Question: How big do snapping turtles get and how long do they live ?

Answer: Common snapping turtles live up to about 40 or 50 years. Usually the captive snappers kept as pets live longer than their wild cousins. The alligator snapping turtles on the other hand live uch longer and it is believed that they can reach a 100 years or so. The common snappers can grow to quite impressive sizes in captivity. A weight of 40 - 50 pounds is not uncommon, and some people reported having a snapper as heavy as 80 pounds. Again, the alligator snapping turtle is much bigger. It is the largest North American turtle and not uncommon to find one at around 120 pounds. The record weight for alligator snapper is over 260 pounds. To find out more about snapping turtle growth please click here. Thanks for asking! Stan

             Past entries click here.