These colors may be an enhancement due to diet, water quality, or soil type. However, adults found in the same body of water rarely exhibit these colors. Adults are usually brown, gray, or nearly black. Neonate snapping turtles are very dark with some white flecking. Young snapping turtles usually have chestnut brown shells with lighter lines radiating from the centers of each scute.
All ages have strong jaws with a hooked beak, strong claws, and a long saw-toothed tail.
The subspecies found in Minnesota is the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina serpentina. The snapping turtle is found wherever permanent water exists. Lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, marshes, and water-filled ditches are used. Their strong jaws are capable of giving a serious, painful bite, although the resulting damage is sometimes exaggerated. While very pugnacious on land, they usually try to crawl or swim away if they are confronted underwater.