Painted turtles are a species of small turtles found across North America. They get their name from the colorful markings on their legs, tail, head and neck — the turtle’s skin is dark green or black with red and yellow stripes. If the colorful stripes aren’t enough to identify your painted turtle, look at the shell. The carapace is a smooth, flattened oval with red markings in some species. The plastron is usually yellow, sometimes tinged with red. Female painted turtles are generally larger than males — they can grow up to ten inches long. Males tend to have a … Continue reading →