Snapping turtles are native to the East Coast and “can extend their neck the length of their body,” according to the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois.

They have either yellow or orange speckles on their head, neck and legs, depending on the age and sex of the turtle. They usually only have three toes on each hind foot, but some have four.

Imagine that your body is 10 times the size of your limbs. Each of your four legs are short, thick, round and tipped with long narrow claws. Your body is also your home that you carry around with ...