Painted Turtle
(Chrysemys picta)
Information
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
LC - Least Concern
NatureServe
N5 - Secure
S5 - Secure
Minnesota
not listed
Description
Painted Turtle is the most common turtle in the region.
The upper shell (carapace) is relatively flat and has orangish-red markings around the margin. The neck, legs, and tail have bold yellow and orangish-red stripes.
Size
Female total length: 4″ to 9″
Male total length: 4″ to 7″
Similar Species
Painted turtle is the only turtle in Minnesota with orangish-red markings.
Habitat
Muddy bottomed ponds and marshes, the margins of small lakes, sluggish streams and river back-waters.
Ecology
Behavior
Lifespan
5 to 7 years
Life Cycle
Food
Plants, fish, crayfish, aquatic insects, snails, tadpoles, and carrion.
Distribution
Sources
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 5/20/2024).
Chrysemys picta (Schneider, 1783) in GBIF Secretariat (2023). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org. Accessed 5/20/2024.
Occurrence
Common
Taxonomy
Class
Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order
Testudines (Turtles and Tortoises)
Suborder
Cryptodira (Hidden-neck Turtles)
Superfamily
Testudinoidea
Family
Emydidae (Pond and Box Turtles)
Subfamily
Deirochelyinae
Genus
Chrysemys (Painted Turtles)
Subordinate Taxa
eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta picta)
midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata)
southern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta dorsalis)
western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) 
Synonyms
Chrysemys marginata
Chrysemys nuttallii
Chrysemys pulchra
Chrysemys treleasei
Emys bellii
Emys oregoniensis
Hydrochelys picta
Testudo cinerea
Testudo picta
Common Names
Painted Turtle
Photos
Visitor Photos
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Trumpeter Swan doesn't seem to mind...
the turtles on the outer edge of its nest. First time I have ever seen turtles on a swan nest.
Trumpeter Swan working on its nest...
and a whole lot of turtles hanging out on the outer edges. The swan was down in its nest but it got up before I could get close enough and started working on it pulling more cattail reeds up etc. So many turtles hanging out on the outer edge. The trumpeter didn’t seem to mind guessing long as they stick to the outer edges. A pond in Norman Co. Mn. This is a little better image than the previous one I sent, more natural looking.
Turtles, turtles, turtles...
Trumpeter swans started building a nest and these Painted Turtles seem to like resting on it and the swans didn’t seem to mind. The nest is far from done but perhaps the swans allow it as the turtles weight will pack it down and give the eventually finished nest a more stable base. That is just an assumption of mine. Trumpeter swans could easily scare them off but didn’t at least while they were off doing other things on the pond. I’ll try check back sometime and see what happens.
Noticed them a couple days ago.
Little Painted Turtle that was on the road...
Sept. 5, 2018 while driving West along a backroad that ran along the North side of Sandpiper Prairie SNA in rural Norman co. Mn. I noticed a small turtle that almost looked like a rock on the gravel/dirt road so decided to stop and take a look. At the same time I noticed a vehicle coming from the West at a good clip with dust trailing behind. It was about a half mile away but getting closer quickly.
The little turtle was sitting and not moving much so I thought I would pick it up and I put it in my large camera bag and got into my pickup. The little turtle got out of my camera bag and was crawling around inside my vehicle but I didn't mind. Soon as the emerging vehicle passed I caught the turtle and took it back to where it was - taking a few photos first. There were no other vehicles in sight so I put it down to see which direction it wanted to go. It quickly crawled off the road and into the tall grass and kept going. Knowing it was safe I left. Would hate to see the cute little turtle get ran over.
Minnesota Seasons Photos
Slideshows
Slideshows
Eastern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta)
Andree Reno Sanborn
Chrysemys picta (Painted Turtle)
Allen Chartier
Chrysemys picta belli (Western Painted Turtle)
John Clare
Videos
Visitor Videos
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Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
Chrysemys picta (Painted Turtle)
Published on Jun 28, 2019
Painted Turtle 01
Published on Jun 29, 2018
Painted Turtle 02
Published on Jun 29, 2018
Painted Turtle 03
Published on Jun 29, 2018
" Painted Turtles" have character.
