FLORIDA CHICKEN TURTLE
Deirochelys reticularia chrysea 

IDENTIFICATION:  This water turtle has a dark green shell with a yellow stripe pattern that resembles chicken wire.  Its neck, legs, and tail are dark with yellow stripes.  The front legs have just one wide yellow stripe on them.  They are fairly small compared to most Florida freshwater turtles; the largest was only 10 inches long.

RANGE AND HABITAT:  The Florida chicken turtle can be found throughout most of peninsular Florida.  It is a subspecies of the Eastern chicken turtle that lives throughout the southeastern United States.  They prefer quiet water such as ponds, marshes, and sloughs.

REPRODUCTION:  Chicken turtles nest throughout the year.  They usually lay between 7 and 15 eggs at a time.  The young emerge from the nest about 3 months later.  They look just like the adults, but have much brighter markings.

DIET:  This type of turtle is mainly a carnivore.  They seem to prefer crayfish, tadpoles, and carrion.  Occasionally, they have been known to eat aquatic plants.

FUTURE:  Chicken turtles, like all turtles, are losing their habitat to development.  In the past, they were often eaten by people.  At this time, they do not seem to be becoming endangered.