Two images of a Snapping Turtle.

Top image: With the hole dug in the hard gravel, its time to lay the eggs. We watched it lay more than a dozen eggs and position them in the hole with its hind feet. Snappers can lay from 25 to 80 eggs per season. Incubation period is dependent on temperatures. For our area, probably about two months in the summer. After hatching, the small young Turtles burrow their way up out of the hole and head towards the water. In this instance, the nest hole is quite close to the water.


With the eggs all laid and the hole covered up with gravel, its time to head back to the lake.

See http://www.pbase.com/image/114726232 for a SERIES of postings of an adult turtle laying its eggs and of the small turtles coming out of the gravel several months later.