The Painted Turtle

The Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) is a true turtle, common in Canada, the US and the northern parts of Mexico.
It lives in ponds, lakes, marshes and is common to see along the roadside sunning itself in the summer months in the United States.

The shell length for adult turtles is about 10 inches long, so the turtle is not large in size.
Shell of the painted Turtle
Shell of the painted Turtle
The shell on the turtle is used for protection from other predators.
The bottom of the shell of the Painted Turtle has a lovely design that looks as though it has been hand painted.
It is orange or yellow in color, and may vary in the pattern.The skin of the painted turtle can vary from deep green to black in color, or a lighter olive green.

Painted turtles hibernate in the winter time and are among the animals that have been known to survive longer than any other vertebrate without oxygen, sometimes surviving up to five months.

Jesus Christ Lizard
Jesus Christ Lizard

When they emerge from their hibernation, they mate, while the water temperature is very low. (At times they may also mate in the late fall.)
The male Painted Turtle does not mate for the first time until it is about five years old, while the female waits a bit longer, usually from six to ten years.
Painted Turtles lay their eggs ons softer sandy soils, and dig close to the water, usually about 100-200 feet.The female will then lay between 5 and 15 eggs, which are soft and off white in color. She does not tend to the nest, nor care for the babies. They are born after about 75 days and are independent.

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