Our Wild Neighbors
Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta
A threatened urban pond dweller in Central and Western Canada
© Musée de la nature et des sciences de Sherbrooke
Description of the animal
- Small freshwater turtle.
- Shell length: up to 20 centimetres.
- Smooth, dark-coloured carapace.
- Yellow plastron (belly shell).
- Shell edges marked with red patterns on some individuals.
- Head and neck have yellow and red streaks and spots.
Habitat and needs
- Likes slow-flowing, shallow water where vegetation is surfacing.
- Eats, mates, and hibernates in water. At night, the Painted Turtle sleeps at the bottom of the water or on partially submerged objects.
- Is classified among threatened species, in part due to the proliferation of predators like raccoons.
- Migrates more than 150 metres from the edge of the water to lay its eggs. The female leaves in the spring, digs a 10-centimetre hole, lays up to 23 eggs in it, and covers them with dirt.
- Eats primarily tadpoles and invertebrates when it is very young: aquatic insects, crayfish, snails.... As it becomes older, its diet changes and it becomes omnivorous, even eating carrion.
- From daybreak, spends a lot of time basking in the sun to raise its body temperature.
- Is active during daylight hours.
Relationship
- Too many Painted Turtles are run over and killed on highways, particularly during spring and fall migrations.
- When they line up and pile on top of one another in the sun, it’s quite a sight! At times, there are more than 20 in a single spot.
- The Painted Turtle is sensitive to fluctuations in water levels.
- Damage to wetlands is harmful to the Painted Turtle: pollution, erosion of banks, filling of wetlands, destruction of riparian vegetation.…
Living with them
- Protect and respect wetlands: they are sanctuaries for the Painted Turtle.
- Keep your distance; do not disturb turtles for no reason.
- The Painted Turtle is not a pet. Laws prohibit capturing them and keeping them in an aquarium.
- Do not release an exotic turtle in the wild. It will compete with the Painted Turtle and may carry fatal diseases.
- Positive efforts:
- Create crossings for reptiles and amphibians on roads that separate marshes from nesting areas.
- Install road signs indicating a turtle crossing.
Participating cities where this animal has been seen
- Sherbrooke, Québec (Get more info)
- Regina, Saskatchewan
- Vernon, British Columbia (Get more info)
- Moncton, New Brunswick