The Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) is the smallest turtle in North America, commonly found in the eastern United States. It prefers open habitats with slow-flowing water such as fens, bogs, meadows, or sedge marshes. The bog turtle is omnivorous and has a low reproduction rate, making it considered a threatened species. Its skin and carapace are black or dark brown, while its head, neck, and limbs show yellow or orange spots. Besides, each side of the neck shows distinctive yellow-orange or red spots. This coloration is used to distinguish it from the spotted turtle. The bog turtle has a domed and rectangular-shaped carapace, narrowing towards the head and widening towards the tail.
The Bog Turtle has a carapace length between 3”-3.5” (7.6-8.9 cm), carapace width of 2.36”-2.75” (6-7 cm), body height of 1.4”-1.73” (3.5-4.4 cm), and weight in the range of .2-.24 lb (.09-.11 kg). The typical lifespan of the Bog Turtle is between 20-30 years in the wild and 40-60 years in captivity.
The Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) is the smallest turtle in North America, commonly found in the eastern United States. It prefers open habitats with slow-flowing water such as fens, bogs, meadows, or sedge marshes. The bog turtle is omnivorous and has a low reproduction rate, making it considered a threatened species. Its skin and carapace are black or dark brown, while its head, neck, and limbs show yellow or orange spots. Besides, each side of the neck shows distinctive yellow-orange or red spots. This coloration is used to distinguish it from the spotted turtle. The bog turtle has a domed and rectangular-shaped carapace, narrowing towards the head and widening towards the tail.
The Bog Turtle has a carapace length between 3”-3.5” (7.6-8.9 cm), carapace width of 2.36”-2.75” (6-7 cm), body height of 1.4”-1.73” (3.5-4.4 cm), and weight in the range of .2-.24 lb (.09-.11 kg). The typical lifespan of the Bog Turtle is between 20-30 years in the wild and 40-60 years in captivity.
