During winter, adult turtles go to the muddy bottoms of ice-covered ponds and hibernate for five or six months, in shallow water where oxygen levels are higher, absorbing oxygen through their skin.
In spring, Painted Turtles begin foraging for aquatic food and can stay underwater for 20 minutes before surfacing for air!
Most summer feeding takes place in the morning on sunny days, after emerging from overnight sites in the weeds along the pond edge.
In the afternoon, Painted Turtles can be seen basking in the sun on logs and rocks, often stacked one on top of the other competing for the warmth of the sun.