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The Ultimate Painted Turtle Care Guide

The painted turtle is a popular pet choice for reptile lovers, but it does take some specialist care to ensure it is happy and healthy.

If you’re thinking about getting one of these beautiful shelled friends, there’s a lot to learn. From what they eat, to the kind of lighting they need – there are lots of aspects to their care that need to be right for them to thrive as a captive animal.

The great news is, we’re here to help. We have collected all the information you need to understand more about looking after the painted turtle. By the end of this guide you’ll feel totally clued up on sourcing, and looking after these specialist pets:

An Introduction To The Painted Turtle

The painted turtle lives up to 30 years on average, can grow up to 25 centimetres and weighs up to 500 grams. It is one of the most common turtles in North America and has been around for millions of years.

The Southern painted turtle is the smallest of all painted turtles and tends to also be the most attractive species, which is why it is such a popular pet. Males are smaller than males in adulthood, with thicker and longer tails at the base.

This painted turtle type originates from Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri and Illanois.

These attractive replies have smooth shells with grooves where the plates overlap with each other. Colours vary greatly, with some animals showcasing blacks, yellows and greens, reds and everything in between. The skin of the painted turtle is black with yellow and red stripes with the feet being webbed to allow for swimming.

In the wild you find the painted turtle in fresh water with a muddy or sandy bottom. Creeks, marshes, rivers and lake shores are common homes for this gorgeous creature. Here they will live in groups of 50 turtles or more socialising together. These groups of painted turtles are known as bales, nests, turns, doles or creeps.

Sourcing A Southern Painted Turtle

The Southern painted turtle is known as a great beginner turtle which requires very low maintenance. By sourcing a healthy animal you’ll have no extra worries on top of getting their care needs right, so it’s important to be selective about the animal you source.

These popular pets can be found for sale easily, but it is still important to be selective about who you purchase your pet from. Some people steal these animals from the wild, which is not ethical and should not be encouraged.

Instead you could get your turtle from a reputable rescue, where there is an abundance of unwanted turtles.

Alternatively you can get your turtle from a breeder who specialises in these kinds of pets. A good breeder will be eager to answer all your questions, show certification and proof of veterinary checks and pet history/ breeding. They will also want to ask you questions about your suitability as a painted turtle owner.

Caring For A Southern Painted Turtle

Tank

The male Southern painted turtle minimum tank size is 40 gallons, but 50 gallons or more is better. For the females, 55 gallons is the minimum size but 75 gallons or more is better. For additional animals you need to add an extra 20 gallons per male, or an extra 40 gallons per female.

The tank can be bare but adding substrate can be more interesting for the turtle, or you, to look at. Gravel and sand is not recommended because they can be eaten by the turtle and make it unwell. A substrate that is either too large to be eaten, or too small to block the turtle’s digestive tract is ideal.

The substrate should be treated and cleaned to be used safely in a vivarium. Most people choose to add turtle-safe floating and weighted plants, and large (safe) hiding places in the water, as well as smooth rocks and pebbles that double as basking surfaces.

Floating basking planks are also a great idea to provide multiple basking options for your turtle.

Water

Your painted turtle will need water to be happy because they are aquatic reptiles. About 10-12 inches is a good start when it comes to the necessary water depth (minimum double the length of the turtle’s shell), but deeper is fine, if not better.

The water should be around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature, so you will need a water heater and of course a filter to keep the water nice and clean.

These beautiful turtles are happy to swim around, so they will enjoy lots of water if you want to provide them with a larger swimming area. The water, however, will need to be treated before being placed in the tank so it doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals that could hurt your turtle.

Lighting & Heating

In the enclosure itself the ambient temperature should be around 80-85 degrees.

You will also need to heat a special part of the painted turtle enclosure – the basking area.

Even with a good diet the painted turtle should be given a basking area with a heat and light source. A heating light as well as UVB/ UVA light (you can get a lamp that emits all three) is essential for the basking area, which should be between 80 and 85 degrees fahrenheit.

