EVER SEEN A PAINTED TURTLE?

The other day, Celinda and I were out for our morning walk when a car pulled up, the driver leaned over toward the rolled down passenger side window and said, “Ever seen a Painted Turtle?” My first thought was, “Not since I quit going to carnivals.” Next, a picture from the 70’s TV show Laugh-In popped into my mind; a man in a trench coat slinking up, quickly glancing around and, in a low voice, asking “Do you want to see my Walnetto?” (1)

IT REALLY WAS A PAINTED TURTEL.
	Before I could put my thoughts into words, the driver reached into a box and pulled out a turtle like I’d never seen before. It really was a painted turtle, and not from a carnival side show either.

WHAT A COOL LITTLE REPTILE.

The next thought that came to mind was, “Wow, maybe other people haven’t seen one.” As the conversation progressed, the car’s driver told us how he’d come by the turtle, gave us some information about them and said he was on his way to put the turtle in a year round pond he knew of. I began to think about how interesting it would be to take some photos and do some research about painted turtles. In a few minutes we agreed to meet after Celinda and I finished our walk.

WE SPRAYED IT WITH WATER SO IT WOULDN'T GET OVERLY STRESSED OUT.

About an hour later, after our walk and eating breakfast, the man drove up and my Painted Turtle education and adventure began. While we talked, I took some pictures, we squirted the turtle down with water from a small spray bottle so it wouldn’t dry out, and the man filled me in on some more information. When they get turned on their back, they use their legs and neck to flip themselves back over.

THEY RODE INTO TOWN ON THE FLOOD.

There had been two different Painted Turtles found in our small town in the past week or so. Apparently, they’d been washed out of their ponds and down the valley by the recent flood waters. The man had been a turtle aficionado since childhood and adopted them until he could relocate them in a suitable habitat. In Oregon, it’s illegal to keep native turtles in captivity. Turtles can live on your property but have to be the ones to choose whether they stay or go. Loosely quoting a fish and wildlife official, “It’s like the movie “Field of Dreams”, if you build the stadium (acceptable turtle habitat), they’ll come. If they choose to stay they can. Otherwise, it’s illegal.”

THE MOST WIDESPREAD TURTLE IN THE US.

The turtle, common in southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico and related to other water turtles, is the only species in the genus Chrysemys. There are Western Painted Turtles, Southern Painted Turtles, Midland Painted Turtles and Eastern Painted Turtles. They are the most widespread turtle in North America. Their range extends from British Columbia in western Canada to Nova Scotia and down to Georgia on the east coast. They’re found in Louisiana and other southern states, Oklahoma, Kansas and northwest to Oregon. Occasionally, Painted Turtles populations can be found in the higher, cooler and wetter areas of the southwest. Their habitat ranges from sea level to 8500 feet.

TICKLE YOUR CHEEK?

Painted Turtles have an olive or black shell that can be bordered with lighter olive, yellow or red markings. They have red and yellow stripes on their neck and legs that appear to be hand-painted, thus the name. The female of the species is usually bigger, but the male has a thicker tail and long claws on it's front limbs. The male uses his long front claws to tickle the female’s cheeks during mating.

LARGE AND A FEMALE.
	Painted Turtles live in wet areas that have soft, muddy bottoms like marshes, ponds, lakes and slow-moving rivers . The maximum shell length is 25 cm or 10 in. The one in my photos was that large and a female. We didn’t get too personal but it had no over-sized front claws.

ANAEROBIC FOR FIVE MONTHS.

Painted Turtles hibernate, actually brumate, by burying themselves in soft mud as deep as three feet and in up to six feet of water. They can live without oxygen at 3 degrees Celsius (37°F) for up to five months, longer than any other known air-breathing vertebrate. In order to live that long anaerobically, they use magnesium and calcium stored in their shell to buffer and neutralize lactic acid. Lowering lactic acid slows their metabolic rate and allows them to accomplish their phenomenal feat. They are most active between May and October, emerging from hibernation as soon as the water and mud reaches a certain temperature. They can be washed from their normal habitat by spring floods and may be found wandering around town, across roads and in other locations where they’re not normally seen. With this year’s floods, that’s probably how they ended up wandering our local streets and yards.

I'VE NEVER SEEN A PAINTED TURTLE UP CLOSE BEFORE.
	I’m an outdoor person and have seen turtles sitting on logs and shorelines but I’ve never seen a Painted Turtle up close before. Thanks Greg for stopping that morning and giving me the opportunity to see, photograph and, the impetus, to research them. You can find out more by doing an Internet search using "Painted Turtle."

WHAT'S A WALNETTO?
	1. Walnetto: a chocolate, caramel candy that I haven’t seen for years. Not being a candy eater, I’m not even sure it was around during the Laugh-In years.