The turtle has a relatively flat upper shell with red and yellow markings on a black or greenish brown background. The growth rate, for both male and female, is rapid during the first several years of the of their lives. These turtles are described as a small to medium sized reptile. At ages 7 years, for the female, and 3 years, for the male, the painted turtles are expected to be at their maturity levels. Their shell acts as protection, but since the ribs are fused to the shell, the turtle cannot expand its chest to breathe but must force air in and out of the lungs by alternately contracting the flank and shoulder muscles.
Food Habits Painted turtles feed mainly on plants, small animals, and some carrion.
They also feed on insects. Lacking teeth, the turtle jaw has tough, horny plates for gripping food. The breeding season lasts from late spring to early summer. The sex of the turtle is determined during a critical phase of embryogenesis according to the incubation temperature. These temperature-dependent reptiles lack sex chromosomes.