Published on Aug 12, 2015
Other Videos
Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta belli)
Carl Barrentine
Western Painted Turtles in the Wild
Wandering Sole TV
Baby Painted Turtle
Northwest Herper
Sightings
Visitor Sightings
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Nancy Lundquist
5/29/2025
Location: Thompson County Park
Nancy Lundquist
5/28/2025
Location: Thompson County Park
Dan W. Andree
4/24/2025
Location: Norman Co. MN
Trumpeter Swan doesn't seem to mind the turtles on the outer edge of its nest. First time I have ever seen turtles on a swan nest.
Dan W. Andree
4/21/2025
Location: Norman County MN
Trumpeter swans started building a nest and these Painted Turtles seem to like resting on it and the swans didn’t seem to mind. The nest is far from done but perhaps the swans allow it as the turtles weight will pack it down and give the eventually finished nest a more stable base. That is just an assumption of mine. Trumpeter swans could easily scare them off but didn’t at least while they were off doing other things on the pond. I’ll try check back sometime and see what happens.
Noticed them a couple days ago.
Julie Martin
5/7/2023
Location: Battle Creek Regional Park, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Lane Keller
9/3/2022
Location: Bear Head Lake State Park
Lydia & Lindsay
6/22/2022
Location: Andover, MN
Digging a hole and laying eggs in backyard across from pond/marsh.
Lane Keller
5/14/2022
Location: Crow-Hassan Park Reserve
Found this at Prairie Lake where the population is slowly increasing every year.
Chelsea H.
5/14/2022
Location: Clear Lake, Waseca, Mn
Molly and Robert Power
6/2/2021
Location: Albany MN
Ramona Abrego
Location: Washington County
Margot Avey
4/19/2019
Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center
Dan W. Andree
9/5/2018
Location: rural Norman County MN
Sept. 5, 2018 while driving West along a backroad that ran along the North side of Sandpiper Prairie SNA in rural Norman co. Mn. I noticed a small turtle that almost looked like a rock on the gravel/dirt road so decided to stop and take a look. At the same time I noticed a vehicle coming from the West at a good clip with dust trailing behind. It was about a half mile away but getting closer quickly. The little turtle was sitting and not moving much so I thought I would pick it up and I put it in my large camera bag and got into my pickup. The little turtle got out of my camera bag and was crawling around inside my vehicle but I didn't mind. Soon as the emerging vehicle passed I caught the turtle and took it back to where it was - taking a few photos first. There were no other vehicles in sight so I put it down to see which direction it wanted to go. It quickly crawled off the road and into the tall grass and kept going. Knowing it was safe I left. Would hate to see the cute little turtle get ran over.
Wayne Rasmussen
5/13/2018
Location: Maplewood Heights Park
John Shier
5/12/2017
Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park
I found I had the wrong name for this turtle. Your site and the MN DNR site agree. I thought, however, that there might be room for one more photo.
John Valo
5/13/2017
There’s always room for more photos.
Wayne Rasmussen
6/28/2014
Location: Maplewood, MN
Painted turtles in Keller Lake at Hwy 61 & 36. They have a nature walkway here where you may also see the eagles which nest next to Hwy 36.
Wayne Rasmussen
4/27/2010
Location: Hackensack, MN
Painted turtles at Deep Portage Reserve in 2010
Patty Austvold
May 2, 2014
Location: What used to be called Meadow Lake on Hassan Pkwy in Rogers, MN
Have seen 3-4 live ones since snow melted and we had a couple nice days (specific sightings on Easter Sunday). They were crawling in cattail rushes and swimming along shoreline. They were docile and let you pick them up right out of the water or rushes. Today I am finding dead ones floating along the shoreline--2 recently dead full grown size..and one smaller decomposing. Is something killing them but not eating them? We have lots of muskrats and Herons and Garter Snakes on the lake. Or is there a disease...or did they come out too soon from hibernation and it is too cold for them? I would hate to see them disappear. Do you have any idea why they might be dying?