Well, the study says that snapping turtles have strong jaws and should be handled with extreme care. While wild turtles are quick to bite, pet turtles usually aren’t. Some people say that they have a bite force equal to that of an alligator but it is not true. Some especially wild ones may even refuse to eat while you’re around. Saltwater Crocodile (4,000 PSI) "Don't worry, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep—in … As adults their powerful jaws can cut through flesh and can even remove a finger or toe! 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. However, for shallow cuts that draw blood, you need to properly clean and treat the injury before seeking professional medical treatment. The common snapping turtle can be found from southeastern Canada all the way down to Florida. Turtles have different personalities. Just make sure that the shovel is square across the bottom of the turtle’s shell. Godzilla Snapping Turtle VS Soda Can! This varies not just from one species to another but also from one individual turtle to another. What’s your experience with turtle or tortoise bites? This isn’t true of big turtles such as several softshells and snapping turtles. If you want to estimate the force of the snapping turtle’s bite, let me tell you that an average human can bite with a force of 160 to 180 newtons. Regular handling is very stressful for the turtles. Baby snapping turtles, as their name suggests, can be aggressive and bite. Even though he did manage to take his finger out of the turtle’s mouth it was bleeding heavily and caught a serious infection. Captive turtles are more tolerant of human interaction and hardly bite. The bigger the turtle, the more power the bite will have. Regardless, turtles such as cooters, sliders, and even map turtles can still deliver painful if not innocuous bites. https://animalhype.com/reptiles/snapping-turtle-bite-force-brutal-bite BOTH VARIETIES AVOID CONTACT WITH PEOPLE. Jaguars are 2000 psi. Captive-bred cooters, map turtles, box turtles, sliders, and painted turtles are less likely to bite. or college and watching MythBusters or a similar show that tested bite force that I realized how insanely powerful the bite of an alligator snapping turtle is and how nobody should ever get near them without an expert on hand. In fact, they just barely make the top 10 and are edged out by Hyenas with a bite force of 1,100psi. It finally resulted in the traumatic amputation of his finger. Popular turtle species such as sliders (Trachemys scripta), cooters (Pseudemys), and map turtles (Graptemys) can bite you when scared. The turtle may even be trying to consume the skin it’s shedding. Wild alligator turtles generally have less size compared to those in captivity and weigh not more than 50 Kgs. While their claws are very sharp, they use them primarily for digging and gripping. Species such as the common snapping turtles, the alligator snapping turtles, and several softshell turtle species are more prone to biting. Box turtles seem to be very peaceful and docile creatures, so you wouldn’t expect to see one of them trying to bite someone. BOOYAH! The bite force of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle from hatching to a full-grown adult has been measured by many researchers. *BITE TEST* Leave a comment, Like, & DON'T forget to SUBSCRIBE if you haven't already! If you are curious enough to find out what these bites can do or how strong these bites are, keep on reading this article till the end. If you want to pick up an adult alligator snapper, you need to grab the carapace edge right before the tail and just behind the head. Alligator Snapping Turtle with a PSI of 1004: Though they have no teeth they do have a strong bite. Softshell turtles can easily be identified by their tough leathery shell. Box turtles may also bite when handled although this is rare. 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. Snap-happy turtle takes a bite out of sunbather's lilo and sends her splashing onto a nearby jet ski as the sea creature circles back for another … It wasn’t until I was in H.S. This may seem odd but turtles are known to bite their own limbs. These 5 subspecies are further divided into 2 major categories: Chelydra and Macrochelys. By comparison, humans average a bite force of between 300 and 700 Newtons when we bite with our molars. Nile Crocodile – Bite Force : 5000 psi. Body length:79 – 101 cm (31 – 39.8 in) 2. In fact, average wild common snapping turtles produce larger bite force which is around 210 newtons. 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 is said that an empty box turtle shell can resist up to 200 times its weight. Also, a turtle may think your fingers are food and may try to have a taste, this is normal with newly acquired turtles. “Many species of turtle can live a minimum of 50 years and others more than 100,” they wrote. Snapping turtles can produce 1000 PSI of pressure force with the help of sharp beak and strong jaws which is more than enough to bite off the finger. The skin may be stuck and as such, the turtle may be trying to loosen the skin so it can easily fall off. Now, you can imagine why is it dangerous to put your finger in its mouth. The common snapping turtle is a rugged and muscular looking turtle. Also, some species are more prone to aggressive behavior than others are. It is very near to the Royal Bengal Tiger’s bite pressure which is around 1050 PSI. thomas September 30, 2015 Reply. Although they have good eyesight, they can mistake your leg for a shrub and try to bite it.they can also mistake your toes for berries or even worms. Alligator turtles due to strong jaws can produce a high bite force of nearly 160 to 170 newtons. With a larger bite force and smaller size, common snapping turtles become far more dangerous than the alligator snapping turtles. However, for shallow cuts that draw blood, you need to properly clean and treat the injury before seeking professional medical treatment. Since snapping turtles are common, you can easily find them. They don’t have a very high bit force but they can convert that force into a very high pressure using their beak. It is the pressure that occurs when a single force is put on one square inch of an area. Box Turtles Bite Treatment: Do’s and Don’ts. Common snapping turtles hunt down the fishes and other aquatic creatures by chasing them and crushing them in their mouths. Well, snapping turtles are widely known for their deadly bites with very high force. Snapping turtles got