Harvey County Parks

3 days ago

Critter of the Week
Western Painted Turtle
Chrysemys picta bellii

The western painted turtle is a bright and intricately marked species that can be found throughout the state of Kansas. They have an oval, olive to black carapace (top shell) that is smooth and somewhat flattened. They do not have a ridge on their carapace like other turtles do. The plastron (lower shell) is covered with bright orange and yellow designs. This reptile has webbed feet that are striped with bold yellow lines which are also seen on the head. Western painted turtles are one of the most common types of turtle in the United States. They are the largest of the four subspecies of painted turtle, sometimes growing to be more than 7 inches in length. Mature males are smaller than females, and have elongated claws on their forefeet.
Painted turtles are an adaptable species of reptile, and can be found in many types of freshwater environments. They prefer areas with slow moving water and soft sandy or muddy bottoms with vegetation and partially submerged objects. Lakes, prairie wetlands, rivers, and floodplains are all places where you could find this animal. They are frequently seen basking in the sun on logs and other partly sunken objects. This species is found from southern Canada to northern Mexico and from the Atlantic to Pacific oceans. Introduction by humans may be why populations have reached as far as Washington and British Columbia.
The western painted turtle is mostly carnivorous, but as they mature they will eat more vegetation. Insects, crayfish, worms, minnows, small mollusks and aquatic plants make up their diet. Turtles do not have teeth so they swallow their food whole or use their beak and claws to tear it. These turtles are also scavengers and have been known to eat carrion and organic waste in ponds, helping keep the water fresh.
Painted turtles mate from May to July and may have 2 clutches per year. After mating, the female has a strong desire to lay her eggs in a certain location. These nesting areas are used for generations and individuals will travel long distances, through fences and across roadways to reach them. The mother will use her hind legs to dig a nest 4 to 6 inches deep. She will then lay 5 to 15 eggs, and then cover and pack the soil on top of them. She leaves the nest and returns to the water. Incubation takes ten weeks and the sex of the young turtles is determined by temperature. Lower incubating temperatures will produce males and higher temperatures produce females. Hatchlings are about the size of a quarter and once they are out of their shells, they climb through the soil and make their way to water. Males will reach maturity in 2 to 5 years and females in 4 to 8 years. In captivity, the western painted turtle has been known to live up to 20 years. The individual pictured here was found in a residential yard early in June. ... See moreSee less