Living in and around the creeks, rivers, and freshwater & brackish water ponds along the Great Ocean Road, it’s the snake-necked turtle, aka eastern long-neck turtle. You can find them in southeastern Australia, west of Adelaide to New South Wales, Victoria, and north to the Fitzroy River of Queensland. These turtles are aptly named for their long necks that can be up to 75% as long as their shell! Snake-necked turtles are an Endangered species due to pollution and habitat loss. This article is on special request by Ryan.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Chelodina longicollis
Weight: Up to 1.8 lbs.
Length: Up to 9.84 inches
Lifespan: Up to 37+ years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) These turtles are sexually dimorphic in that the females are larger than male’s plastrons and are shaped differently.
2.) Snake-necked turtles shed their shell and their skin as they grow. When swimming, the shed skin looks like a web-like slime around their body, head, neck, and legs.
3.) Snake-necks are diurnal (active during the day).
4.) Like other reptiles, they are ectothermic (their body temperature is dictated by the surrounding temperature).
5.) They eat a variety of invertebrates, like insects. They also eat fish, plankton, tadpoles, frogs, and crayfish.
But wait, there’s more on the snake-necked turtle!
6.) Snake-necked turtles are polygynandrous (promiscuous) in that they mate readily and with multiple partners.
7.) These unusual turtles catch prey by using what is known as a strike-and-gape action. They lower their hyoid bone to decrease water pressure and create a vacuum, sucking in their prey.
Did you know…?
When threatened, they can spray a pungent, stinky musk that can hit targets up to 3 feet away!
8.) When their environment gets too dry they sometimes estivate. This means they begin a long state of torpor (dormancy). When they estivate, they usually burrow into fallen leaves and debris on the forest floor, for an extended length of time, until the rains return.
9.) Females lay up to 24 hard-shelled eggs that hatch in up to 150 days.
10.) Unlike most turtles, temperature does not dictate gender.
But wait, there’s still more on the snake-necked turtle!
11.) Males are sexually mature at up to 8 years old, whereas females are mature at up to 12 years.
12.) Captive snake-necked turtles are easily tamed and will even take food from their keeper’s hands.
13.) Their predators are goannas, water rats, ravens, white-bellied sea eagles, and dingoes.
Now a Short Snake-Necked Turtle Video!
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I was just wondering if these snake necked Turtles that I keep seeing things that say they’re only found in Australia and South America could have possibly been able to either find their way to The United States of America around the North Florida Area or Most likely been brought back from their native countries and entered into the waters of Wakulla Springs which runs out into several different bodies of fresh water Springs as well as sinks around Crawfordville, Florida 32327 as well as the Woodville Florida area fresh water sink holes in the 32305 zip code area!? I have a picture of one that looks exactly like the ones in these pictures that say it is a Snake Necked Turtle that most likely came from the Australian regions or somewhere around the South American region and I don’t see any other Turtle that looks even remotely close to the way this one I’ve seen so many of in Specifically Cherokee Sink down close to Wakulla Springs Lodge and Swimming Park with Glass Bottom Boat Tours that go out into the Beautiful crystal clear water where you’re actually able to look down at the glass bottom and see hundreds and hundreds of feet down to where the actual water comes out from the Springs its also in Crawfordville, Florida 32327 and is one of the largest Fresh Water Springs in the World. I recommend going to visit the Wakulla Springs Park & Lodge if you are interested in Fresh Water Springs and it will leave you breathless and not disappoint! I added the picture of one of the latest Turtles I was able to capture on my phone and hopefully you will be able to let me know for certain if this is indeed a snake necked Turtle like the ones that originated in Australia because I haven’t had any luck at all trying to find out from the people who live around here and I would greatly appreciate it if you could help to finally answer this question I’ve never had anyone who could give me a definite yes or no answer about this beautiful turtle of some kind 😀 Thank you so much for all the time you have taken to put this information out here for curious people such as myself who just enjoy learning new things about all kinds of different species of animals as well as new and/or different socialist (people) and their different cultures and religious beliefs or rituals they have that they’ve learned about as they were growing into adults, such as us in America celebrating Thanksgiving every November you know what I’m talking about, Okay I’m going to sign off for now and try to get some rest before the new day starts and Mr.Sunshine peeps from way up high in the gorgeous sky’s! Sorry for having such a long letter, I’m just very excited to think I might actually be on the right path to find answers about this creature I’ve been trying to figure out so many things about for such a very long time! Hopefully I will hear from you soon and I’m looking forward to it! Have a wonderful day, Thank you, Lezli W
Hi Lezli.
Thank you for reaching out about this turtle species identification. That actually looks like a Florida softshell turtle. Softshell turtles also have long necks, just not as long as a snake-necked turtle. The 3 main differences between the 2 species being the slightly shorter neck, a smoother plastron (shell), and a pointed snout; which all define the Florida softshell turtle. The plastron of a snake-necked turtle is less smooth, their necks much longer, and their snout is more blunt.
Take care and be well.
Be sure to visit often for more cool critter stuff.
P.S. I will be writing an article here on the Florida softshell turtle and it will be dedicated to you.