That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information
Stories concerning immense Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) abound wherever this impressive reptile occurs, but most are difficult to substantiate. I’ve kept and observed this species from childhood. Once I embarked upon a career in herpetology, I had the good fortune of meeting a great many impressive Snapping Turtles and Snapping Turtle researchers, and was able to gather information on some true giants (I’ve encountered fewer Alligator Snapping Turtles, but one under my care weighed 206 pounds!). Today I’ll highlight some interesting facts and figures concerning larger-than-average snappers. I’d also like to draw your attention to a late-breaking threat to their survival. Sadly, a bill currently before the NYS Assembly will, if passed, allow commercial trapping of this magnificent animal. Please see below for further information, and check out this posting by turtle conservationist Allen Salzberg (scroll down to “Snapping Turtles under Attack”) for information on how to register your opposition to this ill-advised legislation.
Record-Sized Snappers
The largest Snapping Turtle I’ve handled tipped the scales at 68 pounds, and added more weight over time (please see photo). Its “straight line” carapace length was 18.6 inches (“straight line” means that the measurement was taken via calipers, as is done for published accounts; stretching a tape measure over the shell’s curve adds to the measurement). The largest wild-caught individual appears to be a 22 inch-long 76.5 pound behemoth captured in New Hampshire (most record-sized Snappers and Alligator Snappers originate from the northern part of the range). Turtles artificially fattened in captivity, such as the 82-86 pound animal frequently cited in field guides, are known.
How Common are Giant Snapping Turtles?
I gleaned the following information from conversations with colleagues and various reports. The turtles involved were collected in the northeastern USA, for the commercial food market, over a 28-year period ending in the early 1990’s.
Of 84,000 Snapping Turtles recorded, only 160 weighed 50 pounds or more. Amazingly, twenty two 50+ pound turtles were collected from a single lake, in a single day (this, of course, is very disturbing, and bodes terribly for the species…please see below). Of these 160 turtles, 3 or 4 topped the 60 pound mark. A 67 pounder held the record as the largest wild-caught snapper until the appearance of the 76.5 pound individual mentioned earlier. Since that time, another of 68 pounds has been collected.
All of the 50+ pound Snapping Turtles were males. The heaviest female on record weighed 44 pounds. Female Alligator Snappers are also substantially smaller than males, which may weigh over 200 pounds. As far as is known, no female of this species has exceeded 70 pounds in weight.
Large Urban Snappers
Uploaded by Frank Indiviglio
If undisturbed, Snappers often adapt to urban and suburban situations. I found two huge males (on land) near the Bronx River, on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo. One, which had an injured jaw, was quite emaciated but still weighed-in at 49 pounds. I installed him in an outdoor pond near the zoo’s Reptile House, where he recovered and “filled out” (see this article ).
Another male of 45 pounds or so was taken to Social Tee’s Animal Rescue, a wonderful facility operated by good friend and reptile expert Robert Shapiro. The reactions of passersby as we attended the huge beast on an East Village (NYC) sidewalk outside Social Tee’s were most amusing; please see this article. Several of the largest animals I’ve seen were taken from surprisingly small bodies of water on Long Island, NY.
An Imminent Survival Threat: Please Help!
As mentioned, legislation now before the NYS Assembly would legalize the trapping of Snapping Turtles. Currently, snappers may only be taken via gun or longbow in NY. Trapping is much more effective than hunting, and could quickly place this iconic reptile, which has beaten the survival odds even in NYC, in jeopardy. Legalized trapping would also result in the incidental capture of rare and endangered species such as Wood, Bog, Blanding’s and Spotted Turtles.
Uploaded by Frank Indiviglio
In the mid 1990’s, I spearheaded a project that sought to document mercury levels in Florida Soft-shell Turtles offered for sale in NYC food markets. Dangerous levels were found, but red tape and other factors intervened and nothing of substance was accomplished. Snapping Turtles have also been shown to accumulate toxins, but this seems not to be of concern to the NYS Senate, which has already passed the trapping bill (the Assembly has not yet voted…please see the link in this article’s Introduction if you wish to help).
Hello Frank
Firstly let me say your posts are very very interesting and educational, so I am very glad people like you exist to share your enthusiasm and knowledge!
So I am wondering could I ask your advice on the subject of the true size of common Snapping Turtles?
