The snapping truth: Meet Connecticut’s largest and least understood turtle

Snapping turtles can grow more than 18 inches in length with a distinctive shell. They are typically found near freshwater environments.
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Snapping turtles can grow more than 18 inches in length with a distinctive shell. They are typically found near freshwater environments.
CORNWALL — In the humid summers of Litchfield County, it’s not uncommon to see turtles traversing away from their home bodies of water to find the perfect place to dig a nest and lay their eggs. Alongside the smaller and more colorful painted and box turtles, however, northeast America is home to a creature that looks like it belongs better to prehistoric earth than the modern-day suburbs.
Snapping turtles have a lineage dating back before the dinosaurs, and their size and strength make them intimidating. They are the classic ambush predator, laying wait in the depths to snatch up unsuspecting fish.
But they’re also quite misunderstood; very rarely do they attack humans unprovoked.
As they come onto land in the spring and summer, it’s important to both be aware of the risks they pose and recognize that, like any other creature, they are just trying to survive.
Tim Abbott, executive director of the Housatonic Valley Association, first encountered a snapping turtle when he was 6 years old. “When I was a kid, I thought I could ride on that turtle,” he said.
Nowadays he suggests that the average person definitely should not try to do so; in fact, he doesn’t recommend touching a snapping turtle at all. Their necks are longer than they appear and can bite in a wide area, including around their own shell.
If one encounters a turtle in their backyard, Abbott said, “Let it be.” It is likely looking for a good place to lay its eggs, usually in gravel or shallow soil, and will return to water after. Keep pets away from it, don’t fence it in or mow around it; the eggs will survive on their own and the babies will dig themselves out after fully developing.
It gets more complicated if a snapping turtle appears on a road where cars are passing by. In that situation, Abbott said his first concern is, “Am I safe to stop — not from the turtle, but from other drivers?” On a busy road, a speeding car is much more dangerous than a turtle, and even though it might feel wrong, it is safer for everyone to leave a turtle on a road that has low visibility or high speeds.
If it is safe to stop, don’t harass the turtle. Instead, one can indicate to other drivers there is a hazard. Abbott does not recommend lifting a snapping turtle, and he especially warns against putting fingers near the front half of its body; this is within its reach. The tail is also not a good handhold, as pulling on it can damage its spine.
Snapping turtles do not hunt humans and will usually avoid them if possible, but it is harder for them to maneuver on land. If approached, they may feel threatened, which is when they will attack.
Summer is one of the most important times in a snapping turtles’ year, as while they lay a high volume of eggs, few survive to adulthood. Once these turtles hit a certain size they are relatively safe from predators, but before they can be picked off by a number of other animals. Since they also take a long time to reach maturity, it’s actually rather rare for a turtle to lay eggs, so it’s important to give them the space they need.
As the summers grow warmer and the winters wetter, the factors that affect a snapping turtle’s life and longevity are constantly changing. Now, more than ever, it is important to be mindful of the other creatures that inhabit this beautiful state alongside us.
One of the entries in this year’s Community Day Scarecrow Contest, Ichabod Hiccup, at left, seems to be particularly enjoying the solo performance of Wil Greenstreet, whose strolling pop-up saxophone performances delighted visitors to the village on Saturday, Sept. 20. For more photos, turn to Page A8.
A popular feature of the Millbrook Library lawn area was a carpet of children’s books being given away for free. Appealing to little Julien Gulbrandsen, 3, of Pleasant Valley was the story of a pancake, being read by her mother Lauren Gulbrandsen. It is likely that the little book went home with them.Photo by Leila Hawken
Family fun and community were the order of the long-planned Community Day, on Saturday, Sept. 20, as village turned out to welcome visitors from throughout the region for a day of activities, contests, parades, displays, sales and the joy of being together.Photo by Leila Hawken
Top row, left to right, Caroline Kinsolving, Christopher McLinden, Dana Domenick, Reid Sinclair and Director Hunter Foster. Bottom row, left to right, Will Nash Broyles, Dick Terhune, Sandy York and Ricky Oliver in Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”
Opening on Sept. 26, Agatha Christie’s legendary whodunit “The Mousetrap” brings suspense and intrigue to the Sharon Playhouse stage, as the theater wraps up its 2025 Mainstage Season with a bold new take on the world’s longest-running play.
Running from Sept. 26 to Oct. 5, “The Mousetrap” marks another milestone for the award-winning regional theater, bringing together an ensemble of exceptional local talent under the direction of Broadway’s Hunter Foster, who also directed last season’s production of “Rock of Ages." With a career that spans stage and screen, Foster brings a fresh and suspense-filled staging to Christie’s classic.
The Playhouse’s casting includes Dana Domenick of Falls Village who leads the cast as Mollie Ralston, the newlywed innkeeper with a secret. Reid Sinclair of Norfolk plays Giles, her husband and partner in hospitality — and maybe in something more sinister. Will Nash Broyles from Lakeville plays the eccentric and enigmatic Christopher Wren, and Sandy York of Sharon will play the role of the imperious Mrs. Boyle. Dick Terhune (Litchfield), Caroline Kinsolving (Salisbury), Ricky Oliver (Pawling), and Christopher McLinden (also Lakeville) round out the cast as the play’s increasingly suspicious guests — and one very determined detective.
As always, Sharon Playhouse has gathered a top-tier creative team to match its cast. The Swader brothers (Christopher and Justin) return with their signature scenic designs, while Kathleen DeAngelis’s costumes and Bobbie Zlotnik’s wigs promise to anchor us firmly in postwar England, even as the plot spirals into timeless psychological suspense. Lighting by Wheeler Moon and sound design by Graham Stone will help turn the cozy theater into a stage crackling with tension.
If you’ve never seen “The Mousetrap,” here’s what you need to know: it’s the murder mystery that truly defined the genre. Premiering in London’s West End in 1952 and still running strong over 30,000 performances later, Christie’s ingenious puzzle unfolds in a snowbound manor house where everyone has something to hide, and no one is safe from suspicion. Its final twist is famously kept secret by audiences — a tradition of theatrical discretion that only deepens the sense of shared experience.
“The enduring success of ‘The Mousetrap’ lies in its suspense, yes, but also in its structure,” said the Playhouse’s Artistic Director Carl Andress. “It’s a masterclass in storytelling. And with Hunter Foster leading this incredible cast of local artists, we know our audiences are in for an evening of mystery, laughter, and yes, plenty of gasps.”
Tickets are available now at SharonPlayhouse.org.