Risk-Taking and Agonistic Behavior of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) in an Open Field Arena

Behavioral traits such as risk-taking and agonistic behavior have been investigated in several turtle species because they are important for fitness and often correlate with one another. We measured risk-taking and active defense (attacks) of wild-caught Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) in an outdoor experimental setting to test predictions about how these traits relate. We quantified response to a threat (an approaching novel object) and measured movement latency, exploration, and activity in the arena. We did not find any correlations between risk-taking measurements, nor did risk-taking correlate with defensive response. There were no differences between sexes or sizes, which could be due to a limited behavioral repertoire on land. However, we found that time since handling was negatively correlated with the agonistic response, highlighting the importance of considering the effect of time since capture on behavioral assays. Overall, our study on risk-taking and agonistic behavior in wild Snapping Turtles revealed no correlation between these traits on land but emphasized the impact of time since capture on threat response behaviors.