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Scientific Name: Chrysemys picta

Classification:

Smooth upper shell, ranging in colour from olive to brown. Red blotching/barring found along the outside edge of the upper shell. The green skin is adorned with yellow and red strips, most prominent along the head and neck.

Size: 11-14 cm.

Description:
Smooth upper shell, ranging in colour from olive to brown. Red blotching/barring found along the outside edge of the upper shell. The green skin is adorned with yellow and red strips, most prominent along the head and neck.

Photo Gallery:
(Please note — these photos are unverified images submitted by members of the CWF Photo Club.)
Range: Nova Scotia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Quebec, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Prince Edward Island
Southern British Columbia to Nova Scotia.

Habitat: Painted Turtles inhabit lakes, ponds, creeks, and wetlands, preferring waterbodies with soft muddy bottoms and an abundance of aquatic vegetation.

Diet: Lacking teeth, painted turtles have horny plates that they use to grasp their prey. In addition, their tongue does not move freely. Because of these restraints they find it easier to feed in the water. Starting out life as carnivores they eventually become more herbivorous in their food choices. Common food items include aquatic insects, fish, frogs, snails, tadpoles, carrion, algae and aquatic plants such as milfoil and water lily.

Behaviour:

Their breeding season begins in the spring with many males chasing a female. The male that catches up to the female strokes her head, encouraging her to follow. Mating occurs on the bottom of the waterway. To lay her eggs, the female typically chooses a south-facing area where the eggs will be subjected to warm temperatures. She then digs a hole and deposits one egg at a time, generally laying between four and 15. When egg-laying is finished, she covers the nest with soil and compacts the nest with her shell and feet.

After incubating for approximately 80 days, the hatchlings begin to emerge out of their soft shells. Sometimes the hatchlings stay in their nest for the winter, emerging in the spring. The sex of the young is determined by temperature during incubation; low temperatures produce males, whereas females are produced by warmer temperatures.

Status:
  • Endangered (Pacific Coast population)
  • Special Concern (Rocky Mountain population)
  • Not at Risk (rest of Canada)

Notes: The Painted Turtle is the most widespread turtle species in Canada and in all of North America.

More on this Species: