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Home > Turtles > Eastern Painted Turtle

Eastern Painted Turtle

Eastern painted turtles are one of the four recognized subspecies of painted turtles. They seldom move on land except during the nesting season. Aggressive behavior has been noted during basking sessions. They are omnivores.



    Kingdom Animalia
    Phylum Chordata
    Subphylum Vertebrata
    Class Reptilia
    Order Testudines
    Family Emydidae
    Subfamily Deirochelyinae
    Genus Chrysemys
    Species Chrysemys picta
    Scientific Name Chrysemys picta picta


    Size 4.5 – 6 in; largest recorded specimen measures 7.2 in
    Weight Up to 600 g
    Color Olive to black outer shell with red or yellow borders along the seams and red bars on the margins; yellowish underside; olive to black skin with red and yellow stripes on the neck, legs and tail; an uneven yellow line on each side of the head at the back of the eyes
    Distribution Maine, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia
    Habitat Permanent, beaver and farm ponds, weed-choked shallow coves of large northern lakes, slow moving rivers
    Diet Aquatic plants like elodea, earthworms, crickets, other insects
    Hibernation Fact Hibernate during winter in the accumulated water under stumps or logs or in  muskrat lodges or beaver
    Predators Juveniles fall prey to mink, muskrats, black racers, crows, bullfrogs, larger turtles, large fish while adults are preyed upon by raccoons
    Breeding Season March – June
    Mode of Reproduction Oviparous (egg laying)
    Clutch Size 3 to 9 eggs
    Reproductive Age Male: 4 years of age
    Female: 5 years of age
    Average Lifespan More than 30 years
    IUCN Conservation Status Least Concern

    Eastern Painted Turtle Pictures Gallery

    Published on November 1st 2016 by under Turtles. Article was last reviewed on 7th June 2019.

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