In one incident, an alligator snapping turtle bite led to infection that caused a young man to have a “near total amputation” of his finger. While their claws are very sharp, they use them primarily for digging and gripping. If you don’t see any drops of blood coming out of your fingers, just wash the biting place with soaps. In comparison with alligator snapping turtles, common snapping turtles or Chelydra serpentina are much smaller in size measuring 1.4 ft long and weigh 16 Kgs. The long necks of the softshell turtle mean that it can reach back to bite you. Regardless, turtles such as cooters, sliders, and even map turtles can still deliver painful if not innocuous bites. Leave a comment below! Tortoises are herbivores and very docile in nature. Why are they called snapping turtles? However, they can mistakenly bite a human. If you have been bitten by a turtle, you may need to treat it depending on the severity of the bite. Snapping turtle is one of the docile looking creatures to which you wouldn’t dare to feed with your hand. The common snapping turtle is a rugged and muscular looking turtle. Weight: females: 23 kg (50.7 lb) on average, malesup to: 80 kg (176.4 lb), the heaviest confirmed records – 113 kg (249 lb) and 135 kg (298 lb) 4. Aggressive turtles prone to biting include the common snapping turtle, the alligator snapping turtle, and softshell turtles (Apalone). WTF Fun Fact – Snapping Turtles Bite March 8, 2020 Common snapping turtles have no teeth but they can produce 1000 PSI bite force with their sharp beak and firm jaws, which is more than enough to bite off a finger. The following have the top spots on the PSI scale. Saltwater Crocodile (4,000 PSI) "Don't worry, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep—in … A snapping turtle can exert a force of over 600 Newton when biting, but a human can exert twice the force between the second molars. It has a wide geographical range and as such, it isn’t uncommon to come across them. Wild alligator turtles generally have less size compared to those in captivity and weigh not more than 50 Kgs. Captive turtles are more tolerant of human interaction and hardly bite. Well, all of these turtles are pretty large in size and are found in wild regions of central and southern America. In comparison, the average bite force of a human (molars area) is between 300 and 700 Newtons. But it does not mean that they can’t if given the chance. The alligator snapping turtle can be found in the southeastern U.S. As these turtles are... Common snapping turtle. Young turtles are more likely to be aggressive, however, as they grow used to you they become less aggressive. That is how they can pierce even the hard things. Some especially wild ones may even refuse to eat while you’re around. Even if someone manages to take its hand out of snapping turtles mouth the wound caused by turtles beak is more prone to catch a serious infection. However, for shallow cuts that draw blood, you need to properly clean and treat the injury before seeking professional medical treatment. ANSWER: According to a study in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology from 2002, a snapping turtle's actual jaw strength registered between 208 and 226 Newtons of force. The bite force of snappers. Submerge the turtle, and it should let go. With a larger bite force and smaller size, common snapping turtles become far more dangerous than the alligator snapping turtles. If given the choice between fight and flight, … There are a total of 5 subspecies of snapping turtles that are spread over America. Alligator snapping turtles come under the genus Macrochelys whereas common snapping turtle comes under the Chelydra genus. This may seem odd but turtles are known to bite their own limbs. However, for shallow cuts that draw blood, you need to properly clean and treat the injury before seeking professional medical treatment. While both categories possess many different physical properties, they both are known as snapping turtles due to their similar biting behavior. All their organs are inside the shell. However, if provoked it is quite capable of delivering a powerful bite which can easily amputate fingers or cause other significant injuries such as cuts. “At 65 lbs, this one was a youngster, as this species can reach weights exceeding 200 lbs. The bigger the turtle, the more power the bite will have. Coyote Peterson is the face of the Brave Wilderness YouTube channel. If you have ever considered bringing a pet tortoise into your home, you have probably wondered if they could potentially bite you while you are caring for it. Also, some species are more prone to aggressive behavior than others are. But remember, snapping turtles have a sharp beak like mouth that can cut. You can lay a tarp or blanket under the turtle and pick up the blanket/tarp with the turtle in the middle. As the turtle gets used to you and its environment, it will learn to tolerate you. Box Turtles Bite Treatment: Do’s and Don’ts. Jaguars are 2000 psi. Regardless of this, avoid picking them or approaching them if you can. *BITE TEST* Leave a comment, Like, & DON'T forget to SUBSCRIBE if you haven't already! If the bite draws blood, then you need to treat it with antibiotics as turtles carry salmonella. Similarly, wild turtles are more likely to bite than captive-bred turtles. It actually takes thousands of pounds of pressure to crush a turtle shell. This varies not just from one species to another but also from one individual turtle to another. The alligator snapping turtle bites with a bite force of 160 Newton whereas, common snapping turtles possess a higher bite force of around 210 Newtons. BOOYAH! They have very long tails which can be almost as long as the turtle itself. They don’t have the bite force to break the skin. The size of the turtle determines the strength of its shell. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, Snapping Turtle Types and Their Bite Forces. However, if it’s on a road, you may be compelled to move it to safety. Sometimes, a turtle will hold on once it has bitten you. In comparison, Crocodiles with the strongest bite have a force of 16,460 newton, and humans have a bite force of around 890. Carapace length: 35 – 80.8 cm (13.8 – 31.8 in) 3. These can easily break wooden broomsticks in half with their bites. Regular handling is very stressful for the turtles. Softshell turtles can easily be identified by their tough leathery shell. They also prefer to stay underwater, where they can flee quickly from any threat instead of attacking. Even though he did manage to take his finger out of the turtle’s mouth it was bleeding heavily and caught a serious infection. However, many also possess strong powerful bites which they will use to protect themselves when threatened. “Many species of turtle can live a minimum of 50 years and others more than 100,” they wrote. Softshell turtle bites are generally painful. It finally resulted in the traumatic amputation of his finger. They know humans aren’t a threat and instead view humans as a food source. Most American softshell turtles reach lengths of 5 to 11 inches as adults, although the Florida softshell is known to reach lengths of 24 inches. So unless you want to lose some digits, I advise that you stay away from wild snapping turtles. Alligator snapping turtles have really long claws, a very strong shell that most of the alligators can’t even break and a very sharp beak which produces very high pressure. If you must, there are several ways to safely move it without getting bitten. However, both turtles belong to different genera. It can very easily chop off your finger from your hand as soon as it closes its mouth. The beak is used to pierce into the flesh of its prey and kill it. Even though these turtles are smaller, this doesn’t mean they are any less than them when it comes to biting. The two most popular snapping turtles are the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) and the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii). Alligator snappers can easily be distinguished by distinct ridges on their carapace that resembles spikes or the rugged ridged skin of an alligator. By comparison, humans average a bite force of between 300 and 700 Newtons when we bite with our molars. Posted on Last updated: December 9, 2020 By: Author Brock Yates. As time goes on, they will warm up to you and begin to view you as a friendly presence. There was such an incident that happened in Mexico, where the man got bit by an alligator snapping turtle on his finger. Unlike dogs or even cats, turtles prefer to be left alone unless it’s feeding time (do not touch them while they feed). https://animalhype.com/reptiles/snapping-turtle-bite-force-brutal-bite Some people say that they have a bite force equal to that of an alligator but it is not true. Hi, I am Elise McDonald, a wildlife blogger, and author. Bite force:140 – 176 kgf (308 – 388 lb) 5. Also, a turtle may think your fingers are food and may try to have a taste, this is normal with newly acquired turtles. Lifespan:20 – 70 years in ca… Well, there have been only a couple of cases where people lost their toe finger. I've been working with the National Wildlife Federation for the past five years. They will not bite unless provoked but once they do their strong jaws can do much damage. 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