Critter Korner: Turtles

Have you seen any turtles around lately? Well, here in Massachusetts there is a variety of different turtles. From the sunbathing painted turtles to the snappy snapping turtles.

Every turtle has their own unique characteristics. In this article we will be going over a few different types of turtles native to Massachusetts, and their own unique creature features. Firstly the popular Painted Turtle, these reptiles are throughout Massachusetts. They spend most of their time basking in the sun together, or roaming in marshy areas. Their orange tinted stripes, olive green shell, and painted appearance give them their characteristic name. In the wild the mother turtle lays 5-8 eggs, and they hatch around 80 days later in the spring. Once the hatchlings explore out of their nest they spend their early years being highly carnivorous, but in the later stages of their life they will become more 🌱vegetarian🌱. The turtles typically fully mature around 10  years of age, and  they can live over 35 more years. Now, these turtles are amazing, but they aren’t the only turtles living in the pond. Which brings us into the next turtle.

The Snapping Turtle! Snapping turtles are similar to painted turtles when it comes to where they live, but they do have different characteristics. Deep in the marsh you’ll find these creatures resting. But fair warning be careful, for their powerful jaws can cause serious injuries! Instead of swimming away just as a painted turtle might do ( though a painted turtle might bite, just not as severely), the snapping turtles take a different approach… using their long neck they rear back at possible predators. They are also more prehistoric compared to their neighboring turtles. They have rough gray skin with an earthy gray shell, and a large intimidating beak. It’s interesting to compare different turtles, for there are so many similarities and differences. To bring this article to an end, I give you the last turtle we’ll be going over

The Snapping Turtle! Snapping turtles are similar to painted turtles when it comes to where they live, but they do have different characteristics. Deep in the marsh you’ll find these creatures resting. But fair warning be careful, for their powerful jaws can cause serious injuries! Instead of swimming away just as a painted turtle might do ( though a painted turtle might bite, just not as severely), the snapping turtles take a different approach… using their long neck they rear back at possible predators. They are also more prehistoric compared to their neighboring turtles. They have rough gray skin with an earthy gray shell, and a large intimidating beak. It’s interesting to compare different turtles, for there are so many similarities and differences. To bring this article to an end, I give you the last turtle we’ll be going over.

The Eastern Box Turtle, these creatures unlike their other turtle friends live mainly on land. And no, they aren’t a package on your front porch. Their name comes from their defense, for instead of just putting their head in their shell they take a more extreme approach. As they pull their head into their large shell, a flap closes in front of them completely boxing them in, this flap is called a plastron. You can often find them in wooded areas or bogs. Unfortunately, eastern box turtles are endangered in some areas due to habitat loss, cars, and slow reproduction which makes it harder for populations to recover. For the final fact… box turtles can swim! Even if they have the body of a tortoise. Thank you for reading this month’s critter corner, and remember to keep an eye out for turtles!