On average the incubation period for the eggs lasts between 80 and 90 days. They can be usually be found across throughout open woodlands as well as grasslands and meadows. Smaller turtles can be lifted safely with one or two hands from the back (tail end) of the shell. If those turtles manage to reproduce, they can easily start a new alien species in a new area. How big it can get:  Between 15 and 26 inches. So they can be typically be seen in marshes, creeks, small lakes, and ponds. Males have a red crown and throat. The skin of the Midland Painted turtle is usually covered with lines that are yellow near the head, and then changing to red. Turtles are reptiles of the order Chelonia / k ɪ ˈ l oʊ n i ə / or Testudines / t ɛ ˈ s tj uː d ɪ n iː z /.They are characterized by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield. The lower part of the shell is usually a yellow. The most important thing that you have to watch out for when interacting with a wild turtle is the turtle trying to bite you. Turtles can be highly aquatic (staying in water most of their lives) or semi-aquatic. Size: 3-5 feet long and weighs 200-500 lbs. Most states, including Illinois, have laws that protect wild native turtles. How big it can get: They usually reach sizes between 5 and 7 inches. Description: The Common Map Turtle Usually ranges in color from dark brown to black. KY state is located in the southern United States and is bordered by Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to the north, Tennessee to the south, Virginia and West Virginia to the east, and Missouri to the west. (With 20 Examples and Pictures). Where it lives: In general Spotted turtles can be found in marshes, wet meadows, swamps, bogs, and shallow borders of ponds, lakes and streams. Most of those rules are generally designed to protect turtles, so even if they seem a little restrictive, they are there for a good reason. You can support our site and thousands of other turtle owners by contributing with a small donation. Painted turtles nest up to three times a year between mid-May and July, Description: The Spotted Turtle has a black upper part of the shell that is covered with yellow, orange or red spots. They can live up to 138 years because this turtle is slow to mature. If the rescuer cannot find water nearby, and the female turtle has released water, the turtle should be placed in a container of shallow water for a couple of hours before being released. The color will usually range from olive-gray to dark brown. Turtles can do a lot of good things to an area, they can keep certain insect populations under control, they can eat the overwhelming vegetation, of a lake, that got out of control, and there are a lot of other beneficial things that they can do. Where it lives: As the name implies Mud turtles prefer to stay in water bodies that have a soft bottom, composed of either sand or mud. So if you touch a turtle make sure that you have some wet wipes near you, if you don’t you should probably avoid touching it. Description: The Eastern Mud turtle has a very plain look, the upper part of the shell usually lacks any pattern and the color can range from a dark yellow to black. One female can have up to 25 offspring in a single year. Small species, such as the spotted turtle, may lay only three to five eggs in a nest, while the larger snapping turtle lays 20 to 40 eggs. The skin is usually covered with long and thin stripes that are also light colored. Reproduction: Nesting season usually starts in late May and lasts until August. These turtles are light tan in color and their shells, as their name suggests, feature a ridge along the top. But those turtle species are not distributed evenly, so most states won’t always be home to the same turtle species, even if they are very close. Diet: Painted turtles are omnivorous, this means that they will eat fruits, vegetables as well as meat. Alligator Snapping Turtle also possess one of the snapping turtles distinct features, a sharp beak. The lower side of the shell is usually light colored. Diet: Map turtles are omnivorous, so they will eat meat, insects, fruit, vegetables, aquatic vegetation, and everything else that they can find. The color of the shell and the skin is usually very similar and it can usually be dark brown or balck. The shell also has some distinct markings on the edges that can range in color from red, orange or yellow, and any combination of them. As the map turtles get older the pattern and the knobs start to slowly disappear, up to a point where they are beary visible. Some small species include the Eastern Box, Southern Painted, Diamondback Terrapins, Spotted and Bog Turtles. But if you still want to, at least try not to put your hands near your face after you touched the turtle. Slider turtles are probably the most popular species of water turtles kept in the world. Illinois designated the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) as the official state reptile in 2005 (also the reptile symbol of Michigan). Reproduction: Nesting season starts in March and ends in Late May, early June. Where it lives: They generally prefer water streams, but they can also be found in lakes, ponds and manmade environments. If you want to know more facts about turtles you can always check out the category: Turtle Facts. Various Types of Turtles. There are approximately 330 species of turtle in the world, 17 of which are found in Illinois: Emydidae - Pond and Box Turtles twelve marginal scutes on each side Even if at the moment there are a lot of individuals of a species, there can be some changes in their environment that will drastically affect the species. How long it can live: Between 40 and 60 years. Additionally, the Prairie Research Institute’s Illinois Natural History Survey has an Identification Key to help people figure out what species turtle they have found. The amount of time it takes the eggs to hatch is around 80 days. Reproduction: The nesting period takes