How many eggs will a snapping turtle lay?

How many eggs will a snapping turtle lay?

One clutch of eggs is laid in May or June. With powerful hind legs, the female digs a shallow bowl-shaped nest in a well-drained, sunny location. Over a period of several hours, she lays approximately 20 to 40 creamy white, ping-pong ball-sized eggs.

How many eggs does a snapping turtle hatch?

They usually lay 20 to 40 eggs per nest, but they can lay up to 100 eggs. The eggs are perfectly round and white, much like ping-pong balls. The nests are vulnerable to predators, and around 80 percent of nests are destroyed every year. The eggs hatch after three to six months, depending on weather and species.

How many times does a snapping turtle lay eggs?

Unlike their sea turtle cousins, female snapping turtles lay just one clutch per year but they tend to nest almost every year. The exact range of how many eggs a turtle may lay varies according to the size of the mother.

How long does it take a snapping turtle to hatch?

80 to 90 days
The timing of hatching varies according to temperature and other environmental conditions, but the young gen- erally hatch in 80 to 90 days. In more northern areas, snapping turtles may overwinter in the nest in the hatchling state. Hatchlings use an “egg tooth” to break open the leathery shell.

How big are snapping turtle eggs?

Depending on when she mated, egg-laying may extend into autumn. She chooses a nesting site in an area of loose soil, sand, loam, vegetation debris or sawdust, where she digs a nest 4 to 7 inches deep. She will lay 20 to 40 soft-shelled, cream-colored eggs roughly the size and shape of a table tennis ball.

What do you do with unfertilized turtle eggs?

If you find any eggs, throw them away if they are unfertilized (which, of course, they will be if your turtle doesn’t have a male in her habitat). Keep an eye on your turtle for a few days, however. She may have more eggs to lay.