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2008 Presidential Election Poll
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wadem
JustNorth Veteran
Posts:51
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| 7/12/2006 6:47 PM |
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Hey, just me wadem;
Got one for you--
I've been on this silly computer thing looking for an answer.
Can Snappers smell under the water?
Monday I was out fishing with (slightly tainted) beef liver, looking for some cats.
Seems harmless enough, but heck no...
Caught two snappers within an hour.
They didn't bite when I was using "good" liver, (if there is such a thing) but jumped right on the (icky) stuff.
All I could find on this box is that Snapping Turtles eat almost anything, can gulp down food as large as the mouth, use the front legs and nails to tear food into bite size chunks, and (wow) eat plants for 1/3 to 1/2 of the diet.
I did not know that.
Any info from anyone would be great.
I want to not see anymore, unless I am gonna eat them.
By the way, they are yummy!!!!!!!
As a side note, they were in a nylon, (see my post on cat'n in the forums thing before you think I'm strange) So the yummy, that looks good thing don't count. I know cats can smell real good, but any info from you or others would be great.
I don't fish with |
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RandyMan
JustNorth Pro
Posts:619
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| 7/13/2006 8:38 AM |
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Hi Wadem,
Great question!
The common snapping turtle is rarely seen. Water is essential for these turtles to hibernate. Common snapping turtles are widespread across North America. They can be found as far south as Ecuador in South America.
The common snapper eats almost anything including fish, crabs, frogs, snails, insects, vegetable matter, small waterfowl, reptiles, and mammals. Its unique oval-shaped carapace (top part of the shell) widens toward the back where it is rough along the edges. This makes identifying the common snapping turtle easy. Along the top of the carapace, plates stick out in a "saw tooth" fashion. The plastron (under belly of the shell) is small compared to the carapace. Other identifiable characteristics of the common snapping turtle include muscular limbs, a long neck, and a large head with sharp snapping jaws. Snapping turtles have a good sense of smell, but they cannot see well.
Common snapping turtles can live to be 40 years old and weigh up to 75 pounds.
More on smell and behavior:
Snapping turtles communicate to mates with leg movements while the turtles face each other. Snapping turtles also use their sense of smell, vision, and touch to detect prey. They may sense vibrations in the water.
Snapping turtles will eat nearly anything that they can get their jaws around. They feed on dead animals, insects, fish, birds, small mammals, amphibians, and a surprisingly large amount of aquatic plants. Snapping turtles kill other turtles by biting off their heads. This behavior might be to protect their territory from other turtles or it may be a very inefficient feeding behavior.
Snapping turtles are solitary, which means that they live alone. Even though many turtles may be found in a small area, their social interactions are limited to aggression between individuals, usually males. The number of turtles found living in the same area depends on the amount of available food. Snapping turtles can be very vicious when removed from the water, but they become docile when placed back into the water. Snapping turtles like to bury themselves in mud with only their nostrils and eyes exposed. This burying is used to surprize prey. Snapping turtles have a small growth on the end of their tongues that looks like a wriggling worm. To capture fish, the snapping turtle opens its mouth to make the "worm" visible. When a fish comes to the worm, the snapping turtle grabs it with its strong jaws.
Hope this helps.
Enjoy the experience,
RandyMan |
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Randy "RandyMan" Johnson
JustNorth Outdoors Columnist
JustNorth Outdoors Pro Staff
Team JustNorth Core Team |
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CPRpro
JustNorth Veteran
Posts:63
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| 7/17/2006 2:46 PM |
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Cool info!
Has anyone ever trapped a snapping turtle? Is it legal? How do you clean them?
I have ate turtle - YUMMMMMY !! but would love to know more |
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