Like common snapping turtles, softshell turtles have very long necks, which allow their mouths to reach almost all the way around their bodies. Even small softshell turtles can give a painful bite; bites from large softshell turtles may be very serious.

Are softshell turtles aggressive?

Because they are vulnerable to predators due to their lack of a shell, softshell turtles can be aggressive. It's not a good idea to house pairs of them together because they'll likely attack each other. They have sharp claws and strong jaws that can do serious damage.

Do softshell turtle bites hurt?

The long necks of the softshell turtle mean that it can reach back to bite you. While small softshell turtles can't cause much damage, bites from large softshell turtles can be very serious. Softshell turtle bites are generally painful.