Painted Turtle
(Chrysemys picta)
Photo Courtesy of World Chelonia Trust
The Painted Turtle is 4 - 10 inches in length. The carapace is olive or black with each scute bordered with yellow, red or olive coloration. The marginal scutes have red rectangular sports. The plastron is yellow, orange or red. The legs, neck and tail have red and yellow stripes.
This species nests from May to July and will produce 1 - 2 clutches of eggs each year. Each clutch contains 2 - 20 oblong eggs and are laid in a 4 inch deep nest. Young will emerge in 10 - 11 weeks and may over-winter in the nest.
Painted Turtles like slow moving streams, rivers and lakes with soft mud bottoms and plenty of aquatic vegetation. Often times you can find dozen of these turtles basking on the same log. As young they tend to be carnivorous and become more herbivorous as they age.
Please click here for care information on Painted Turtles.