Exploring The Freshwater Types of Turtles Of North Carolina

North Carolina is a rapidly developing state that still offers environments that are enjoyed by turtles. Ponds, slow-moving watercourses, marshes, swamps, estuaries, and lakes are all home to turtles in the state. With an Atlantic sea coast and mountain ranges inland, it is subject to severe climate conditions such as winter storms and summer hurricanes. Although many turtles native to North Carolina are under threat or endangered, there are still thriving populations of some of the most common species.

Protection of Turtles in North Carolina

As in most states, all sea turtles are strongly protected.

Which Turtles Are Illegal To Keep In North Carolina?

It is legal to own a turtle in North Carolina, except for the following protected species:

• Diamondback Terrapin
• Stripe Neck Turtle
• Bog Turtle
• Spotted Turtles
• Eastern Spiny Softshell
• Musk Turtle

You may not own any species of sea turtle. Here is a list of all sea turtles:

• Loggerhead turtles
• Leatherback turtles
• Green sea turtles
• Kemp’s ridley turtles
• Hawksbill turtles
• Flatback turtles
• Olive ridley turtles

You can find out a lot more about the conservation of sea turtles in North Carolina, including ways that you can help here. A fascinating place to visit is the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project. (www.seaturtleproject.org). The project is always looking for volunteers, especially people to patrol and protect sea turtle nests during the summer nesting and hatching season.

Can I Own An Endangered Species In North Carolina?

You can own an endangered species of turtle in North Carolina but to do so you have to get a license from the state. For example, a serious collector who is undertaking a breeding program or a person working on a scientific project might be able to get a license. Make sure you get your license before you get your endangered turtle.

Can I Sell My Turtles In North Carolina?

You can sell turtles, but only if you have a license to do so. There is an exception which means that you are allowed to sell up to five turtles a year. So for example, if you wanted to sell a turtle to a friend, you could do that, and still be working inside the law. This is a reasonable law, especially for the young owner trying to fund their turtle keeping.

Can I Catch Turtles From The Wild In North Carolina?

You are allowed to catch:

• Musk turtles
• Snapping turtles
• Mud turtles

Remember, though, that you may only catch four turtles in a season unless you have a special license.

What Is The Four Inches Law?

You may have heard about the Federal regulation that does not allow the selling or offering for sale of turtles that have a carapace (upper shell) that is less than four inches long. This law is designed to prevent possible health hazards from the handling of small turtles.

Bog Turtle Glyptemys muhlenbergii

The Bog turtle is critically endangered, and the smallest turtle in North America, coming in at just a fraction under 4″. Dark brown, with an orange blotch on the side of its head, this is a secretive little fellow who spends a lot of time hiding in the muddy bottom of the ponds and streams where it likes to live. It eats small aquatic insects and plants. Loss of habitat and pollution are the biggest culrets in its decline, as well as illegal capture for the pet trade.

Common Musk Turtle (Stinkpot) Sternotherus odoratus

You might know this small turtle as the stinkpot. This turtle got its name because when it is frightened, it emits a skink-like odor that will chase away its enemies. Most of the time, the stinkpot is no more stinky than any other turtle.

The common musk turtle has a carapace that grows to around 5″ long and is rather steep. The shell is dark brown or black, and the turtle has dark skin with yellow stripes on its head and a couple of barbels under its chin.

Common Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina serpentine

The common snapping turtle gets its name from its strong jaw and its propensity to give you a good bite if it gets the chance. It’s one of the biggest turtles in the United States and can grow to as much as 70lb in weight. The carapace of an adult measures around 14″ long. They have a dark brown upper shell, and when young you can see very clear ridges at the back of the shell.

You may notice the Latin name, Chelydra serpentina serpentine. That is a reference to its long serpentine or snake-like neck. This enables the turtle to easily look around and spot enemies. Despite its aggressive looks, its first form of defense is to swim away and hide.

