Common snapping turtles are omnivorous animals that will consume any type of plant or animal matter they can fit into their mouths, serving as important aquatic scavengers.
Nearly any type of vegetable is good for turtles, with the exception of those high in citric acid and phosphorous such as lettuce, tomatoes and mushrooms, which contain high concentrations of citric acid and phosphorous that block calcium absorption that is vital to maintaining strong bones and shells in turtles.
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Baby turtles
Young turtles require frequent feedings because their bodies develop quickly. Furthermore, they must have plenty of water available for swimming.
Turtles require a combination of pellets, fruits and vegetables in their diet. Pellets should make up most of their nutrition; when feeding fruits and veggies cut them up into bite-size pieces to facilitate eating by turtles who have small mouths.
Avoid feeding young turtles foods that can harm them, such as citrus fruits which can irritate their digestive systems and raw meat, which could contain salmonella which is fatal for turtles.
Young turtles should be fed leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach that are rich in calcium, potassium and vitamins. Furthermore, carrots, squash and zucchini can be given. Dandelions also contain vitamin A, calcium and potassium which should all be included as sources in their diet.
Juvenile turtles
Baby turtles require a diet consisting of both vegetables and animal matter to thrive, such as protein-based foods like worms, wax worms, bloodworms, earthworms snails minnows slugs as well as pellets. You can also offer aquatic plants like duckweed water hyacinth and floating pond grass as part of their food source.
Snapping turtles in the wild are slow swimmers and feed on an assortment of species such as fish (including slow moving non-game species), crayfish, water snakes, frogs and amphibians as well as dead animals from their environment.
As a rule of thumb, only feed your turtle what it can consume within 15 minutes to prevent obesity and fouling of water from decayed food. Due to their small mouths, you may need to cut up larger items into small pieces for easier eating. It is also important to sprinkle meals with calcium supplements and multivitamins so your turtle receives all necessary nutrition.
Adult turtles
Snapping turtles are omnivorous animals, meaning that they consume both plant- and animal-sourced foods. Snapping turtles consume leafy greens, carrot tops, zucchini, collard and kale leaves, red-leaf lettuces, watercress dandelion leaves and romaine lettuce as part of their diets. Chopping these into smaller pieces makes eating easier for these turtles.
These foods provide essential minerals and vitamins like calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium, thiamine and riboflavin – in addition to providing protein and omega-3 fatty acids in abundance.
Snapping turtles rely on their powerful jaws and aggressive personalities to fend off predators in the wild, lunging out with their long necks when necessary and eating whatever food comes their way if their preferred choice can’t be found. They’re opportunistic feeders too – taking whatever comes their way when searching for sustenance is hard or unavailable.
Feeding
Female Common Snapping Turtles dig shallow bowl-shaped nests in mud or grass and lay 20-40 creamy white, ping-pong ball-sized eggs before covering them to protect them from predators. They do this at daybreak.
Fertilizing their eggs requires water temperatures between 68-72degF for optimal success, and hatchlings feed on insects, frogs, amphibians, small turtles and fish as well as carrion. Turtles tend to prefer animal proteins over plant proteins in their diet.
Adult common snapping turtles tend to eat less as they age, with one rule of thumb being to offer food that fits comfortably inside their heads – this helps prevent obesity and food-fouling of their water source.
Snappers adapt naturally to extreme cold temperatures by entering a dormant state that lasts several months, so during this period it’s essential that they receive food at regular intervals. To help ensure their wellbeing, it is also essential that their daily needs are met during this timeframe.
