back Home

Life Along a
Prairie River

Exploring the ecology of the wide and sandy rivers of the Great Plains

Softshell turtles have smooth and leather-like shells. The spiny softshell has distinct spines or bumps at the front and back of the shell. Mature female spiny softshell turtles can grow to 40 cm in length, but the males are much smaller. They are about half the size. Spiny Softshells are totally aquatic and are common in Oklahoma’s rivers, streams, and lakes. May through July, they lay their eggs in sandbars in clutches of 3–40 eggs. They may lay eggs once or twice each breeding season. The eggs hatch in August and September. Spiny softshell turtles eat mostly insects and aquatic invertebrates (like snails and crayfish), but are considered omnivorous and will eat plants.

They live throughout most of Oklahoma. The only place you can’t find them is part of the panhandle. Softshell turtles are powerful swimmers and can move quickly on land too. Their sharp beaks and powerful jaws encourage you to handle them with care. These turtles can be seen sunning themselves on sandbanks of prairie rivers and on logs and beaver dams in connected waterways. Although common, these turtles may difficult to spy because they bury themselves under the sand on the river bottom.

back to species list