UVA keeps your turtle happy and healthy, heat keeps your turtle healthy and active and UVB is essential for helping your turtle create vitamin D, which they need to properly absorb calcium from their food. The light needs to be on for 12 hours a day, after which the turtle needs darkness to replicate natural changes in their environment.

The lamp manufacturer will state the distance the lamp needs to be from the basking surface for the animal to get the benefits from it. The lamp should not be too close or too far away.

Keeping Your Painted Turtle Outside

Some people who live in areas native to the Southern painted turtle choose to keep their pets in an outside enclosure. This is thought to be a great choice for painted turtles because it replicates their natural environment the most. It can also help to minimise the risk of salmonella to smaller children in the household.

If you want to house your turtle outside you will want to provide a natural or prefabricated pond of at least 50 gallons or more, ideally concrete lined if possible. The water in the pond needs to be filtered to keep it clean. You could even add a safe waterfall to help oxygenate the water and to give the turtle more of a natural environment to live in. Don’t forget to add ramps so the turtle can get in and out of the water easily.

In the enclosure you will also need to provide a basking spot (or multiple basking spots) as well as natural turtle-safe vegetation, safe hiding/ burrowing spots and a walking space. Many people also choose to place fencing and wire over the enclosure to protect the turtles from predators. This fencing needs to be at least six inches below the ground, and two feet above it.

If you get winters below 40 degrees you will need to think about moving your turtle into an indoor enclosure during this time, or offering them the right conditions to hibernate. In the wild they hibernate in the water and stop breathing, but it is challenging to replicate these conditions in captivity safely.

Some people choose not to hibernate their painted turtle at all because of the risk. It is a personal choice and overall it is best to speak to your veterinarian about this topic so they can advise you on whether or not to do it, and if so, how to do it.

What To Feed Your Southern Painted Turtle

A painted turtle is omnivorous so they have a hugely varied diet in the wild. They eat all kinds of plants, animals and insects, with quite the taste for meat in their youth, and more of a taste for veggies in later life.

To keep your captive turtle healthy and happy it is important to keep the protein levels down, which can make them sick. Instead, they should have a diet based mainly on veggies as their staples, with protein every 2-3 times a week.

Protein Sources – Some people choose to use turtle pellets for their painted turtles diet when it comes to the protein they need. You can provide the pellets as a protein source and still supplement that with live crickets (bred for food) and mealworms. Alternatively they also like chicken, frog meat, lizards, snails, worms, fish and insects as their main source of protein.

Veggies – Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, duckweed, dandelion greens and are great choices for your painted turtle. Just make sure the veggies are not treated with pesticides and they are clean before serving them up.

General feeding tips:

Try to offer at least some food for your turtle that floats in the water, where they would naturally eat. If it does not float, you can buy clips that attach to the enclosure enabling you to position the food in the water for the turtle.
Any food offered to the turtle should be free from pesticides. Any insects or meat should be non-processed and bred for the purpose of eating.
Consider feeding your turtle a reptile multivitamin recommended by your exotic pet veterinarian.
Read up on food you need to avoid giving turtles – such as rhubarb or spinach – so that you avoid making your turtle sick accidentally. There is a long list of recommended foods to avoid for these kinds of animals.
Feed your adult painted turtle every other day or less often depending on its weight. An exotic pet veterinarian can advise on a specific plan based on your turtle’s needs.

My Painted Turtle Is Not Eating, What Should I Do?

You should consult your veterinarian or if you trust your breeder they will usually help advise you on what to do next. There are common reasons painted turtles stop eating including:

Incorrect light and temperature in their enclosure.
Sneezing, breathing issues and other respiratory issues.
Vitamin A deficiency, showing with patchy white shell markings as well as breathing issues.
Eye issues like discharge or watery eyes.
Constipation.
Boredom/ depression.
Injury or sickness.

Sometimes turtles do not eat because of illness, or they may get additional symptoms because they are not eating so it is important to consult an expert to check out your turtle’s health when you notice something is wrong.

Next Step: Painted Turtle Ownership!

