# Painted turtle (*Chrysemys picta*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/painted-turtle  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is a reptile in the turtles and tortoises group, belonging to the family Emydidae in the order Testudines. It falls in the small size class, with an adult body mass of 374.9 g and reported values from 371.8 g to 378 g. Its lifespan is given as 23.3 years, with values up to 61 years, and it reaches sexual maturity at 5 years. It produces 6 per clutch and 2 clutches per year, with an egg incubation period of 68.5 days, and it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 374.9 g |
| Length | 13 cm – 25 cm |
| Lifespan | 23.3 years – 61 years |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | freshwater, wetland |
| Egg incubation | 68.5 days |
| Young per litter or clutch | 6 |
| Age at maturity | 4.5 years – 7 years |
| Litters or clutches a year | 2 |
| Reproduction | Eggs |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Reptilia
- order: Testudines
- family: Emydidae
- genus: Chrysemys
- species: *Chrysemys picta* (Schneider, 1783)

Synonyms: *Chrysemys marginata*, *Chrysemys nuttallii*, *Chrysemys pulchra*, *Chrysemys treleasei*, *Emys bellii*, *Emys oregoniensis*, *Emys picta*, *Hydrochelys picta*, *Testudo cinerea*, *Testudo picta*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the painted turtle?

The painted turtle is a reptile in the turtles and tortoises group. It belongs to the family Emydidae, suborder Cryptodira, order Testudines.

### How heavy is a painted turtle?

An adult Painted turtle weighs 374.9 g, with reported values from 371.8 g to 378 g.

### How long does a painted turtle live?

The painted turtle has a lifespan of 23.3 years, with values reported up to 61 years.

### Is the painted turtle endangered?

No. The painted turtle is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, which is not a threatened category.

### How many eggs does a painted turtle lay?

The painted turtle has 6 per clutch and 2 clutches per year. The egg incubation period is 68.5 days.

### When does a painted turtle reach maturity?

The painted turtle reaches sexual maturity at 5 years, with reported values from 4.5 to 7 years.

### What other names does the painted turtle have?

The painted turtle is also called the Painted terrapin and the Northern painted turtle.

## Sources

- [An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1), CC0 1.0, E096-269. Myhrvold, N.P., Baldridge, E., Chan, B., Sivam, D., Freeman, D.L. & Ernest, S.K.M. (2015) An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles. Ecology 96: 3109. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0846R.1. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3563457.v1
- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/painted-turtle