Where does the eastern painted turtle live?
Painted turtles can be found in ponds, marshes, streams and rivers throughout the Bay watershed. Like other cold-blooded animals, they often bask in the sun on rocks or logs. But at the first sign of danger, they will retreat back to the safety of the water. What does the eastern painted turtle eat? Painted turtles are omnivores that feed on worms, insects, crayfish, tadpoles, small fish, algal matter and flowering plants. When does the eastern painted turtle breed? Painted turtles hibernate in the winter and breed in the spring, usually from May through July. • During their courtship ritual, male painted turtles use their long front foreclaws to stroke their female’s neck. • After mating, females dig a nest about 4 inches deep. Nests are made on the land, but close enough to the water so that the bottom of the nest has a bit of water in it. • The female painted turtle lays three to nine white eggs in the nest. She then fills in the hole to hide the eggs from potential predators, such
