Eastern Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta picta
Natural Habitat
They prefer quiet, shallow freshwater bodies with soft muddy bottoms—ponds, marshes, and slow-moving rivers. They require plentiful basking spots (logs, rocks, or banks) to regulate their body temperature.
Where I'm Found
Found throughout eastern North America, ranging from Nova Scotia, Canada, down the Atlantic Coast to Georgia, and west to the Appalachians.
Red = Eastern Painted Turtle
Source: Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
What I Eat
These turtles are omnivorous aquatic foragers.
- Wild: A mix of aquatic vegetation, algae, insects, crustaceans, tadpoles, and carrion. Young turtles are more carnivorous, eating mostly bugs, while adults eat more plants.
- Zoo: Commercial turtle pellets, leafy greens, and insects.
How Long I Live
- Wild: 20 – 30 years
- Captivity: 30 – 40 years
Fun Facts
- The Alignment: Unlike most turtles where the scutes (shell scales) alternate like bricks, the Eastern Painted Turtle’s top scutes align in straight, parallel rows across the back.
- Bum Breathers: During winter hibernation under the ice, they slow their metabolism and absorb oxygen directly from the water through their skin and cloaca.
- Sun Worshippers: They are famous for basking in groups, often stacking on top of each other on logs to catch the most sun.
