Alligator snapping turtle vs common snapping turtle fight

If you live within a few miles of a pond, lake or stream, you could step outside one morning and come face-to-face with a pound reptile.

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between an alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys temminckii and a common snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina? As babies, the differences between the alligator snapping turtle and common snapping turtle are a tad harder to notice. As common snappers mature, the dorsal ridges become smaller, and the shell smooths out. The alligator snapping turtle keeps their ridges throughout its entire life. They keep their spiky ridges into adulthood. Even their skin seems tougher , with more bumps and wrinkles. Their heads are angular , taking on an almost triangular appearance from above, and their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head.

Alligator snapping turtle vs common snapping turtle fight

The alligator snapping turtle Macrochelys temminckii is a large species of turtle in the family Chelydridae. The species is native to freshwater habitats in the United States. The specific epithet temminckii is in honor of Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck. Although it was once believed that only one extant species exists in the genus Macrochelys , recent studies have shown that there are two species, the other being the Suwannee snapping turtle M. The alligator snapping turtle is given its common name because of its immensely powerful jaws and distinct ridges on its shell that are similar in appearance to the rough, ridged skin of an alligator. It is also slightly less commonly known as "the loggerhead snapper" not to be confused with the loggerhead sea turtle or loggerhead musk turtle. The alligator snapping turtle is found primarily in freshwaters of the southeastern United States. They are generally found only in bodies of water that flow into the Gulf of Mexico and usually do not occur in isolated wetlands or ponds. A study found that the turtles prefer places with canopy cover, overhanging trees, shrubs, dead submerged trees, and beaver dens. There are non-native established invasive populations of the alligator snapping turtle in South Africa.

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The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Have you ever mistaken an alligator snapping turtle with a common snapping turtle? Well, when young, both turtles have a similar appearance and habits. But once grown, these turtles show several dissimilarities. Here is a brief comparison between common snapping turtle vs. Common snapping turtles are medium-sized, enjoy an average lifespan, and are less aggressive. Also, these turtles are omnivorous and easier to take care of.

The sight of a snapping turtle is enough to give most people pause, given their reputation for being able to inflict damage with their powerful, snapping jaws. The world is home to just two species of snapping turtles — common snapping turtles and alligator snapping turtles — and both live in Illinois. Even though both species live in the state, odds are if you've seen one, it's a common snapping turtle. How can we be so sure? First, because alligator snapping turtles live mainly in the southeastern United States, although their range does extend into southern Illinois, according to the Illinois News Bureau. However, they do not live as far north as Will County. That means if you see a snapper in our area, it's a common snapping turtle. And as their name would imply, common snapping turtles are quite common, while alligator snapping turtles are quite rare across most of their range. In fact, alligator snappers are listed as threatened or endangered in most of the states where they live, according to National Geographic. In Illinois, the alligator snapping turtle is one of five turtles listed as endangered, along with Blanding's turtles, spotted turtles, yellow mud turtles and river cooters.

Alligator snapping turtle vs common snapping turtle fight

When I got my first common snapping turtle, I was completely lost, so I quickly searched for a care sheet, but all I could find were care guides that told me where they live, how big they get and other not-so practical information. So I had to learn things the hard way. Now that more than 5 years have passed, it seems that most care sheets still cover the same things, so I decided to make my own care sheet which covers things that really matter, and which you can only learn through experience. Here are some of the things that I will cover in this guide:. Common Snapping turtles are omnivores, which means that they will eat fruits, vegetables, as well as meat, insects, and pellets. A well-balanced diet for a pet common snapping turtle will be mainly based on pellets, with the occasional fruits, vegetables, and dried insects. The 5 categories are:. Citric acid irritates the stomach of a turtle, and phosphorus blocks the absorption of calcium shock is essential for a healthy bone structure and shell.

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Hand feeding is dangerous. S2CID However, there are many cases where the wild snapping turtle has outlived a captive one. The states where you will find alligator snapping turtles are Iowa, northern Florida, west Texas, east Georgia, etc. Common snapping turtles readily include aquatic vegetation and roots in their diets. It may also hunt diurnally, however. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. Both species spend almost their entire lives in water, with females coming on land to build nests and lay eggs. The Buzz. They keep their spiky ridges into adulthood. The alligator snapping turtle is sometimes captive-bred as a pet and is readily available in the exotic animal trade. Females are much smaller, weighing about 50 pounds. Both are long-lived animals, with common snapping turtles living about 30 years and alligator snapping turtles living between 10 and 45 years. Subscribe to our digital newsletters The Compass is full of District news and general interest nature stories, while Get Going highlights the must-do programs for the coming week. Do you know you can calculate the age of a snapping turtle by its weight?

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research. Have you ever mistaken an alligator snapping turtle with a common snapping turtle?

Due to its potential size and specific needs, it does not make a particularly good pet for any but the most experienced aquatic turtle keepers. The Southwestern Naturalist. In fact, they are the largest freshwater turtles in the world, National Geographic reports. Genus synonymy [3] Macroclemys Gray , Gypochelys Agassiz , Species synonymy [3] Testudo planitia Gmelin , nomen suppressum Chersine planitia — Merrem , Chelonura temminckii Troost in Harlan , nomen conservandum Emysaurus temminckii — A. For example, size, age, exclusiveness, etc. S2CID Notify of. Archived from the original on August 26, Similarly, some alligator snapping turtles hibernate for a few months or not at all. The inside of the turtle's mouth is camouflaged, and it possesses a vermiform worm-shaped appendage on the tip of its tongue used to lure fish , a form of aggressive mimicry. In This Article. The sight of a snapping turtle is enough to give most people pause, given their reputation for being able to inflict damage with their powerful, snapping jaws.