Painted turtles lay their eggs on land, typically digging nests in soft, sandy or loose soil with good sun exposure. Common nest sites include sandy banks, gravel pits, lawns, mowed grassy areas, dikes, road shoulders, parking lots, and flower beds, usually within about 150 to 200 meters of the water body where they live, such as ponds, lakes, marshes, or slow-moving streams
. The female uses her hind feet to dig a shallow hole, about 5–11 cm deep, where she deposits 2 to 15 eggs depending on the individual and location. After laying the eggs, she covers the nest with soil and leaves, providing no further care for the offspring
. The eggs incubate for roughly 70 to 80 days, and hatchlings emerge in fall or sometimes remain in the nest until the following spring
. Because nests are often close to roads or trails, eggs and hatchlings can be vulnerable to predators and human disturbance
. The temperature of the nest site also influences the sex of the hatchlings, with warmer temperatures producing females and cooler temperatures producing males
