Second of three posting of this series on the Snapping Turtle.
In posting 1 of 3, I conveyed how the turtle went about finding a suitable spot, then methodically digging a hole in the hard/dense gravel in which to deposit its eggs.

My Grandson and I left the Turtle to continue its digging for about 15 minutes. When we returned, the Turtle was in the process of laying its eggs. It would drop one at a time, then position it carefully with one of its hind claws. There were already about four eggs in the bottom of the excavation when we returned. We watched it pop out about four more, then left the turtle to finish its job whilst we had super.

When we returned to the birthing scene about 20 minutes later, Mom was just leaving after having filled the hole in and covering the eggs with gravel.

Top Image: An egg being laid/dropped into the hole.


The Turtle is just withdrawing its foot after having positioned the latest laid egg. There are about six eggs in the hole at this time. We watched it lay two more.


The hole filled and the eggs covered with gravel by the Turtle. Her job now complete, Mother was on her way back to the swamp. I subsequently marked the site in order to prevent driving over it and packing the gravel.

In the next and final posting in this SERIES, I fast forward to the past.

CONTINUED (Click "NEXT" for posting 3 of 3, and click "Previous" for first posting.)