Blanding’s Turtle

Blanding’s turtle is a medium-sized turtle with an average shell length of approximately 7-9 inches and a maximum length of 10 inches. A major feature that distinguishes this turtle from other species is its distinctive bright, solid yellow chin and throat.

The Blanding’s turtle is a long-lived species, with the oldest known individual reaching over 83 years of age. In New York, the species does not breed until it reaches at least 18 years of age, with some individuals not mating until they are 22 years old. Mating mostly occurs in April and early May, with nesting beginning in early June and lasting throughout the month. The clutch size, or number of eggs laid per female, varies across its range. In New York, the clutch size ranges from 4-18 eggs with an average of 10. Hatchlings emerge from August to October.

The Blanding’s turtle is a shy turtle. When alarmed or approached, it may plunge into water and remain on the bottom for hours. If away from water, the turtle will hide in its shell. It is very gentle and almost never bites. It is a very agile swimmer.

The Blanding’s turtle overwinters near or under water, in mud or under vegetation or debris where it will not freeze. During the nesting season, a female Blanding’s turtle may be found more than a half mile from where she spent the winter. The Blanding’s turtle is also known to estivate (spend a hot or dry period in a long state of dormancy) in leaf litter in uplands around wetlands. It is omnivorous, eating crustaceans and other invertebrates, fish, plants, and carrion (dead animals). It is even capable of catching live minnows.