Now you have read this guide you are so much closer to owning a beautiful Southern painted turtle. With our guide, and information from your vet or breeder too, you’ll be ready to provide the healthiest, happiest environment for your new painted turtle pal!

Be sure to check out My Turtle Shop Here for the essentials you need to help you set up.

How To Care For A Southern Painted Turtle

Ava Johnson Types of Turtles 6 June 2022Painted Turtle, Southern Painted Turtle 0 Comment

The Southern Painted Turtle is a stunning animal that makes for a truly interesting pet. It does take specialist care, though, to keep it happy and healthy.

If you’re considering getting a Southern painted, this guide will give you all the information you know to keep your new reptile friend in the best condition.

From enclosure guidelines, to feeding tips, here’s all you need to know to care for your beautiful new Southern painted pal:

The Southern Painted In The Wild

Southern painted turtles (Chrysemys Picta) are stunning animals with a smooth shell. They have a black and green shell and body, with bright red and yellow markings and stripes.

In the wild, you will find the Southern painted in all kinds of watery environments like streams, meandering rivers, marshes, ponds and other slow moving sources of water with a soft bottom. They can be found across North America most commonly, but can be found much further afield too.

Sadly, the animals can be caught for food, for fun or to be unethically sold in the pet trade by humans. In the wild other animals will prey on Southern painted turtles for their meat and eggs, which is why they use the water as their ‘safe place’ where they hide and pull their body into their shell if attacked.

If you see a Southern painted in the wild you can expect it to be basking on objects on or around the water, like logs or stones. They will commonly be seen with other Southern painted turtles and the group of them together is called a ‘bale’.

How To Get A Healthy Southern Painted

Southern painted turtles are beginner turtles because they can be handled easily at just 6 inches long, their adult size. They do, however, get snappy if you make quick movements near their head and they aren’t naturally friendly. So they may well be a turtle to enjoy watching, not touching. Although it is handy to know you can pick one up to examine or move to another enclosure/ travel box if needed.

If you care for your Southern painted well it can live up to about 20 years or more in captivity. Of course, this is only if you care for them well and also if you get a healthy specimen to begin with.

Getting a healthy Southern painted turtle means buying one from a breeder, or taking on an unwanted pet. Both methods involve you doing a lot of checks and homework on the seller to make sure the turtle is in good health.

Rescue centers are a good starting point because they can speak to you about painted turtles they have, as well as giving you advice on breeders should they not have any suitable animals for you.

As a general rule, breeders and people looking to move their pets on should be willing to answer any questions you have. They should be able to give you a full history of the animal too. Breeders will also be able to provide information like who the parents of the turtle are, and they should also be able to show you other painted turtles they have in their care.

You’re looking for:

Clean living conditions
Ethical living conditions
Healthy turtles with no signs of damage, discharge or distress
Lively turtles
Transparency from the owner/ breeder

They should also be willing to give you vet check certificates or allow you to go and do a vet visit with them before you take the turtle home and hand over your money.

The Southern painted is going to be with you for a very long time, hopefully, so it makes sense to check if it is a healthy and happy animal when you buy it. This avoids a lot of expensive veterinary care on your part, and potential heartbreak if your new pal is so sick it doesn’t make it.

How To Care For A Southern Painted

Tank

The tank of a Southern painted needs to be about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit in ambient temperature.

The turtle tank of a Southern painted should ideally be around 10 gallons per inch of shell. So an adult six inch Southern painted needs around a 60 gallon tank, ideally. 40 gallons is probably the minimum size tank you could get away with to keep one male Southern painted turtle, but it is not ideal. As the females tend to be a little bigger they need a minimum of 50 gallons, with 75 or more gallons being ideal for them to be happy.

You should also add 20 gallons for every extra male, or 40 gallons for every extra female.

Water

The Southern painted is aquatic so it has to have water to be happy. Around double the length of the average Southern painted (6 inches) is a good starting point for depth. However, more than 12 inches is probably better for a happier turtle.

