Searching for water, food, or mates, the painted turtles travel up to several kilometers at a time.
During summer, in response to heat and water-clogging vegetation, the turtles may vacate shallow marshes for more permanent waters.
Short overland migrations may involve hundreds of turtles together.
If heat and drought are prolonged, the turtles will bury themselves and, in extreme cases, die.

Foraging turtles frequently cross lakes or travel linearly down creeks.
Daily crossings of large ponds have been observed.
Tag and release studies show that sex also drives turtle movement.
Males travel the most, up to 26 km (16 mi), between captures; females the second most, up to 8 km (5 mi), between captures; and juveniles the least, less than 2 km (1.2 mi), between captures.
Males move the most and are most likely to change wetlands because they seek mates.

The painted turtles, through visual recognition, have homing capabilities.
Many individuals can return to their collection points after being released elsewhere, trips that may require them to traverse land.
One experiment placed 98 turtles varying several-kilometer distances from their home wetland; 41 returned.
When living in a single large body of water, the painted turtles can home from up to 6 km (4 mi) away.
Females may use homing to help locate suitable nesting sites.
Searching for water, food, or mates, the painted turtles travel up to several kilometers at a time. During summer, in response to heat and water-clogging vegetation, the turtles may vacate shallow marshes for more permanent waters. Short overland migrations may involve hundreds of turtles together. If heat and drought are prolonged, the turtles will bury themselves and, in extreme cases, die.
Foraging turtles frequently cross lakes or travel linearly down creeks. Daily crossings of large ponds have been observed. Tag and release studies show that sex also drives turtle movement. Males travel the most, up to 26 km (16 mi), between captures; females the second most, up to 8 km (5 mi), between captures; and juveniles the least, less than 2 km (1.2 mi), between captures. Males move the most and are most likely to change wetlands because they seek mates.
The painted turtles, through visual recognition, have homing capabilities. Many individuals can return to their collection points after being released elsewhere, trips that may require them to traverse land. One experiment placed 98 turtles varying several-kilometer distances from their home wetland; 41 returned. When living in a single large body of water, the painted turtles can home from up to 6 km (4 mi) away. Females may use homing to help locate suitable nesting sites.
Painted turtle