They stay close to the water, and have very restricted overland movements, if any. Stinkpots are so named due to musk glands that are present near the bridge connecting the carapace to the plastron. The musk can be very strong smelling in recently captured specimens. Stinkpots are also fairly aggressive when restrained. They attempt to bite, but it is easy to avoid their jaws when properly handling this species.
Male stinkpots mature at four to seven years of age and females at nine to eleven.
Stinkpots mature at the higher end of these times in the northern parts of their range. Most mating activity occurs in spring, but there is evidence that stinkpots will sometimes mate in the fall and females will store sperm until ovulation in the spring. Females nest in June or July. Females select sandy sites to dig nests. Some specimens choose sunny areas while others may choose nests in the shade.