Binghamton Zoo Animals

Painted Turtle

(Chrysemys picta)
Order: Testudines
Family: Emydidae
Genus: Chrusemys
Species: picta

HABITAT AND RANGE: The Painted Turtle is one of the most common species of turtle in North America and can be found from southern Canada to northern Mexico in temperate and freshwater areas. They prefer to live in shallow, quiet freshwater with a thick layer of mud. This includes lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, marshes and swamps.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: These are brightly marked turtles. They have a relatively flat upper shell with red and yellow markings on a black or greenish brown background. Females take longer to mature and will reach a size of up to 9 inches, whereas males will only reach a size of about 5 or 6 inches. They can live up to 35 or 40 years, but it is rare.

ADAPTATIONS: Because the ribs of the Painted Turtle are fused to their shell, they cannot breathe by expanding their chests. Instead, they alternate contraction of the flank and shoulder muscles to force air in and out. They like to bask in large groups on rocks, fallen trees, other objects and even on top of each other. Turtles sunning themselves help to remove bacteria and leeches. They are diurnal (active at day) and at night will rest on the bottom of a pond or a submerged object. Painted Turtles who are located in colder areas will burrow into the mud and allow their bodies to get very cold in order to hibernate. They have a poor sense of sound, but a good sense of smell and color vision. They will use touch to communicate, especially when mating.

DIET: Young Painted Turtles are mostly carnivorous, feeding on fish, crustaceans and aquatic insects. However, they will develop a more omnivorous diet as they grow older and will also feed on plants. Because their tongue does not move independently, they have trouble eating food on land and will therefore eat mostly in the water so they can manipulate the food.

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT: Mating begins after hibernation, but before feeding, when the water temperatures are still low. In the early summer, females will lay between 4-15 oval, soft-shelled eggs. The gender of these turtles is dependent on the temperature during incubation. If the temperature of the nest is too low, the hatchlings will be male, too warm and they will be female. The hatchlings will dig themselves out of their nest (covered by the female after laying) and they are independent immediately. The parents offer no care to the young.

STATUS IN WILD: Stable, but in some areas they are threatened due to habitat destruction and human encroachment. In Canada, they are considered vulnerable.