Reproduction

Males may court females by swinging their head back and forth and pursuing the female. He may nip her while doing this. Older males tend to be more successful when seeking a mate. Mating takes place in the water.

Egg laying takes place during May and June when the female will deposit 6-8 eggs. These are placed in sandy or soft soil along the river bank or in a field or meadow. She then covers this with substrate and stamps it down with her shell.

Females have no part in raising their young.

The eggs will hatch after 67 days. These hatchling turtles are brown or grey and then gradually develop the orange skin tones. Young primarily feed on invertebrates.

Their gender is not determined by temperature as in other species.

Sexual maturity is reached between 14 and 20 years old.

In some parts of their range they have been found to produce a hybrid with the Blanding's turtle.

Behavior

Wood turtles are active by day when these turtles are often seen basking on a log near the waterway. These are often hidden in grass or scrub to keep them safe. This allows them to keep warm when in cold areas.

Basking also assists them to dislodge parasites such as leeches which may be attached to them.

These tortoises are considered good climbers helping them to move around their environment.

During winter this species will undertake a hibernation at the bottom of a shallow stream or river where the water will not freeze.

Wood turtles are solitary outside of the breeding season. Outside of this period they will bite other turtles which come in to their territory.

Predators and Threats

Natural predators include racoons. The racoons have been able to increase their population due to humans providing a food source. This has enabled them to live alongside wood turtles and prey on them in areas they haven't previously.

Wood turtle populations are considered to be decreasing. While they may reach high densities in some areas these represent a small portion of their population.

They face a range of threats across their range including habitat destruction and fragmentation including for residential development and forestry practices.

As they move around during summer they will be struck by vehicles or agricultural machines.

These animals are collected to supply the pet trade. Despite having been given protection across almost all of their range they are still illegally corrected.

Previously large numbers were collected for food.

Quick facts

Wood turtles have growth rings on the scutes which can provide a reasonable estimate of their age.

This species was previously classified as Clemmys insculpta.

Their scientific name insculpta comes from a Latin word meaning 'engraved.' This references the engaged texture of the carapace.

These turtles may also be called the skiddlepot or skillpot.