Snapping Turtles, beware these beasties!

When I was living in Idaho and Washington, about the only turtles we ever encountered were the little painted turtles, which (as turtles go) are a pretty friendly bunch. After I moved to Missouri, I discovered the snapping turtle. Those hideous creatures look like they belong in Jurassic Park, and would fit right in with a T-Rex, in my opinion!! Talk about a nasty disposition, those turtles will literally attack a person. Where the normal turtle just kind of crawls along, the snapping turtle, once he has caught sight of you, will stand straight up on those stumpy legs of his, and come at you, mouth open, and hissing viciously.

My first sight of one of these creatures, was seeing one crawling down the side of the road, spikey back and tail, and looking absolutely prehistoric. I got out of the car to look closer at this turtle. I had heard about snapping turtles before; but don't think that I had ever seen a picture, and was not prepared for something that ugly. Even worse, was when the snapping turtle saw me! He turned around, raised up on his legs , and started coming after me. You can bet that I soon decided that I had seen all of a snapping turtle that I wanted to see, got back in my car and left.

I can't imagine eating one of those things!! Even for a mud-crawling turtle, they look awful. Some kind of algae or moss grows on the shell, and they even smell terrible. I don't think that I want to eat a turtle in the first place; and I sure wouldn't want to eat a snapping turtle unless he was well scrubbed down first. The first person to catch and eat one of these critters was either very brave or very hungry!

 

I live on a riverbank. Snapping turtles come up towards the house in the summer. I usually know it because the dog goes crazy barking at it. I'm more concerned for turtle biting dog than the other way around, so I move the turtle back down to the river with a long handled shovel. Very gingerly, I might add as I don't know their lunging ability. Scary to be even that close. They pretty much cover a shovel head with just the shell.

 

I remember being shocked to hear that turtles could be dangerous, but it is true. Oddly enough my favorite basketball team is the terrapins, so that always gives me a good laugh. They are something to look out for, but not really around where I am.

 

We don’t have those snapping turtles here but my cousin had once taken care of a pair in their backyard. The turtle would eat anything and yeah, it is dangerous to play with it because it can snap on your hand and amputate your finger. I can imagine the risk that you go to when the campsite has the potential of having those turtles. But for real hunters like my father, I’m sure he would be willing to eat the meat of that turtle.