You will need to use a water heater to keep the water nice and warm at around 70-75 degrees, with two water heaters being placed if you have a very large tank. You will also need to treat the water to remove chemicals before putting it in, and pay for the best filter you can afford. If it filters 60 gallons and you have a 30 gallon tank, that is a good choice for a turtle tank. Turtles make a lot more poop than fish, so you need to work hard to keep them clean and hygienic.

Basking

Southern painted turtles are often spotted in the wild basking. This is the area of the enclosure you need to make sure has heating and lighting to keep your turtle happy and healthy.

Turtles rely on UVA light and heat to trigger their inner biological systems, telling them it is time to be active and move. They also get their body heat and energy this way. For this reason, you need to make sure the surface temperature of the basking platform is around 80-85 degrees.

This platform also requires something called UVB, which is what your turtle uses to make vitamin D, which allows them to absorb calcium from the food they eat. Without this they can get a nasty condition with their shells where it becomes deformed.

You can get a lamp or tube light (like these ones) that provides warmth, UVA and UVB and most manufacturers will state how close each lamp wattage should be from the platform to provide the right levels for the turtle.

This distance has to be very precise so the turtle gets the benefits of the rays, but also so they don’t get burnt.

You can use special thermometers and ray guns (check these ones here) to capture the levels of this platform. By checking the levels you can change the bulb when needed so your turtle never gets less UVA, heat or UVB than they need.

You can make the Southern painted turtles basking platform from driftwood, smooth wooden planks or even large stones. As long as it is stable and they can fit on it and turn around (plus a gentle ramp to get on and off) you can be quite creative with how it looks.

Enrichment

Southern painted turtles require enrichment in their tanks to be happy. Non-toxic plastic and real floating and weighted plants are always fun for them to investigate and hide in. Smooth rocks are another great choice, as well as floating basking stations. Anything you do add needs to be:

Non-toxic
Smooth
Unable to trap them by falling over
Unable to trap them because of the gap it provides

Keeping The Southern Painted In A Pond

Some people feel the best enclosure for a Southern painted is a pond outside. This is because it is the most natural option for them, and it also keeps them away from younger children inside the house, controlling the risk of salmonella.

If you live in an area where the weather is nice and sunny most of the time you could well keep your Southern painted outside. To do so you need to provide them with:

A prefab/ natural pond of 50 gallons+
Filtered pond water
Ramps so the turtle can get in and out of the water
Fencing of 6 inches deep and 2 foot high plus netting to keep other animals out of their enclosure
Basking spots
Burrowing spots

If your winter dips below 40 degrees Fahrenheit you also need to provide an indoor enclosure for your painted Southern turtle. Hibernation is an option but it is risky in captivity so do speak to your vet about it.

How To Feed A Southern Painted

The painted turtle likes to feast on so many different food types. That is because they are omnivores and they regularly eat whatever they can find in the wild. Snails, insects, roots – they will eat most things.

However, in captivity they don’t have that same natural range of foods so you need to provide the right nutrients for them to keep them healthy. These types of turtles do well with a lower level of protein provided every couple of days, plus veggies the rest of the time as their staple foraging food.

Protein – Worms, insects, snails, chicken, crickets and mealworms are all great options. Just be sure they are not processed and are bred for use in the food chain. To stimulate your turtle’s natural instincts try offering them live insects every now and then. They will love the movement and it will encourage them to move instinctually to catch them for food.

Vegetables – Duckweed, romaine lettuce and dandelion greens free from chemicals and processing are all great foods for your turtle. Try introducing some floating veggies to encourage your turtle to eat as they would in the wild.

You can also feed your turtle something called turtle pellets (such as these here), but they should not make up their entire diet. Your vet can advise on these, as well as supplements sometimes recommended for turtles.

If your turtle is not eating it could be down to a number of reasons such as a Vitamin A deficiency, boredom, injury or parasites. The best thing to do is speak to a vet who has turtle experience so they can quickly diagnose the problem. It is better to be safe than sorry with sick turtles, as the sooner they are diagnosed the better their chance of getting the right treatment to get them back to health.

When Will You Get Your Southern Painted Turtle?

A Southern painted pet is an exciting, interesting and sometimes loyal pet.