Widely distributed, this turtle is not thought to be of concern in terms of conservation. It can reproduce often, although the success rate of breeding is not thought to be high, due to the hatchlings being food for just about everything on land, in the air, and in the water. They can, however, live to be over a hundred years old.

Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene carolina Carolina

The eastern box turtle is an extremely attractive turtle with a dark brown or black shell with vivid orange marking, especially when young. Like all box turtles, it has a hinged plastron that snaps tightly shut when alarmed, protecting the turtle’s head, legs, and tail from predators.

A small turtle, adult specimens grow to around 5″ in length, and they live to as much as thirty years old. They spend most of their time on land, although they do need to be near water. They are extremely slow-moving and could be mistaken for tortoises. Because they are so slow-moving, they are often involved in road traffic accidents and incidents with agricultural machinery. Although they are not endangered nationally, they are uncommon in North /Carolina.

Eastern Chicken Turtle Deirochelys reticularia

The Eastern chicken turtle is one of two subspecies of the chicken turtle, the other being the Florida chicken turtle. It has a rather beautiful lemon-colored network pattern on a carapace of dark olive green. Sometimes known as the American snake-necked turtle, as you might guess they have a long snake-like neck that enables them to view their surroundings to spot potential food or danger. Their neck can be almost as long as their body and this is also what gives the turtle its name.

They are the largest of the three chicken turtle sub-species, growing up to six inches long. They inhabit shallow water, avoiding rivers and lakes where large predators might lurk. They spend as much as six months of the year on land. The population of the eastern chicken turtle is secure, and not in immediate danger.

Eastern Mud Turtle Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum

The Eastern mud turtle is often just called the common mud turtle. Even though this turtle only grows to be 4″ long, they are known for having a ferocious bite. Although they are toothless, they have very strong jaws that can bear down hard on a careless finger.

They live to be over fifty years old. Although you are allowed to keep Eastern mud turtles in North Carolina, you need to find an adult so that you don’t break the 4″ law.

These turtles are avid swimmers, and they enjoy living in rivers with gravel bottoms. These form their favorite hunting grounds, where they search for insects, mollusks, crustaceans, and more. They are known to be exceptionally messy eaters, so if you plan to keep one as a pet, be sure that you have an excellent filtration system in your aquarium.

Eastern Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta picta

The Eastern painted turtle is a rather lovely creature, with a dark shell patterned with light red stripes and edges to its carapace. They can grow to 7″ long, the females tending to be larger than the males. This pretty turtle is very popular as a pet.

They have a distinctive yellow and brown striped head and face, and they are water lowers, often being found close to the shore. They can even tolerate brackish water. They hibernate during the winter, and they spend most of their life in the water.

Because the shells of their eggs are very hard, they are not easily eaten by predators, and so hatching rates are good. This means that they are not considered to be under threat, as they can keep up their numbers with their successful reproduction strategy.

Eastern River Cooter Pseudemys concinna concinna

The Eastern river cooter is one of the bigger turtles that you can spot in North Carolina. Adults can grow to 16 in length. They have dark shells and look out for a “C” shaped mark at the back of the carapace. The plastron, or lower shell, is yellow or orange in color with darker markings which are more prominent on younger animals.

The Eastern river cooter has a very unusual attribute. They have a sac at the end of their tails, called the cloaca bursae. This sac allows them to breathe underwater. Because they can stay underwater for long periods of time, they can be hard to spot and to study.

They prefer living in clear, deep, flowing water, unlike many turtles that typically enjoy slow-moving water. Their diet is unusual too, being mainly water plants and algae, with the odd insect thrown in.

Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle Apalone spinifera spinifera

One of the largest freshwater turtles in the United States, the eastern spiny softshell has a flat shell that feels a bit like rubber. There are small spines along the edge of the shell, giving it its name. Females are large, growing to about 19″ long, whereas males only make it to about 10″ long. They have a very pointed, almost pig-like nose. In color, it ranges from brown to brownish yellow. The plastron is pale lemon to white in color.

