it. Many have been bitten after picking one up trying to help it cross a road. Snapping turtle bites are no joke, adults can easily break through our skin. Here's a photo of an adult that my brother found laying eggs in his driveway in Middlebury.

Snapping turtles lay their eggs in May/June, and the eggs hatch in three months. This little fella was born on the banks of the Naugatuck River and went about 200 yards before he found my driveway. If it's lucky it can live up to 40 years, and if you're wondering I did gently move it to the grass away from the road.