These pages feature photographs and descriptions of residents at the UTC Wildlife Sanctuary. To return to the main Sanctuary Animal page, click here or the UTC Wildlife Sanctuary title above. To return to the Children's Museum Home Page, click here or the logo in the upper left.

Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)

Range: New England south to Georgia, Louisiana, Canada, Oklahoma, Oregon.

Habitat: Freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, streams.
Diet: Fish, crayfish, mollusks, insects, tadpoles, frogs, aquatic vegetation.

Identification: They can be identified by their slightly rounded 5 inch shell. They have a distinctive red and yellow plastron (lower shell/belly).

Notes: Painted turtles are extremely common in New England, though they are declining a bit in CT due to habitat destruction. The painted turtle is a very familiar species. They eat small fish and frogs as well as several varieties of aquatic plants. Painted turtles become more herbivorous as they mature. Painted turtles love to bask on river banks and rocks. Males have longer nails and tails than females. During breeding, the male swims in front of the female and scratches her face. Turtles are also capable of breathing through their aft end. The lining of their rectum is permeable to oxygen and they can absorb oxygen directly from the water. This allows them to stay underwater for even longer time periods. Wild animals make bad pets. Turtles are known for carrying salmonella. This became a real problem back in the seventies when quarter-sized red-eared sliders were sold in small containers. These were often bought for small children who would not wash their hands after handling their turtles. Painted turtles are illegal to keep in CT because they are a native species. It is also a law that turtles have to be at least 4 inches in diameter to be purchased. Small hatchling turtles are illegal in CT and should not be purchased.

At The Children’s Museum: The Children’s Museum has painted turtles in Turtle Town.