Chesapeake Bay Program - Eastern Painted Turtle

<body> <p>What does this critter of the month have in common with summer beachgoers? They both love to sit out in the sun. You won't find this critter at the beach though. But if you look closely, you may be able to catch a glimpse of one at small pond or stream near your home or school.</p> <p>The Eastern Painted Turtle, or Chrysemys picta picta, are water turtles and can be found in places with a lot of mud -- like the ponds, marshes, streams and rivers of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. They can grow up to eight or nine inches long and stand out from other turtles because of their smooth, dark, flattened shell with red markings around the edge.<p> <p>The top of the Eastern Painted Turtle's shell, or carapace, is covered with many small black plates, or scutes. Between these scutes are thick black lines. The bottom part of its shell, or plastron, is yellow. </p> <p>It's head is striped with a small yellow line extending from below the eye. Its chin has two wide yellow lines which meet at the tip of the jaw and enclose a narrow yellow stripe. Yellow and red stripes can be found on their necks, legs and tails.</p> <p>Males tend to have longer foreclaws and flatter shells than females. Males also tend to be a little smaller than females.</p> <p>As a cold-blooded animal, the Eastern Painted Turtle likes spending time basking in the sun. They are often found in large numbers sitting on floating logs and rock close to the water's edge. At the first sign of danger, they will retreat back to safety of the water.</p> <p>Eastern Painted Turtles hibernate in the winter and breed in the Spring. After breeding, the female will dig a nest about four inches deep. Nest are built on the land, but close enough to the water to allow the bottom to have just a little water in it. Generally, this takes place from May to July.</p> <p>Once the nest is complete, the female lays her eggs in the hole. After laying about three to nine eggs, she fills in the hole to hide the eggs from potential predators such as gray squirrels, skunks, foxes, racoons and garter snakes.</p> <p>The one-inch, white eggs hatch after about ten weeks and the baby turtles dig their way back to the surface. Eastern Painted Turtles can live up to thirty years.</p> <p>Eastern Painted Turtles are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. Their primary diet can include duckweed, water lilies and algal matter, as well as insects, worms leeches, crayfish, tadpoles, and small fish.</p> </body>