If the soil is too hard or rocky, she may try digging in several locations until the right conditions are found. A hole several inches deep is dug with the hind legs and about 20 to 40 round eggs resembling ping pong balls are laid and then covered with dirt. The eggs are left to hatch on their own which takes from 2 to 3 months. The Snapping Turtle has a bad reputation with the public due to its supposedly aggressive nature and because it is believed by many to heavily prey on game fishes and young ducks. In reality, the snapping turtle is largely a scavenger, prowling the pond and river bottom searching for diseased or dying fish and other small animals.
Snappers also consume quite a bit of plant material in their diet.
An occasional baby duck or other waterfowl may be eaten but many more are probably eaten by feral dogs, cats, and other wild animals during the night with the Snapper then being unjustly accused. The snapping turtle itself has long been eaten and relished by man and is used primarily in soups and stews. Young Snapping Turtles and snapper eggs are preyed upon by raccoons and many other animals. Snapping turtles are important components of our aquatic ecosystems. The Nature Center usually has several Snapping Turtles on exhibit, both in our Nature Lab and in the Main Exhibit Building.