Are snapping turtles dangerous to people?

Question

My brother is obsessed with snapping turtles. In fact he dreams about them once a week. So I want to know if people have had any experiences that would suggest that they "are dangerous."

Answer 1

They most certainly are dangerous. The name snapping turtle was given to them with good reason! These are two species of snapping turtle, the common snapping turtle which is found throughout North America and the Alligator snapping turtle which is mostly restricted tot he southern U.S. Both of these species ahve the potential to be a dangerous animal. The Alligator snapping turtle which can weigh upwards of about 300 pounds has been documented to bite right through broom sticks and hockey sticks with ease. It can easily do the same to a human arm or leg. I have spent many childhood summers catching the common snapping turtle in southern Ontario. They can reach the size of a manhole cover and can easily sever a finger or toe. They are not the grueling monsters that some people make them out to be. When they are minding their own business there is no danger. When provoked, they will bite and they typically dont let go for some time. The best way to dislodge them is to hold their head underwater, it may take a while and may be painful, but there is no need to kill the animal because you diturbed it. YOU SHOULD NOT BE CUTTING THEIR HEADS OFF BECAUSE YOU INTISED THEM TO ATTACK YOU!!! I have even heard that they will not attack a person in defence undewater. Now this is just what I heard from a naturalist, and whether it is true or not I havent proven yet. The easiest way to handle them is to actually pick them up by the tail. Many people may think this is cruel, but their tails are heavily re-inforced with thick bone and thick skin, making it perfectly safe for the animal and the person. The claws are aslo quite damaging. I have never been bitten, but I have been scratched and let me tell you, it hurts. These turtles are incredibly strong on their feet. I have kept young snappers as pets for a couple weeks just to observe their behaviour and then I released them where I found them, it is a very rewarding experience. I find them very neat and impressive creatures. The reason they are aggressive I because they cannot retract into their shells as most other turtles can. Their plastron (ventral shell) is far too small for them to do that. As a result of their defence being comprimised, they develeoped a very effective offensive strategy. Just remember the business end is the one with the snapping jaws, if you can avoid that, then they can be handled, but you should always remain cautious. I hope that gave you some insight! Good Question.

Answer 2

Are Snapping Turtles Dangerous

Answer 3

Alligator Snapping Turtle Attack

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Are snapping turtles dangerous to people?
My brother is obsessed with snapping turtles. In fact he dreams about them once a week. So I want to know if people have had any experiences that would suggest that they "are dangerous."

Answer 5

My friend's uncle was swimming under a dock in Georgia, and found 3 turtles. When he reached out to pet one if them it gave him a pretty nasty bite. when they took him to the hospital they had to amputate the rest of what was his finger. so my advise to your brother is, to not get a snapping turtle as a pet. I once had a box turtle as a pet. it was great. and he only was about 8 dollars. Box turtles don't grow very big and they live pretty long.

Answer 6

Yes. Even the tiny ones can inflict a nasty bite, and the big ones (ancient) can well lop off a finger or toe.

And if you steer clear of the beak, some turtles carry diseases, including a strain of salmonella that wouldn't be good to ingest.

Answer 7

Going to sound a little bit country, but my great uncle catches large snapping turtles about 3 feet long. They are very mean and aggressive. When they get big enough, he butchers them for food. He cuts their heads off and places it on a pitchfork. I bullsh!t you not, their heads will move and contort for a couple of hours. They are very, and I mean very dangerous. He told me that if they bite you, they will not let go...that is if they didn't bite any extremity clear off of you. You have to cut their heads off. Even after you cut their heads off, it still will not let you go. You have to then pry it off of you.

Answer 8

Like most animals they will generally only hurt you if you mess with them. I've picked snapping turtles up twice--once to get one out of a friends' pool and once to help one across the road. Even grabbing them up by the sides of the shell I got a pretty good scratching.

Answer 9

yes thet are especally the aligator snapping turtle they could easily take off a finger or toe, even a hand if your really stupied

Answer 10

Yes, they are dangerous, but only if you put a body part near their mouth when it's annoyed. It's a turtle. How bad can the most dangerous turtle ever really be?