April 27, 2001

     Painted Turtles

On a sunny day, look for basking painted turtles up on logs or other objects above the surfaces of ponds.

The painted turtle, commonly called a mud turtle, is a small turtle with an upper shell up to six inches long with bright yellow and red markings on its underside.

There are more painted turtles than any other of the eight turtle species living in Minnesota. Ponds and lakes where aquatic vegetation is abundant are their habitat. Their diet consists of about two-thirds water plants and one-third animal food, including dead fish, dead clams, worms and various aquatic insects.

Although it is not easy to approach the painted turtle, it is probably the least wary of all Minnesota turtles. Its habit of sunning on floating logs, or any object projecting just above the water level, makes it easy to see.

Curious people sometimes ask why turtles bask in the sun with outstretched necks, legs and tails. Reptile biologists tell us they do this to raise their body temperatures, enabling food to digest. Turtles also receive ultraviolet light for the manufacture of vitamin A, but there is no certain evidence that sunning removes parasites.