Minnesota Seasons - painted turtle

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5 - Secure

S5 - Secure

Minnesota

not listed


	Description
	The upper shell (carapace) is relatively flat and has orangish-red markings around the margin. The neck, legs, and tail have bold yellow and orangish-red stripes.

	Size
	Male: 4″ to 7″ Female: 4″ to 9″

	Similar Species
	Painted turtle is the only turtle in Minnesota with orangish-red markings.


	Habitat
	Muddy bottomed ponds and marshes, the margins of small lakes, sluggish streams and river back-waters.


	Ecology
	Behavior


	Lifespan
	5 to 7 years

	Life Cycle


	Food
	Plants, fish, crayfish, aquatic insects, snails, tadpoles, and carrion.


	Distribution
			Sources 7, 13, 14, 24, 29, 30.
	5/15/2022

	Occurrence
	Common According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, painted turtle is the most common turtle in the region.


	Taxonomy
	Class	Reptilia (reptiles)
	Order	Testudines (turtles and tortoises)
	Suborder	Cryptodira (hidden-necked turtles)
	Superfamily	Testudinoidea
	Family	Emydidae (pond and box turtles)
	Subfamily	Deirochelyinae
	Genus	Chrysemys (painted turtles)

	Subordinate Taxa
	eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) midland painted turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) southern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta dorsalis) western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii)

	Synonyms


	Common Names
	painted turtle

Glossary

Brumation

Winter dormancy in reptiles. A cold-induced period of sluggishness, inactivity, and torpor in reptiles, akin to hibernation in mammals, but they stir occasionally to drink water.

Carapace

The hard, upper (dorsal), shell-like covering (exoskeleton) of the body or at least the thorax of many arthropods and of turtles and tortoises. On crustaceans, it covers the cephalothorax. On spiders, the top of the cephalothorax made from a series of fused sclerites.


	Visitor Photos

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	Julie Martin




	Lane Keller



	Found this at Prairie Lake where the population is slowly increasing every year.



	Chelsea H.




	Molly and Robert Power




	Ramona Abrego






	Margot Avey




	Dan W. Andree

	Little Painted Turtle that was on the road... Sept. 5, 2018 while driving West along a backroad that ran along the North side of Sandpiper Prairie SNA in rural Norman co. Mn. I noticed a small turtle that almost looked like a rock on the gravel/dirt road so decided to stop and take a look. At the same time I noticed a vehicle coming from the West at a good clip with dust trailing behind. It was about a half mile away but getting closer quickly. The little turtle was sitting and not moving much so I thought I would pick it up and I put it in my large camera bag and got into my pickup. The little turtle got out of my camera bag and was crawling around inside my vehicle but I didn't mind. Soon as the emerging vehicle passed I caught the turtle and took it back to where it was - taking a few photos first. There were no other vehicles in sight so I put it down to see which direction it wanted to go. It quickly crawled off the road and into the tall grass and kept going. Knowing it was safe I left. Would hate to see the cute little turtle get ran over.


	Wayne Rasmussen



	Painted turtles in Keller Lake at Hwy 61 & 36. They have a nature walkway here where you may also see the eagles which nest next to Hwy 36.

	Painted turtles at Deep Portage Reserve in 2010



	John Shier

	I found I had the wrong name for this turtle. Your site and the MN DNR site agree. I thought, however, that there might be room for one more photo. This one was taken today in Lebanon Hills Regional Park here.



	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Camera


	Slideshows


	Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) Andree Reno Sanborn

	About Eastern PaintedTurtle (Chrysemys picta) NH Conservation Status: Not listed State Rank Status: Widespread and abundant. Distribution: Throughout state, less common in northern New Hampshire. Description:A 4-6 inch turtle with a smooth carapace and light lines running across the back (created from the straight rows of the large scutes on the back). The head and neck streaked with red and yellow stripes. There are two yellow spots behind each eye. Commonly Confused Species: None Habitat: Wetland areas with an abundance of vegetation and basking areas such as shallow ponds, marshes, bogs, slow-moving streams, and lakeshores. Often seen basking on partially submerged logs or rocks in large groups. Life History: Nest usually close to water’s edge in sandy or loamy area with open canopy. Typically 5-8 eggs are deposited in shallow, excavated depressions. Up to 2 clutches may be laid in a year. Hibernate in mud bottoms or under submerged logs. Conservation Threats: Road mortality, increased abundance of subsidized predators (e.g., raccoons), collection, and habitat loss & degradation. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Nongame/turtles/painted_turtle.htm



	Chrysemys picta (Painted Turtle) Allen Chartier




	Chrysemys picta belli (Western Painted Turtle) John Clare

slideshow


	Visitor Videos

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	Leah Starks

	Chrysemys picta (Painted Turtle) Published on Jun 28, 2019

	About filmed in June 2019 in Hennepin County, MN. This painted turtle was digging a nesting hole near the MN river bottoms!


	Holly Potter

	painted turtle 01 Published on Jun 29, 2018


	painted turtle 02 Published on Jun 29, 2018


	painted turtle 03 Published on Jun 29, 2018



	Dan W. Andree

	" Painted Turtles" have character. Published on Aug 12, 2015

	About Turtles have character. An observation of a Painted turtle stretching out its back legs just chilling along a pond in Norman county-Mn. It is also shedding a layer of its shell. Also contains some mating dragonflies bobbing up and down touching the water by the turtle. Music and text is added in the video. Shows distant and up close images. This observation made me like turtles a lot more.



