Animal of the Week: snapping turtle
This common snapping turtle was admitted to Wild Instincts on Nov. 13, 2012, after being found in a well pit in someone’s barn. It was determined to be too skinny to be released at that time so it’s been overwintered. One can tell if Wisconsin’s largest and heaviest turtle species is skinny by the missing the folds of fatty skin around the neck.
They will soon be crossing roadways to lay eggs on roadsides, driveways or in yards. Eggs generally hatch in about 63 days. Temperature affects the sex of the hatchlings with warmer temps producing more females and cooler temps producing more males.
Snappers must feed under water as they need water pressure to swallow.
If you’d like to help a snapper safely cross the road, please do not pick it up by its tail! This very traumatic to it and also is dangerous to you as their necks can stretch farther than you think. Guiding it across the road in the direction it was traveling is easily accomplished with a snow shovel.
Wild Instincts can be reached for injured and orphaned wildlife emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (715) 362-WILD (9453).
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