The painted turtle hunts along water bottoms.
It quickly juts its head into and out of vegetation to stir potential victims out into the open water, where they are pursued.
The turtle holds large prey in its mouth and tears the prey apart with its forefeet.
It also consumes plants and skims the surface of the water with its mouth open to catch small particles of food.

Although all subspecies of painted turtle eat both plants and animals, their specific diets vary.

The eastern painted turtle's diet is the least studied.
It prefers to eat in the water, but has been observed eating on land.
The fish it consumes are typically dead or injured.

The midland painted turtle eats mostly aquatic insects and both vascular and non-vascular plants.

The southern painted turtle's diet changes with age.
Juveniles' diet consists of 13% vegetation, while the adults eat 88% vegetation.
This perhaps shows that the turtle prefers small larvae and other prey, but can only obtain significant amounts while young.
The reversal of feeding habits with age has also been seen in the false map turtle, which inhabits some of the same range.
The most common plants eaten by adult southern painted turtles are duckweed and algae, and the most common prey items are dragonfly larvae and crayfish.

The western painted turtle's consumption of plants and animals changes seasonally.
In early summer, 60% of its diet comprises insects.
In late summer, 55% includes plants.
Of note, the western painted turtle aids in the dispersal of white water-lily seeds.
The turtle consumes the hard-coated seeds, which remain viable after passing through the turtle, and disperses them through its feces.
The painted turtle hunts along water bottoms. It quickly juts its head into and out of vegetation to stir potential victims out into the open water, where they are pursued. The turtle holds large prey in its mouth and tears the prey apart with its forefeet. It also consumes plants and skims the surface of the water with its mouth open to catch small particles of food.
Although all subspecies of painted turtle eat both plants and animals, their specific diets vary.
The eastern painted turtle's diet is the least studied. It prefers to eat in the water, but has been observed eating on land. The fish it consumes are typically dead or injured.
The midland painted turtle eats mostly aquatic insects and both vascular and non-vascular plants.
The southern painted turtle's diet changes with age. Juveniles' diet consists of 13% vegetation, while the adults eat 88% vegetation. This perhaps shows that the turtle prefers small larvae and other prey, but can only obtain significant amounts while young. The reversal of feeding habits with age has also been seen in the false map turtle, which inhabits some of the same range. The most common plants eaten by adult southern painted turtles are duckweed and algae, and the most common prey items are dragonfly larvae and crayfish.
The western painted turtle's consumption of plants and animals changes seasonally. In early summer, 60% of its diet comprises insects. In late summer, 55% includes plants. Of note, the western painted turtle aids in the dispersal of white water-lily seeds. The turtle consumes the hard-coated seeds, which remain viable after passing through the turtle, and disperses them through its feces.
Painted turtle