Care for Eastern Painted Turtles    

Carapace - The olive-to-black carapace is smooth,

oval and flat, with the highest and widest portions at

the center and has yellow or red borders along the

seems. There are also red bars or crescents on each

of the larger scutes. Some Eastern Painteds will have

a narrow stripe running down the middle of the carapace,

from just behind the head to above the tail, if it is present

at all. This stripe is more noticeable in some individuals,

while difficult to see in others. These stripes can be red,

orange or yellow. The ends of the back of the carapace

are smooth, not serrated. The vertebral and pleural seems

are aligned and the carapacial scutes have plain yellow

borders.

Plastron - The hingeless plastron is patternless and

yellow-to-cream in color. Some individuals may have

a blotch which is black or red. The presence, size,

color and shape of this blotch varies between

individuals. Most have no markings at all.

Head - Moderately size, the head, neck and

the top of the beak is notched. The skin of

the head, neck, tail and legs is black. The

tail, neck and legs have yellow stripes.

There is a large, yellow dot on their neck

behind either side of the head.

Size -  Males can attain a length of 4 - 6"

while females can reach anywhere from 6 - 8".

• Air Temperature: 
• Low to mid 80's
• Basking Temperature: 
High 80's to low 90's
• Water Temperature:  
• Low to mid 70's

Eastern Painted turtles

are extremely hardy with

most temperatures as their

range extends into the northern

US and Canada, thus making them

excellent specimens for a year-round

outside habitat in most of the US. However,

there are some that believe that those found

in the warmer climates are not able to handle

the cooler climates than that their northern

counterparts can. Be mindful of this if outdoor

hibernation in the northern U.S. is planned.

Eastern Painteds are great

beginner turtles. They are hardy turtles and are

very tame around keepers, which makes them

more enjoyable since they aren't constantly

running and hiding when keepers come near them.

CAPTIVE DIET

Throughout their lives, Eastern Painteds are omnivorous

with the strong preference for being carnivores. This creates

the opportunity for keepers to offer too much in the way of

proteins. It is important to keep a check on the turtle's diet

and ensure that it is getting a well-rounded feeding. In captivity,

they do well on Mazuri and ReptoMin, Reptile/Pond 10, Cichlid

Sticks, feeder fish, occasional ghost shrimp, aquatic plants

(such as Water Lilies, Water Hyacinth, Duckweed, Anachris,

Water Lettuce, Water Fern, Pondweed, Water starwort, Hornwort,

Water milfoil, and Frogbit), veggies (such as Zucchini, Squash,

Collard Greens, Beet Leaves, Endive, Romaine, Red Leaf Lettuce,

Kale, Escarole, Mustard Greens & Dandelions) and some fruits, crickets,

meal worms and blood worms.

RECOMMENDED FEEDING SCHEDULE

For the first 6 months of life, feed commercial pellets or

meaty foods such as earthworms or fish once daily, enough

to diminish appetite but not gorge the turtle. After 6 months,

switch to every other day feeding. Romaine lettuce & other

leafy greens may be offered daily for graze at will. Over time

adjust diet content & schedule accounting for growth, activity

level & appetite. Overfeeding high-protein foods causes rapid

growth, shell deformities (pyramiding) & is believed harmful

to the liver & kidneys.

CAPTIVE HABITAT

These are avid baskers, so a basking spot is required.

UVB lighting is needed as well as a heat lamp over the

basking spot. The basking platform will require a heat

lamp to maintain daytime temps around 85-90°F and the

UVB lighting will provide them with the necessary means

to process calcium. A submersible heater is recommended

if the water temps fall below the recommend range. They

are excellent swimmers and their captive habitat should

have a water depth as deep as possible without allowing

them to escape. Aquatic substrates are optional, ranging

anywhere from a bare bottom to sand, river rock or a

fine-to-medium size gravel.

RECOMMENDED ENCLOSURE

Single adult painteds would do well in a 75 gallon aquarium.

Single adult females would need a minimum of a 125 gallon tank.

This allows them plenty of room (quality of life) in addition to plenty

of water to assist in good health and filtration. Basking areas can be

made of dirt, sand, gravel, smooth rocks or flat rocks, driftwood

anything that will support their weight and is non-abrasive.

Adding additional sliders to a habitat requires that you increase

the size of the tank accordingly by half (ie; 1 male = 75 gallons,

2 males = 110 gallons, etc). Stock tanks also mak

e great alternatives to glass and acrylic aquariums.

WATER DEPTH

Painteds are accomplished swimmers, even as fresh hatchlings,

and require deep water.

COMMUNITY HABITAT

Painteds make great community inhabitants with other

species from the same region and other painteds as well,

provided that adequate space is given. Additional males,

even of other species, can be problematic in the form  of

aggression even in large enclosures. Sliders have powerful

jaws and can easily kill smaller turtles, so only turtles of comparable

size are recommended.

Painteds can lay anywhere from 1 to 23 eggs at a time,

dependant upon the size of the female. Incubation time

lasts anywhere from 65 to 80 days at 71.6° - 89.6° F.

Males are produced when incubation temps are maintained

at 71.6° - 80.6° F.

Females are produced 86° - 89.6° F.

Mixed geneders produced between 80° - 86° F.

A hatchling's captive habitat should mimic that

which it would have as an adult. The requirements

are the same pertaining to lighting, heat, basking and water depth.

Some keepers worry that their turtle might drown in a deep water

aquarium and opt to give the hatchling a shallow habitat.

That is completely inaccurate. Hatchlings - even fresh day

old hatchlings - do quite well in deep water. Hatchlings

should also be provided with numerous plants (artificial or live)

for stability, hiding and climbing. The temperature range for h

atchlings and yearlings is a bit different, however, simply

because of their high mortality rate. Hatchlings and yearlings

should be maintained in the same range as the daytime and

basking temperatures listed above, however, their water

temps should be kept between 78° and 80°F.

DIET

They do well on a diet of worms, fish, crickets,

augmented by a quality turtle food such as Mazuri

and ReptoMin. Veggies should be offered, although

some hatchlings do not take to them until they are older.