Snappers derive their common name from their tendency to strike or snap in defense when threatened and can indeed cause damage with powerful jaws. You really can’t let them bite you. Their plastron is smaller and offers minimal protection, but this is perhaps what they make up for with their aggressiveness. They are known for their dinosaur-like and prehistoric-looking appearance featuring spiky shells and primitive-looking faces.
Scientifically, snappers are described as Testudo serpentina, and are the largest freshwater turtles with a large round flat shell that has serrated edges at the rear. Snapping turtles possess arguably the most extended tails of all turtles.
The common snapping turtle and alligator snapping turtle are the only species still existing in the family Chelydridae, which are commonly found in North America and the Gulf of Mexico. Some taxonomic studies link the big-headed turtle from Southeast Asia to this family, although various genetic studies do not establish a true relationship.
Their habit preferences include lakes, marshes, canals, creeks, and sluggish rivers. They prefer to feed on small rodents such as squirrels, muskrats, nutrias, worms, frogs, and fish. Since they are omnivores, snapping turtles also eat plants, grass, fruits, and acorns.
The males and females of this semi-aquatic species travel for several miles over during the nesting season and will occasionally aestivate for long periods. It’s no wonder they show up in the strangest of places, such as under rocks, in gardens, and even window wells.
Although most snapping alligator turtles reside in the wild, some owners have adopted these fascinating creatures as pets. If you are one of these owners or just curious, it’s not easy to determine the gender of snapping turtles, especially when dealing with hatchlings. Fortunately, when you look closely, you can spot a few differences between the boys and girls of this turtle species.
By the end of this guide, you should be able to tell the sex of a snapping turtle. Keep reading.
How Can You Tell the Sex of a Snapping Turtle: 5 Gender Differences of Male and Female Snapping Turtles
Size
Size is a significant clue in determining whether a snapping turtle is male or female. Males appear significantly more prominent than females. In extreme cases, males can weigh over 250 pounds, while females weigh a maximum of just 50 pounds. Typically, males weigh approximately 150 pounds, which is still heftier compared to big females. However, it’s tricky to tell the difference between the genders at a young age by size, and you might want to wait for at least two years to get a solid confirmation.
Reproductive Behavior
Snapping turtles are highly aquatic in nature and can seldom be observed basking. If you get the opportunity to observe these turtles closely, their behavior might give you a clue about their gender. As with most turtles, the male initiates mating acts using visual cues while the female opposes and sometimes becomes aggressive. The male will face the female directly and display characteristic leg movement to seduce the female and signal their intent. When she gives consent, the male will climb on top of her shell and tightly clutch onto her using the feet. The female can store the sperm for up to 3 years before laying. However, snappers mature really slowly and could take about 11 years to become fully sexually mature. Surprisingly, both males and females attain reproductive capabilities at around the same age. One thing about snapping turtles, they do not look over the offspring once they hatch. Perhaps, it’s why they lose so many of them to predatory birds and raccoons.
Position of the Cloaca
In addition to the shape and size of the tail, the position of the cloaca of a snapping turtle can tell whether it’s male or female. Turtles have a cloaca which is essential for oxygen intake underwater. Males have a cloaca situated further from the base and beyond the edge of the carapace, which facilitates the mating process with the female. In contrast, the female’s cloaca is closer to the base, just below the edge of the shell. In other words, a cloaca that’s halfway down the tail is characteristic of a male snapper.
Size of the Shell
The size of a snapping turtle’s shell and the shape of it differs between female and male. Adult female turtles have longer shells than males slightly. The underside of the shell has more distinctive signs, with male turtles having concave plastrons to fit over a female’s shell while mating. Female snappers have flatter plastrons to increase room internally for growing eggs.
Presence of a Tail Notch
male snapping turtles have a small notch at the rear end of their carapaces. This ‘V-shaped notch accommodates the tail while the turtle is mating to avoid crushing the tail against the underside of the shell. Female snapping turtles, on the other hand, have a flat carapace.
Incubation Temperature
According to data obtained by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admisnratrion (NOAA) researchers, the gender of fertilized turtle eggs is determined by the incubating temperature. This is because sex determination in turtles is hormone-dependent, and the ongoing temperature dictates which hormones get to be produced, effectively setting the gender of the offspring. Research shows that turtle eggs incubated below 81.86 degrees Fahrenheit will be male, while those incubated above 87.8 degrees Fahrenheit will be female.
Turtle eggs incubated between the two extremes will produce mixed males and females. When the sand surrounding the incubated eggs gets warmer, the ratio of females to males in the brood increases. However, if the temperatures continue rising beyond 95 degrees Fahrenheit, the eggs might not get hatched due to lethal incubation conditions.
Wrap Up
The main differences between male and female snapping turtles are in the structure of the tails, where the males have longer and thicker tails. The cloacal opening tends to be located much further from the plastron’s edge than females for reproductive reasons. If you are having problems identifying the sex of a snapping turtle, you can get in touch with your vet, and they will help you examine the turtle.