I was laid up last weekend (blew out my 23 year old right hip replacement) and noticed this female snapper come across the lawn to the mulch in front of the family room window. I had never watched the nest digging process beginning to end. She started with her front foot but then went to digging the "hole" part of the nest with her head/mouth. As you can see in the picture she took mouthfuls of mulch and dirt and deposited them to the side just like an excavator. This explained to me how they can dig the hole deeper than their legs are long. Once dug she turned around and laid her eggs, then filled the hole with a back foot. Anyone ever seen this before? Sorry for only 1 picture, my phone went dead and I could not reach the charger.

That’s cool you got to see that!

yes ive seen it before. natures amazing. put a crate over the nest and wait for them to hatch, and keep the predators off the nest.

Way cool!

That’s interesting, never realized that’s how they dig.

How far away from water is the nest?

Wife saw two laying eggs in the garden about 75 yards from my pond. I’ve never seen it as long as we have lived here. May try the basket idea.

be sure to weigh down the baskets well, so they cant be tipped over by the coons.

Never saw the process but have found several on egg laying missions...Eric, your a snapper guy, the old timers here called snappers Torups, I still do but that term seems to have gone...Have you ever heard that name for them?...I'm guessing it's an old English derivative of Terrapin which apparently what all water turtles were called....We still have diamondback terrapins, but I never heard another term for those... just curious if Torups was only an old Long Island name.

Very nice.

Pond in front of the house and swamp out back, both about 200 yards from house.


I have not heard them called that around here. Must be a Long Island name.

I too have witness this. Thank for sharing!

Being in wetland situations my entire life I have seen it many times. Wildlife is cool as well as good eating