Species guide
Common snapping turtle
Can bite or stingChelydra serpentina
What does Common snapping turtle look like?
A large, rugged turtle with a dark knobbly shell, a long saw-toothed tail, a big head and a hooked beak, and a small cross-shaped plastron that leaves the legs exposed.
Is Common snapping turtle dangerous?
Placid in water, but on land it feels exposed and can lunge and bite with a powerful, fast strike that can seriously injure fingers. It is not venomous.
What should I do about Common snapping turtle?
Give it space. To move one off a road, push it with a flat shovel or lift only from the very back of the shell near the tail base — never near the head.