With our tips and information above – and your own further research – soon you will be caring for your new Southern painted well, helping them to absolutely thrive in your care for many years to come.

Be sure to check out My Turtle Shop Here for the essentials you need to help you set up.

Midland Painted Turtles: A Complete Care Guide

Ava Johnson Types of Turtles 6 June 2022Midland Painted Turtle, Painted Turtle 0 Comment

The Midland painted turtle is a beautiful and interesting pet, but it will require plenty of special care and attention to keep it healthy and happy in captivity.

To help you understand these cute critters ad how to look after them a little bit more, here’s our complete guide to the Midland painted turtle:

The Midland Painted Turtle – An Introduction

The Midland painted turtle (Chrysemys Picta Marginata) is an attractive subspecies of the painted turtle that comes from the Emydidae family of pond turtles. Other types are the Western painted, Southern painted and Eastern painted turtle. They are found in the Western Hemisphere, most notably in America and the Great Lakes.

They can get to around 9 or 10 inches in size (females), so they aren’t the smallest turtle type you can adopt, but some do only grow to 5 inches (males).

In captivity they can live to about 30 or 40 years, so they aren’t a small time commitment. Some people really love that fact, though, because it gives you the chance to make a really strong bond with them.

Unfortunately, the life length and specialist care they need often results in an excess of turtles requiring rehoming. However, it is better to move the animal on to a rescue or a new home than it is to let it loose in the wild, which would be terrible for both the turtle and the local ecosystems.

The Midland painted turtle is the hardest to identify because there is no particular distinguishing feature. As with their other painted pals, though, they are very beautiful with a black, brown or green body and shell and bright stripes, splodges and bars across it.

In the wild you will find the Midland painted turtle in gentle bodies of water with soft muddy or sandy bottoms, lots of plant life, basking sites and freshwater.

The Midland Painted Turtle As A Pet

The Midland painted turtle can cohabit with other painted types, like the Western painted, as well as similar breeds like red sliders. As long as they have lots of space they won’t show aggression towards each other and should cohabit peacefully.

When it comes to handling a Midland painted turtle, you should minimise contact. They are very shy and can carry salmonella, which is why turtles are commonly not recommended as pets for families with very young children.

Instead, because the turtles won’t run away when you approach to watch them, you can enjoy observing their day to day activities. They are a lot of fun to watch as they swim about and explore.

If you do need to handle them for tank cleaning or to take them to the vet, they can be easily picked up with one hand (for smaller turtles) by the shell, or if they are larger, with one hand on the front of the shell and one at the back. Be careful to watch their mouths as they can bite.

Choosing A Midland Painted

Buy a Midland painted turtle from a reputable source like a verified breeder or a rescue facility. They should have a full history for the turtle, be willing to show you the turtle, its habitat and veterinary certification for parasite checks etc.

As a good visual guide, you can also keep an eye out for:

Bright eyes
Clear eyes with no discharge
Strong legs and arms (they should react when they are picked up but not panic)
An active disposition (no lethargy)
No cracks, pits or obvious wounds
No sagging between their body and the shell
No excessive basking
No swelling anywhere
No fear of getting in the water
Any signs of vitamin A deficiency or parasites (misshapen shell, white patches on the shell, nasty poop)

If you can, get the turtle to an exotic animal vet for a check before paying for it (accompany the breeder) or ask for a check from a vet of your choice. This may be difficult as the turtles are not very expensive, but if the breeder is good, they will do this for you. They should also ask you lots of questions to check that you are a suitable owner.

Midland Painted Turtle Care

Your Midland painted turtle will need a very specific environment to live in that replicates its natural environment as much as possible. Below, we’re going to look at the main aspects of their enclosure size, lighting and other factors to make sure your turtle feels happy in their new home:

Tank

The Midland painted turtle loves to swim, which means they cannot really thrive in a small tank.

Instead, a large tank at least 10 gallons per inch of shell is advised. It should be a minimum of 60 gallons and even bigger if you want lots of turtles.

