But no one knows for sure why chicken turtles have long necks. The egg-laying behavior of chicken turtles is another ecological riddle. North American turtles typically lay their eggs in the late spring and summer. Sea turtles come ashore on the beaches on summer nights. Snapping turtles, painted turtles, and slider turtles normally lay their eggs from April to August.
Chicken turtles are very different.
They lay eggs on warm days in late fall or even winter. This is a true ecological conundrum. Such a natural phenomenon merits explanation if we are to thoroughly understand and be informed about the world around us. Today's technology allows us to probe into biological mysteries not even hinted at two decades ago. Yet basic questions about some of our most common animals still go unanswered.