Natural History
LIFE: Painted turtles are one of Iowa’s most well-known
turtle species. Depending on gender, painted
turtles grow between 4-10 inches, with female turtles
being larger. These turtles have smooth, dark
carapaces with thin, yellow stripes. The yellow stripes
wrap around the shell, but the predominating
surrounding color on the sides of the shell is red. The
plastron, or underside of the shell, is mainly red and
orange-red towards the edges, with a bold pattern of
black and yellow in the center. Once the painted
turtles reach adulthood, around 3-5 years of age for
males and 6-10 years of age for females, they begin
mating between May and July. Female painted turtles
typically lay between 4 and 12 eggs. These turtles can
then grow to be 55 years of age.

HABITAT AND RANGE: The western painted
turtle is populous statewide. These turtles thrive in
freshwater habitats, with muddy bottoms, aquatic
vegetation, and areas for basking. Painted turtles
particularly enjoy streams and lakes, but they will
occasionally live in pasture and roadside ponds.
DIET: The painted turtle’s diet consists of aquatic
vegetation, insects, crustaceans, and fish.

CONSERVATION STATUS: LEGAL to take with a
valid fishing license. These turtles may be trapped,
taken by hand, hook and line, turtle hook throughout
Iowa (LeClere, 2020).


SOURCE: DNR. (2015, September 8). 6 Things You Might not Know About Iowa's Turtles. Retrieved July 5th, 2020, from https://www.iowadnr.gov/About- DNR/DNR-News Releases/ArticleID/66/6-Things-You-Might-not-Know-About-Iowas-Turtles LeClere, J. (2020). Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta). Retrieved July 5th, 2020, from http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/reptiles/turtles/painted-turtlechrysemys-picta/

Life History of Hartman Reserve’s Painted Turtle
Hartman Reserve Nature Center’s painted turtle,
Dobby, was brought to the nature center as a surrender
many years ago. To most people's surprise, he is 15
years old and is very small due to the fact that he grew
up with another turtle. We know Dobby is a male
because of his concave plastron which is the underside
of his shell. He will live out the rest of his life here at
Hartman as an animal ambassador with his friend
Boomer.


​SCIENTIFIC NAME: CHRYSEMYS PICTA