A small freshwater turtle measuring 3-4 inches. Its carapace (the upper portion of the shell) lacks a pattern and varies in color from yellow to black. The plastron (underbelly of the shell) is large and double hinged, and can be yellowish to brown, and may sometimes have a dark pattern. The eye, or iris, of the eastern mud turtle is yellow with dark clouding, and its feet are webbed.
The eastern mud turtle is omnivorous and feeds on insects, crustaceans, mollusks, amphibians, carrion, and aquatic vegetation.
Eastern mud turtles are natatorial (specialized for swimming) and solitary. They hardly bask, but when they do it is on rocks or debris floating on the water’s surface. These turtles also overwinter in terrestrial habitats by burrowing. They hibernate between November and March, but start and stop times vary by location.
Least Concern