If you buy a hatchling or juvenile Midland painted, you will only need a smaller tank of 20-40 gallons taking special care to only add 10 gallons of water to it. Once the turtle gets more confident and water proficient you can add more water and eventually move them to a bigger tank overall.

The tank itself will need to be at an ambient temperature of about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit, with the water kept at about 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. As well as your general tank lighting, depending on where you live you will need a water heater to keep the water at the right temperature. This heater should be turtle tank suitable, have a visible thermometer and work automatically if the water temperature starts to drop.

If there is a lot of water in the tank you may need two heaters to heat the water. You will also need an excellent filter. Try to buy one with double the filtration power you would buy for fish. So if it filters 60 gallons consider that to filter 30 gallons of turtle water. This is because turtles are much messier than fish and they poop a lot more!

Lastly, do change at least a third of the water every week. You will need to treat the water to remove chemicals from it before adding it to the tank.

Substrate & Enrichment

You don’t need to add anything to the tank in the way of decorations and substrate, but this will be boring for the turtle and for you.

Instead, try to add things like large smooth aquarium rocks, slate stones and other non-edible items in the water itself. In areas above water you could add turtle logs and even plants and other items for the turtle to hide or forage in. These are important to manage the Midland painted turtles stress as they need to be able to hide to feel secure. Just make sure the items are smooth, non-toxic and easily cleaned.

Other Midland painted turtle owners like to add floating and weighted plastic and real plants in the water, and even add extra basking stations too, just to give the turtle a more interesting environment.

Basking

All turtles need to be able to bask so that they can thermoregulate, which they do by going in and out of the water (and onto the basking station). The basking temperature needs to be about 88 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, provided by a ceramic heat lamp or tube lamp. This lamp should be off at night to remove the UVA light source and allow your turtle to rest.

You also need to include a UVB light in this section which is incredibly important to a turtle’s health. It enables them to make Vitamin D3, something they need for strong bones and a strong shell. Without it, they can become deformed and very sick.

When you choose a light you will be able to see how far from the basking station you need to place it so that it provides the right amount of UVB. You also need to change the bulb regularly to avoid it decreasing in the UVB it puts out.

Many manufacturers sell basking lights that combine normal UVA lighting, UVB and heat together. Whatever you do choose, you should buy thermometers and other measuring equipment so you know exactly what your basking station is putting out for your turtle. This is an essential aspect of Midland painted turtle care and worth investing more money in overall.

Feeding Your Midland Painted Turtle

The Midland painted turtle loves meat as a baby and juvenile. As they get older they lean more towards veggies.

In your care, regardless of the animal’s age it should have a very well-rounded diet to make sure it gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Here are some suggestions for their food:

Turtle Pellets – some people only feed turtle pellets to their turtles. However, many keepers recommend pellets only make up some of their diet, with fresh foods making up the rest for interest and nutritional quality.

Seafood – Feeder fish are great for Midland painted turtles because they offer the animal some interest and encourage it to move to catch its food. Ghost shrimp are also great for this.

Veggies – There is a vast amount of veggies your Midland painted turtle can eat including; pondweed, red leaf lettuce, endives, romaine lettuce, dandelions, water lilies and water fern. You should include a mixture of floating plants and chopped prepared plants for variety.

Insects – Mealworms, blood worms and crickets are turtle favourites, especially if offered alive to trigger the turtle’s response to fast movement.

Some keepers will also give their Midland painted turtles supplements which is something you should discuss with your veterinarian who can advise you accordingly. They can also discuss a diet plan with you based on your turtle’s age, weight and health needs. Most adult turtles need feeding three times a week, and younger turtles – everyday.

You’re Well On Your Way To Owning A Midland Painted Turtle!

The Midland painted turtle is very cute, and very easy to care for once you get to understand the basic reptile husbandry needed to help it thrive.

With our guide above, and a really good veterinarian who can offer specific advice, you’ll be well on your way to keeping your very own Midland painted turtle healthy and thriving for a very happy long life under your care.

Be sure to check out My Turtle Shop Here for the essentials you need to help you set up.

*Photo credit https://www.flickr.com/photos/fujidude/27730831161/