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Adult painted turtles can grow to 13–25 cm (5–10 in) long, with males being smaller. The shell is oval, smooth with little grooves where the large scale-like plates overlap, and flat-bottomed. [46] [nb 2] [47] [38] The color of the top shell varies from olive to black. Darker specimens are more common where the bottom of the water body is ...
In most turtles the shell is relatively uniform in structure, species variation in general shape and color being the main differences. However, the soft shell turtles, pig-nose turtles and the leatherback sea turtle have lost the scutes and reduced the ossification of the shell.
Some tiny turtles may never grow more than 1.5in long, while the humungous leatherback turtle can reach lengths of up to 8ft 10 long and weigh 1,100lb. Most pet turtles are around 5–12in long. 21.
The color of the carapace changes depending on the age of the turtle. It usually has a dark green background with light and dark, highly variable markings. In young or recently hatched turtles, it is leaf green and gets slightly darker as a turtle gets older, until it is a very dark green, and then turns a shade between brown and olive green.
Harvesting wild turtles is legal in some American states, [158] and there has been a growing demand for American turtles in China. [ 159 ] [ 160 ] The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimated in 2008 that around 3,000 pounds of softshell turtles were exported weekly via Tampa International Airport . [ 160 ]
Melanistic males have been seen to grow larger than nonmelanistic males. [9] The carapace (upper shell) is typically brown and black, often with yellow stripes. The skin is olive green with prominent patches of yellow down the neck and legs. As the name implies, the plastron (bottom shell) is mostly yellow with black spots along the edges ...
Younger turtles − between 7 and 10 years old − should eat more meat, but as they get older, they will also consume vegetables and fruit, Fetch by WebMD reports.
Painted wood turtles can be kept as pets, and it has long been imported into the various parts of Asia, such as Japan, Taiwan and China. The nominate subspecies is the most common subspecies kept in captivity. They will eat commercial turtle food, and will also eat plant matter.