Painted Turtle

Chrysemys picta ssp.

Description

Painted turtles are similar in size and general appearance to red-eared sliders, with a few notable exceptions. A painted turtle’s carapace is more uniformly colored, from olive to almost black with more red markings apparent on the legs and underside than their red-ear relatives. Also, notably absent are the red markings on the sides of the head that give the red-ears their name. There are four subspecies of painted turtle: Western painted turtles Chrysemys picta belli, Eastern painted turtles Chrysemys picta picta, Midland painted turtles Chrysemys picta marginata, and Southern painted turtles Chrysemys picta dorsalis. We only work with the first two, so they will be the focus of this information.

Western painted turtles tend to look more like red-eared sliders, but with far less yellow dorsal striping and patterning. Eastern painteds are much darker, with an almost black shell. Western painted turtles reach adult lengths of 8-12 inches (20-30 centimeters), whereas Eastern painteds are much smaller, with about 6 inches (15 centimeters) being full grown. Both can live 30 years or more.

Natural Habitat

Painted turtles as a species are the most widespread turtle in North America. They range from southern British Columbia east all the way to Nova Scotia, south to Georgia, west to Louisiana and back to the northwest in Oregon. There are scattered populations outside of this general range in the Southwest. Western painted turtles are found in southwestern Ontario south to Missouri west to Oregon and north to British Columbia. Eastern painteds are found throughout southeastern Canada through New England, south down the eastern seaboard to northern Georgia and east to Alabama. Within their range painted turtles inhabit shallow, slow-moving watercourses, preferring those with soft bottoms, abundant basking spots and dense vegetation. As one might expect, Eastern painted turtles are more cold tolerant than western, but both subspecies have been known to over-winter under ice.

Artificial Habitat

Painted turtles’ captive requirements are similar to those of red-eared sliders. Painted turtles do very well in outdoor ponds and lakes. They thrive in most of the southern United States and can survive very cold weather, often hibernating below frozen surfaces. If housed outside, care should be taken to prevent their escape to any accessible nearby watercourses. Painted turtles migrate readily from one waterway to another, sometimes crossing highways to do so.

Indoors, painted turtles do well in virtually any large well-filtered enclosure. Due to their size, they should be afforded enough area to swim freely and also to bask. In the case of an adult painted, this would mean a minimum of a 60-gallon (225 liter) tank. Large tubs, stock tanks and children’s pools can also be used, but good filtration still needs to be incorporated. Painted turtles require both UV lighting and a basking spot. Painted turtles are the ultimate sun-worshipping turtles, so the importance of a good basking spot is paramount. Lighting can be achieved with the use of a fluorescent UV light and an appropriately sized spot or flood light. The wattage will depend upon the size of the enclosure and distance of the light from the surface of the basking area. The basking location should provide at least a 90 degree Fahrenheit surface temperature. Adding aquatic plants will increase aesthetic beauty, provide hiding places and add some variety to the turtle’s diet as well as aiding in filtration. Painted turtles, although cold tolerant, are warmth-loving, and as such, enjoy water temperatures in the 78-82 degree Fahrenheit range.

Diet

Painted turtles, like many freshwater aquatic turtles, are predominantly carnivorous as young; eating mostly insects, worms, small fish and invertebrates. As they grow older they begin to become more omnivorous, consuming vegetable matter in addition to live prey. In captivity they will readily eat many of the commercially available aquatic turtle foods. That being said, it is always a good idea to provide as varied a diet as possible to ensure good health and proper nutrition.

Caveats

The main consideration when purchasing a painted turtle should be longevity. Painted turtles are long lived animals that can thrive in a variety of habitats. If you are not willing to commit to having an animal for several decades, a painted turtle is not for you.

Additional notes

Painted turtles can be extraordinarily rewarding pets. Many painteds learn to recognize their care-givers and can even be hand fed (but remember to wash your hands!) Painted turtles make an attractive addition to outdoor ponds and are very fun to watch as they seek the perfect basking spot. Several painted turtles housed together will often perch upon one another in an attempt to get closer to the sun/warmth. Painted turtles also make a nice addition to outdoor water features and can usually be housed with koi and other larger or faster moving ornamental fish without incident. Painted turtles can be housed with red-eared slider turtles too.

A note about Salmonella:

As mentioned above, the FDA enacted a ban on the sale of small turtles in 1975. The primary reason for the 4” law (as it is commonly known) is to prevent small children from being able to fit a turtle into their mouth (and subsequently contracting Salmonella), which apparently happened far more than most of us would like to believe. Having a four-inch turtle does not prevent a turtle from potentially transmitting Salmonella however. All turtles (as well as many other animals and a lot of food items) have the potential to carry Salmonella. That being said, in spite of the amount of attention that is given to turtles and Salmonella in the news, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates that only 6% of Salmonella infections in the U.S. may be traced to reptiles. The bottom line is be careful and be responsible. With all reptiles and amphibians (and any other animal for that matter), care should be taken to wash one’s hands after handling or even touching the animal. Furthermore, if you have young children (who are more susceptible to all types of infections) a turtle or reptile may not be your best choice for a pet.