their name because they will snap at you when threatened. Alligator snappers can easily be distinguished by distinct ridges on their carapace that resembles spikes or the rugged ridged skin of an alligator. The difference is made by the snapping turtle’s sharp beak which creates a very high pressure (nearly 1000 PSI) far more than a human produces. Spikes protrude from all … This is especially true when they are not used to you or their environment. the snapping turtle is wrong. The species is capable of biting through the handle of a broom and there … Well, there have been only a couple of cases where people lost their toe finger. This can cause the turtle serious injuries. For small turtles such as sliders (Trachemys scripta), cooters (Pseudemys), and map turtles (Graptemys), the worst is usually a shallow cut. This is a must as turtles carry salmonella. A common snapping turtle, yes. In comparison, Crocodiles with the strongest bite have a force of 16,460 newton, and humans have a bite force of around 890. They can be found in the Florida Panhandle all the way over to East Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Bite force aside, this creature looks like a living nightmare to some people. Also, never drag it across the road, you can seriously bruise the plastron and limbs of the turtle. Since snapping turtles have enough bite force to amputate a finger, immediate medical attention may be needed for serious bites. However, they can mistakenly bite a human. Regardless of this, avoid picking them or approaching them if you can. The long necks of the softshell turtle mean that it can reach back to bite you. They know humans aren’t a threat and instead view humans as a food source. Despite its reputation, the alligator snapping turtle is typically not prone to biting. Always approach a snapping turtle from behind, if you don’t want it to attack you. contrary to popular belief a snapping turtle has the bite force of a human at most. Coyote Peterson is the face of the Brave Wilderness YouTube channel. Submerge the turtle, and it should let go. Invasive species The bite force quotient (BFQ) measures the size of the body of the animal that bites. So, let’s discuss the biting ability of these 2 famous snapping turtles: Alligator snapping turtles are largest among all other subspecies of snapping turtles measuring around 2.2 ft long and weighing up to 90 to 95 Kgs in captivity. 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. If a turtle bites you hard enough to draw blood, you need to seek medical treatment. The name “snapping tortoise” might be an automatic disqualifier for families with small children. Can Snapping Turtle Bite Your Finger Off. They have very long tails which can be almost as long as the turtle itself. 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. They are quite large and can reach lengths of 20 inches (50 cm) in carapace length. Even though these turtles are smaller, this doesn’t mean they are any less than them when it comes to biting. Leave a comment below! Snapping turtles, for instance, are notorious for their aggressive nature and powerful bites. Softshell turtle bites are generally painful. Turtles generally bite when threatened. 1. They will not bite unless provoked but once they do their strong jaws can do much damage. The turtle lost. In fact, a human bite from molars is more powerful than an alligator snapping turtle’s bite. It can very easily chop off your finger from your hand as soon as it closes its mouth. Snapping turtles are the largest turtle species in Ontario, … Lifespan:20 – 70 years in ca… Turtles can’t be trained like dogs and other pets, but you can modify their temperament through care and patience. Regardless, particular individuals may still bite even though the species as a whole is docile. As far as the turtle isn’t injuring itself, this behavior is ok. The answer to this question is that tortoises canand will bite humans in certain circumstances.Depending on the type oftortoise that you choose to have as a pet, you … Alligator snapping turtles come under the genus Macrochelys whereas common snapping turtle comes under the Chelydra genus. It is believed to be the bite of a Nile crocodile is as high as … If the bite draws blood, then you need to treat it with antibiotics as turtles carry salmonella. How Much Force Does It Take To Break A Turtle Shell? The bite force of snappers. It has a wide geographical range and as such, it isn’t uncommon to come across them. This is particularly true of wild turtles. The following have the top spots on the PSI scale. The common species average bite force is 209 Newtons (over 45 pounds of force! Snapping turtle is one of the docile looking creatures to which you wouldn’t dare to feed with your hand. So, what is the snapping turtle bite force? As the turtle gets used to you and its environment, it will learn to tolerate you. Their bite exerts a force of 209 N, while a human bite exerts a force of 1300 N. But, one must still beware of its bite. However, they can be very combative on land. Some myths claim that alligator snapping turtles are known to attack people, but this isn’t the case. If you must, there are several ways to safely move it without getting bitten. The overrated powerful bite. The hardest bite recorded ever was of common toad-headed turtle’s bite that measured 435 Newtons. Young turtles are more likely to be aggressive, however, as they grow used to you they become less aggressive. It actually takes thousands of pounds of pressure to crush a turtle shell. Similarly, wild turtles are more likely to bite than captive-bred turtles. You can also grab the common snapping turtle just above its back legs and move it to safety. 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. 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 this is very uncommon, it is not unheard of. In comparison, the average bite force of a human (molars area) is between 300 and 700 Newtons. Alligator snapping turtles are similar to the common snapping turtle in both size and coloration. As time goes on, they will warm up to you and begin to view you as a friendly presence. That is how they can pierce even the hard things. ). If given the choice between fight and flight, … Bite force:140 – 176 kgf (308 – 388 lb) 5. As such, the bruises can easily get infected. However, if it’s on a road, you may be compelled to move it to safety. 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. 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.