Spotted Turtle
Clemmys guttata

Reptiles Alive Name: Spot

Hissstory: Spot was donated to us from a nature center.

RA Diet: Earthworms, crickets, meal worms and zoo aquatic turtle food.

Natural Diet: Spotted turtles are omnivorous - meaning they eat both plants and meat. Algae, leaves of soft aquatic plants water lily seeds, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, amphibian eggs, tadpoles, and carrion are all eaten by spotted turtles.

Range: Eastern Canada south through the eastern United States including the Washington D.C. region.

Habitat: Small ponds, vernal pools, marshes, swamps and wet woodlands

Size: Grows 3.5 - 4.5 inches, with a record of 5 inches

Lifespan: Can live over 20 years

Reproduction: Spotted turtles breed March - May. Females lay 3-5 eggs in June. The eggs hatch in the fall and sometimes the hatchling turtles overwinter in the nest.

Conservation Issues: Spotted turtles are threatened in many areas due to habitat loss, pollution and the pet trade.

Cool Facts: Spotted turtles emerge from hibernation earlier than most other turtles. They can function at lower temperatures than most other reptiles species.