Amaze Yourself With These Interesting Facts about Painted Turtle

Painted turtles are in this world for fifteen million years. They have seen a lot and learned a lot from this gradually changing planet. This turtle has become a highly adaptable species. They are most common and widespread in North America continent, but that does not make them less interesting at all. Painted turtles have got so many unusual interesting facts.

I am here to let you know so many amazing and interesting facts about painted turtles, that will make your jaw drop for a while. Like you know, the classic behavior of dating of painted turtle is the male painted turtle stroke on the jaw of the female painted turtle with front claw.

Before I start let’s learn some fast facts about painted turtle.

 

Lifespan	Up to 30 to 40 years
Size	Females are 4 to 10 inches long versus 3 to 6 inches for males
Offspring	2 to 20 eggs per clutch, usually 4 to 8 eggs per clutch
Status	Common
Range	Southern Canada to Mexico
Habitat	Freshwater lakes, rivers, ponds,  and swamps
Appearance	Brown-black shell with red and yellow facial and limb markings
Diet	Omnivorous, small fish, plants and crustaceans
Concern	“Least Concerned” IUCN

Interesting Facts

• We know that painted turtles live in freshwater but this is not “must”. A study in 2010 found that painted turtles can live in farm-ponds, golf course and even in development sites of the urban area. Painted turtles were found in a stable population in those areas.
• Painted turtles’ ability to survive is amazing. It is the only reptile that can survive after freezing. Never get surprised seeing them in far north of southern Canada.
• These turtles are very easy to identify as they got a very different physical appearance. Once you got to know you will never mistake painted turtle with other species of turtles. Their shells are brownish-black colored, and kind of flat. Red markings are often found around the edges of the shell. Painted turtle got beautiful red and yellow stripes in their head, limbs, and tail.
• Painted turtles are sexually dimorphic, male and female are easy to identify. Females are larger than male or the other hand front claws and tails are longer of males.
• Males and females do not have their maturity at the same age. Between 6 to 10 years of age, the female painted turtle reach maturity whereas males got their maturity between 3 to five years of age. They go for mating on late spring to early summer.
• Their eggs are soft-shelled! Female lays 4 to 14 eggs together. They dig nests in soft sandy soil where there is a lot of sunlight. They don’t choose any place 200 miters far from water for their nests.
• The hatchlings are independent of day one of their life. After coming out of their nests they eventually find water and learn to live! Alone those small baby turtles go through so many hardships but they got unique character for survival. They look smaller but they are the tough tiny turtles.
• We all know that painted turtles are omnivores but the baby and juvenile turtle turtles are carnivores. As they grow up gradually they become omnivores.
• The shell of a painted turtle is made of bone which is connected to their spine and ribs. This turtle’s shell is made of 13 distinct bone plates. The name of the bone plate is scutes. As the turtle grows, the top layer of scutes sheds and a new plate takes the place. You can get to know the age of any painted turtle if you count the rings on the scutes!
• They don’t have teeth, instead of teeth they got hard beak that allows them to chew, otherwise, they normally swallow their food. Painted turtle need to go underwater to eat because they freely they cannot move their tongue.
• You know in the same nest most of the hatchling are the same gender! Painted turtle’s gender does not determine the genetics rather sunlight directly influence the gender, unbelievable but true. The higher temperature produces female offspring and cooler temperature aids male.
• Painted turtle spend good quality time in the sun, they love it. Usually, they bask in the sun for around six-hour.
• When the winter comes they hibernate in the deep in the mud. In this hibernation phase, they live for several months without oxygen. When the spring arrives they start to become active and adult turtles get ready for reproduction. Sadly many babies painted turtle cannot survive after the hibernation phase.
• They bask in the day time above water but they sleep underwater buried under the sand or mud in their dwelling place.  They can take oxygen by breathing in the air and underwater.
• Painted turtle can’t make any sound, vocal cords are absent in their anatomy. Sometimes they make a hissing sound. They have got poor hearing too but they have got an excellent sense of smell.
• These type of turtles are non-migratory, but to find a sweat able nesting place they go for long-distance.

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To Conclude

Painted turtles are dwelling in this planet for millions of year and their numbers are still great in the wild. The painted turtles got diversified unique characteristic. To maintain a healthy ecosystem they play a great role. It seems that they just bask all day, but they know how to cope with this changing world.

This ancient turtle species will keep on amazing generation after generation on this planet.  Let me know how much you liked these interesting facts about the painted turtle.