The spotted turtles live in shallow ponds, marshes, and swamps and are sometimes found in vernal pools.
It was once very common, but numbers have declined greatly because of habitat loss and because this turtle is extremely sensitive to pollution and declining water quality.The spotted turtle is listed as a species of special concern in Massachusetts.
The spotted turtle, known for their "polka-dot" shells,can be recognized by yellow or orange spots on its body and the top of the head, and usually on the shell. These spots are actually transparent areas that allow the color of the bone to show through. As reptiles, spotted turtles are cold blooded. In order to raise their body heat, they will lay out on rocks and logs to bask in the sun
The number of spots increases with age. A newly-hatched turtle generally has one spot on each plate of its shell, while an older turtle may have more than 100 spots scattered over the shell.
The size of a full-grown adult ranges from 3 1/2 to 5 inches.
Spotted turtles like to spend the morning basking in the sun. They usually do their feeding in the afternoon or evening.
Their diet consists mainly of worms, spiders, slugs, and snails, most of them found above water or on the water's edge. However, they also feed on small crustaceans found in the water.
When they're done eating for the day, they spend the night on the bottom of the pond.
The breeding season is in early spring, from March to May, when males can be seen chasing females to mate with them.
In June, female spotted turtles leave the water to find sandy nesting sites. They dig a hole and lay small clutches of eggs. They cover the eggs by dragging their body over the nest to smooth the dirt covering and return to the water. When the young turtles hatch in 10-12 weeks, they dig themselves out and head to the water.
Spotted turtles reach sexual maturity at 8 to 10 years of age. The life span is at least 25 years and some individuals may live until they're 50 years old.