Yard Critter - Common Snapping Turtle

Common Snapping Turtle

Patty was out in the yard, watering plants when she spied this critter.

Initially spotted under the Crabapple Tree, by the time I saw it it was making its way toward the fish pond.

As it is 94° F outside who could blame it? But the fish pond it not an appropriate place for this critter.

Snapping turtles like to be in the mud at the bottom of a pond. And the fish pond has no mud. Just some rocks on top of the 'rubber' liner.

So I lifted snappy up and transported it to the back pond, heeding the warming from the NJDEP Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of New Jersey:

"Be careful if you attempt to handle this animal: it can defend itself vigorously, and the powerful jaws can cause considerable damage."

It calmed down when I held it upside down. Neither I, nor the turtle, were harmed in this encounter.

And now we have two turtles living in the back pond. Snappy and Hamster.

🐢  🐢  🐢  🐢  🐢

You can find all of the Yard Critter posts listed here.