Common sights in the spring are Eastern Painted Turtles and Northern Red-Bellied Turtles sunning themselves on logs in their freshwater habitats. Red-Bellied Turtles (10-13 inches) are one of the largest basking turtles in New Jersey. Their carapace (top part of shell) is a dark mahogany-black color with some red along the plastron (bottom part of shell).

Females have a brighter red plastron with a gray border while the smaller sized males are often described as having a light pink plastron. Both sexes have yellow lines that come down from behind their eye and down their necks.

A key distinguishing difference between the Red-Bellied and the Eastern Painted Turtles is the Painted Turtle’s smaller size (4-9 inches) and yellow spot behind their eyes.

Juvenile Red-Bellied turtles, as shown in the picture, have whitish-yellow lines along their necks and a more ornate, lighter green patterned shell. Interestingly, young Red-Bellied Turtles are herbivores that dine on aquatic vegetation and algae.

Adults are omnivores, eating a more diverse diet that consists of plant matter, crayfish, snails, fish, and tadpoles. They sexually mature around 5-9 years old and can live up to 40-55 years!