Spotted Turtle
Basic Information:
Scientific Name: Clemmys guttata
Habitat: Spotted turtles can be found in the swamps, bogs, fens, marshes, woodland steams, and wet pastures of eastern United States.
Diet: Spotted turtles are primarily carnivorous and tend to eat snails, worms, slugs, and spiders.
Size: 0.3 to 0.5 feet long
Weight: 0.5 to 0.8 pounds
Lifespan: 25 to 50 years
Distribution Map:
I.U.C.N. Conservation Status:
What does this mean?
Endangered – a species determined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (I.U.C.N.) to possess a very high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population declines of 50 to more than 70 percent over the previous 10 years (or three generations), a current population size of fewer than 250 individuals, or other factors.
Our Spotted Turtle:
Pip (Female) – Estimated Date of Birth Between May 2009 & May 2010
Did You Know?!
- Spotted turtles are of special concern due to habitat loss and the illegal pet trade.
- During daylight hours, spotted turtles eat and bask in the sun. In the evening, spotted turtles submerge themselves and spend the night underwater.
- This species is the most aquatic member of the genus, but it is usually not found in deep water
- Reports suggest that female spotted turtles are capable of a greater production of eggs than is normally seen in the wild, but are constrained by unknown environmental factors (such as a limited food supply or short activity season).
- The sex of spotted turtle hatchlings is determined by nest temperature: in the lab, cooler experimental temperatures produced mostly males, and warmer temperatures produced only females.