Do you personally believe that record 76.5lbs and 22 straight carapace shell size?? If so is that a one off freak of nature or do you believe they do grow this size or bigger? The reason why I ask this is of personal interest to me because in September 2005 I rehomed a unwanted Common Snapper witch I believe was handed into the zoo, and would have been put down humanly but a friend of my family thought he would rehome it, it had a 38mm straight carapace then, and over the past 9 years has out grown his tank half a dozen times, his straight line Carapace is now 17.5 inches, so basically I dident expect him to get this size and even this season alone has grown 1.75 inches alone and that’s the slowest rate of growth per year so far! So my question is when do you think he will stop growing? Should I prepare myself now for a 22inch carapace 86lbs monster in a few years time? I feed every third day, Turkey, Trout, or a Rat, is this good or bad? I would really Appreciate your reply as no one else seems to be able to give me a answer, and you seem to have a lifetime of experience with Common Snappers!
marckenny@gmail.com
Many thanks . . . Marc
Hello Marc,
Thanks for the kind words and interesting info.
The 76.5 pound 22 inch animal is for real…a colleague of mine at the BZ, and I believe the former curator also, looked into this carefully. The 82-86 pound animals often mentioned were captives.
There seems to be lots of variation among populations; genetics and diet likely involved…some swamps /lakes consistently produce huge animals (the trapper mentioned took 22 50+ lb animals from a single lake in a single day), others always seem to be populated by small adults. but there are those unique individuals…i.e. some of the huge males I’ve found in the Bronx River, where almost all are moderately sized, as far as I can tell after many decades of experience there.
You can expect yours to get heavier..length seems impossible to estimate. Trout and other whole freshwater fishes are ideal; they take carrion in the wild…an occasional meal of turkey meat would be fine, but try to stay with whole animals. I avoid furred rodents, although again they are taken in the wild..but digestion is a complicated process, and impactions could theoretically be possible. larger sized turtle chows are excellent…look into ZuPreem…they make a pellet suitable for large snappers. Crayfish, nighcrawlers etc are useful. I also use “seafood mixes” available at markets, especially in Korean/Chinese neighborhoods….mixed squid, fish, crab, shrimp, conch etc. Some marine-based foods are fine. Please keep me posted, and enjoy, Frank
Excellent and interesting article on Chelydra size and weight with mention of Macrochelys. Thanks for posting this and sharing on Facebook!
Thanks for taking the time to write in Jason, much appreciated! I have a few more related, I’ll post soon, best regards, Frank
interesting article.
Where can more info on this 22″ specimen be found?
I myself own a 20″ specimen and already published about him some years ago in a austrian magazine. At that time he did keep the size record. So would be very interested to get more data on this 22″ one. I captured an osceola myself in florida a few years ago that was 18″ scl.
Hello Torsten,
Thanks for the kind words…very interesting re the osceola – 18″ is exceptional, and I’ve not heard of any in the south reaching that size, thanks.
The 22″ animal was taken by a commercial trapper, John Rogers, in New Hampshire. It was a straight line measurement, via calpiers, and was weighed at the local post office (he has not revealed the exact location). A Bronx Zoo co-worker was in close contact with the trapper at the time, helping with measurements etc. Mr. Rogers kept very much to himself, was meticulous with records etc but most of his info in unpublished. I believe my co-worker published a note re this animal, and other notable specimens, in Herpetolgica or Herpetological Review in the early 1990’s. Hard to keep track of “records” etc. as there’s no organized reporting system for this. I was told that an article re other large animals taken by Mr Rogers was published in Yankee Magazine, June 1988, “The Man who Sleeps with Snappers”, but I’ve not seen it.
Best regards, Frank
It’s crazy that the males weigh so much more than the females.. I could expect a margin.. but the stats you gave show a real difference in weight! This was another great article by you Frank. I subscribed to your feed because I like what you write on and how you write it.. enough said haha! Keep writing for us my friend.
Thanks for the kind words, Amanda.
In some species, it goes the other way – i.e. female Barbour’s Map Turtles are so much larger than males hat they appear to be of a different species; diets between the sexes vary greatly as well, due the the size difference.
let me know if you need anything, enjoy, Frank
Hi Frank–
Do you know exactly where in New Hampshire that record 76.5 lb individual was found. I know the Merrymeeting River in Alton/New Durham has some truly gargantuan individuals and am wondering if it happened to have been discovered there.
Thanks very much!
SP
Unfortunately, I do not. They definitely can grow to a massive size when in the right environment.
-Josh