	Other Videos


	Western Painted Turtle - Chrysemys picta bellii - YouTube JCVdude

	About Published on May 4, 2012 We found these turtles sunning themselves on a small pond. The Western Painted Turtle is named after the bright yellow stripes on its head, neck, tail and legs, and the glowing red on its plastron (shell covering the belly) and under-edge of its carapace (shell covering the back). Most adult Painted Turtles spend the winter hibernating in the mud at the bottom of ponds and lakes. Once temperatures warm up and the ice leaves the water, Painted Turtle courtship begins. In B.C., Painted Turtles are found in pockets throughout the southern interior, as far north as Golden. This includes the Okanagan Valley, Kamloops Lake, Shuswap Lake, and the Creston and Nelson Area. At present, the Western Painted Turtle is on the provincial blue list. This means they are considered vulnerable to habitat loss, and susceptible to human and natural disturbances. Habitat is being lost because of pollution and waterway interference due to damming, agriculture, and urbanization of waterfronts.



	Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta belli) Carl Barrentine

	About Published on Jun 12, 2013 A thoroughly multi-perspective, educational look at an exceedingly patient Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta belli). Photographed at the Rydell NWR, Minnesota (11 June 2013).



	Western Painted Turtles in the Wild Wandering Sole TV

	About Published on Jan 3, 2014 Western Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) swimming and sunning themselves. Any camera shake comes from the fact that all this footage was taken from a distance while in a boat. The western painted turtle is the largest subspecies of painted turtle and perhaps the most colorful with an ornamented bottom shell with red hues in it. Music: "Old Man Blanchard" by Josh Woodward ~ http://www.joshwoodward.com/



	Baby Painted Turtle Northwest Herper

	About Published on Nov 16, 2012 This video is of the western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) This a juvenile was found in south-central BC. Relatively common speices throughout it's range: in canada it's found through southern british columbia, alberta, saskatchewan, manitoba, and ontario. Watch in HD!

Camcorder


Visitor Sightings

Report a sighting of this reptile.
		This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location.



Julie Martin 5/7/2023	Location: Battle Creek Regional Park, Saint Paul, Minnesota



Lane Keller 9/3/2022	Location: Bear Head Lake State Park



Lydia & Lindsay 6/22/2022	Location: Andover, MN Digging a hole and laying eggs in backyard across from pond/marsh.



Lane Keller 5/14/2022	Location: Crow-Hassan Park Reserve Found this at Prairie Lake where the population is slowly increasing every year.



Chelsea H. 5/14/2022	Location: Clear Lake, Waseca, Mn



Molly and Robert Power 6/2/2021	Location: Albany MN



Ramona Abrego	Location: Washington County



Margot Avey 4/19/2019	Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center



Dan W. Andree 9/5/2018	Location: rural Norman County MN Sept. 5, 2018 while driving West along a backroad that ran along the North side of Sandpiper Prairie SNA in rural Norman co. Mn. I noticed a small turtle that almost looked like a rock on the gravel/dirt road so decided to stop and take a look. At the same time I noticed a vehicle coming from the West at a good clip with dust trailing behind. It was about a half mile away but getting closer quickly. The little turtle was sitting and not moving much so I thought I would pick it up and I put it in my large camera bag and got into my pickup. The little turtle got out of my camera bag and was crawling around inside my vehicle but I didn't mind. Soon as the emerging vehicle passed I caught the turtle and took it back to where it was - taking a few photos first. There were no other vehicles in sight so I put it down to see which direction it wanted to go. It quickly crawled off the road and into the tall grass and kept going. Knowing it was safe I left. Would hate to see the cute little turtle get ran over.



Wayne Rasmussen 5/13/2018	Location: Maplewood Heights Park



John Shier 5/12/2017	Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park I found I had the wrong name for this turtle. Your site and the MN DNR site agree. I thought, however, that there might be room for one more photo.

John Valo 5/13/2017	There’s always room for more photos.



Wayne Rasmussen 6/28/2014	Location: Maplewood, MN Painted turtles in Keller Lake at Hwy 61 & 36. They have a nature walkway here where you may also see the eagles which nest next to Hwy 36.



Wayne Rasmussen 4/27/2010	Location: Hackensack, MN Painted turtles at Deep Portage Reserve in 2010



Patty Austvold May 2, 2014	Location: What used to be called Meadow Lake on Hassan Pkwy in Rogers, MN Have seen 3-4 live ones since snow melted and we had a couple nice days (specific sightings on Easter Sunday). They were crawling in cattail rushes and swimming along shoreline. They were docile and let you pick them up right out of the water or rushes. Today I am finding dead ones floating along the shoreline--2 recently dead full grown size..and one smaller decomposing. Is something killing them but not eating them? We have lots of muskrats and Herons and Garter Snakes on the lake. Or is there a disease...or did they come out too soon from hibernation and it is too cold for them? I would hate to see them disappear. Do you have any idea why they might be dying?



MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

Cannon River Turtle Preserve SNA Carver Park Reserve Clifton E. French Regional Park Cottonwood River Prairie SNA Crosstown West Park Dean Lake Conservation Area Dodge Nature Center Felton Prairie SNA, Bicentennial Unit Frontenac State Park Glacial Lakes State Park Grey Cloud Dunes SNA Hyland Lake Park Reserve Keller Regional Park Lake Alexander Woods SNA, South Unit Lake Maria State Park Lake Shetek State Park Lebanon Hills Regional Park Mary Schmidt Crawford Woods SNA Mississippi River County Park Moose Lake State Park Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve Myre-Big Island State Park Phelps Lake WMA Rice Lake State Park Sunfish Lake Park Tamarack Nature Center Thompson County Park Westwood Hills Nature Center Whitetail Woods Regional Park William O’Brien State Park Woodland Trails Regional Park