It has webbed feet that are useful because it spends almost all of its life in the water. It loves to swim and prefers clear waterways with little vegetation.

Gulf Coast Spiny Softshell Turtle Apalone spinifera aspera

The Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle is a subspecies of the spiny softshell family, and they can be distinguished by two or more black lines at the back of the carapace. Females grow to 10″ long.

They can be found in water that has a gravel or sand bottom, and are relatively clear of vegetation. Rivers, ponds, marshes, and lakes are all home to this turtle. They can frequently be seen enjoying the sun, resting on a log or a flat stone.

Northern Diamondback terrapin Malaclemys terrapin terrapin

This beautiful turtle is considered vulnerable and is one of the species that are protected in North Carolina. The vividly patterned shell ranges in color from gray to brown, and the skin can be brown, gray, white, or yellow. The patterning on the shell is black and intricate. Males grow to be 7 1/2″, females to 9″, so they are medium-sized turtles. They weigh from between 1 and 2 pounds.

This turtle is exceptionally capable of surviving in salt and brackish water and has a variety of strategies to enable it to do so. They can drink the fresh water that floats on top of slat water when it rains, and even drink raindrops.

They have strong jaws that enable them to feed on mollusks and shellfish. Although they are very adaptable, they are considered a vulnerable species, largely due to habitat loss and of course, illegal collection for the pet trade.

Northern Redbelly Turtle Pseudemys rubriventris

This is a very distinctive-looking turtle that can often be spotted basking in the sun. It gets its name from its dark brown, red-lined shell and reddish plastron. They grow to about 13′ long, and the females are slightly larger than the males. It’s also known as the Northern redbelly cooter turtle and can be confused with other similar-looking turtles. They live in ponds, small streams, and marshy areas, but they do choose dry sandy, or gravelly areas in which to lay their eggs. They mainly feed on vegetation.

Spotted Turtle Clemmys guttata

This small turtle is regarded as endangered throughout the United States. Growing to a little less than five inches long, it can be easily recognized by its bluish-black colored shell patterned with small yellow spots. Males have dark-colored heads, females have lighter-colored heads, and both have an orange blotch on the side of the head. Males have longer, thicker, tails

They like flooded, boggy, marshy areas, and they need vegetation and a soft muddy bottom. They spend much of their time on the land, and females will seek out hotter, dry, areas in which to make their nests.

Striped Mud Turtle Kinosternon baurii

This turtle can usually be identified by its distinctive triple stripe that runs along the length of the carapace. In North Carolina however, you may find that these turtles just carry one fairly faint stripe. It’s a small turtle, that grows to just 4 ½’ long.

The striped mud turtle is common and is not considered to be under threat. This amiable turtle likes to spend time on the land, and if there is cow dung around, he can be seen rummaging around in it for an insect snack.

The Stripe Neck Musk Turtle Sternotherus minor peltifer

This is another small turtle, growing to just a fraction over four inches long. It has a light brown carapace, or upper shell, that is dotted with darker spots. The head is relatively large for the size of the animal and is brown with darker brown spots. It has a pinkish-colored plastron, or lower shell, and you can just see two barbels under the chin.

It likes to live in small ponds and streams, and can often be found living around fallen logs. It can stay submerged for long periods of time, as the skin of its throat and mouth can absorb oxygen.

The Yellowbelly Slider Trachemys scripta scripta

This slider is so called because, like all sliders, it slides back into the water when startled. The carapace of this turtle is brown, sometimes striped in yellow, and the plastron is yellow – hence the name. they sometimes exhibit an “S” shaped marking on their face. Females can grow to 13″ long, but the males only reach around 9″. They can live to be forty years old.

Found mainly in places where there is lots of vegetation, algae, debris rafts, and lily pads, the yellowbelly slider has a diet of small crustaceans, fish, mollusks, insects, and tadpoles. The North Carolina population is not considered to be under threat.