place between May and July. Description: The Southern Painted Turtle has an olive, dark brown or black upper shell that presents a very visible red, orange or yellow line that traverses the entire length of the shell. Description: The Mississippi Mud Turtle has an upper shell that is usually colored dark brown or black. Turtles may be mauled by domestic pets or mishandled by curious children and adults. If you are a nonresident of Iowa you can only take common snapping turtles, softshells and painted turtles from the Missouri, Mississippi and Big Sioux rivers. We are a passionate group of writers and researchers who write about pet turtles and turtles in general. The incubation period is longer than that of most turtles, lasting around 100 to 110 days. Your email address will not be published. How big it can get: Most Box turtles reach sizes between 5 and 7 inches. Description: Blanding’s Turtle has a considerably more dome-like shaped shell than most turtles. The scientific name of this turtle is Terrapene Carolina Carolina. The skin of the Mississippi Map Turtle is usually covered with thin yellow lines. On the other hand, that diversity is a bit misleading because Illinois also lists populations of eleven species as either threatened or endangered. Reproduction: Nesting occurs from late May until the middle of July, and the incubation period lasts between 70 and 90 days. On average the incubation period for the eggs lasts between 80 and 100 days. Not evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria. Or if you are a turtle owner and you want to know more about how to properly take care of a turtle or a tortoise you can always check the Care Guides Section, or the Recommended Products Section. The whole process takes one-two months. The incubation usually lasts between 70 and 100 days. What to Expect and How to Prevent, Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macroclemys temminckii), Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica), Common Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus), Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina), Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum), Eastern Spiny Softshell (Apalone spinifera), False Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica), Hieroglyphic River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna hieroglyphica), Yellow Mud Turtle (Kinosternon flavescens), Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata), Midland Smooth Softshell (Apalone mutica mutica), Mississippi Map Turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohnii), Mississippi Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis), Ouachita Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis), Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), Southern Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta dorsalis), Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii), What to Do If You Find a Wild Native Turtle, You Can Help Us Keep TurtleOwner.com Alive, What Do Turtles Eat ? These beautiful types of turtles were once regarded as a delicacy of the sea. Diet: Mud turtles are omnivorous, this means that they will eat meat, snails, fish, insects, as well as fruits, vegetables, and other kinds of vegetation. When it comes to the meat they will scavenge, or actively hunt their prey in the water. Additionally, the Prairie Research Institute’s Illinois Natural History Survey has an Identification Key to help people figure out what species turtle they have found. The reason why most turtles end up smelling is because... We are a passionate group of writers and researchers who write about pet turtles and tortoises. There are aquatic species that spend almost all of their lives in the water, When choosing a turtle make sure you know how big they will grow. How big it can get: Males usually reach sizes between 3 and 5 inches, while females are considerably bigger, reaching sizes between 8 and 10 inches. Illinois hosts some breeding species in the summer. Turtles are one of the most popular house pets in the world. Besides the shape of the shell, the other most recognizable element is the pattern of the shell and skin, the pattern of the Eastern Box turtles can vary from individual to individual but it can usually be described as a lot of spots or blobs, that are colored yellow, red or orange. The skin of the Hieroglyphic River Cooter is usually covered with pronounced stripes tah can range in color from yellow to orange to red. Scientific Name: Chelonia mydas. Where it lives: Unlike most turtles, Box turtles live on land instead of water. Most of those rules are generally designed to protect turtles, so even if they seem a little restrictive, they are there for a good reason. 1816 South Oak Street, MC 652 Champaign, IL 61820 217-333-6880 cms@inhs.illinois.edu If you want to touch the turtle you can usually do that, but you have to take a few cautionary measures. Description: The Alligator Snapping Turtle is usually black or dark brown,and it has a very spiky appearance. Overall I strongly suggest you not to do this, it can be very dangerous for the ecosystem and for the turtles as well. The biggest known alligator snapping turtle reached 31.5 inches. If you want to take the turtle home as a pet, you first have to make sure that it’s legal to do so. If you must move the turtle, don’t move it far. The upper part of the shell is covered with a red or orange pattern that resembles hieroglyphs, hence the name Hieroglyphic River Cooter. If you want to pick up a turtle you should catch it by the sides and keep your hands above or below it, never in front of its mouth. This article should cover every basic thing about the native turtles of Illinois. Their carapace can include shades of black, gray, green, brown, or yellow. The conservation status of a species shows how close a species is to extinction. How long it can live: Between 50 and 100 years. 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