They lay their pinkish, leathery eggs in June and July in nests dug out of sandy beaches or marsh edges above the high tide line. An average nest will contain about 13 eggs. Eggs hatch between August and October. A very late hatch, though, may cause hatchlings to overwinter and hibernate in the nest and emerge the next year. As with most turtles, temperature is believed to influence the sex of the hatchlings.
Higher temperatures produce more females while lower temperatures produce more males.
When hatched, the terrapins are about an inch long. Hatchlings are also a favorite food of herons. Survivors hibernate in the winter. The first cold temperatures signal terrapins to bury themselves in mud banks. Body functions slow down to the point where terrapins do not need to come up to breathe.