Reptiles of Ontario & Quebec

These two provinces, with their abundance of large freshwater lakes and rivers, are the clear leaders in the number of turtles in Canada, as well as water-loving snakes. There are 25 reptile species found in these two provinces.

Many of these species have ranges extending down into the United States, but the species shown here in bold are not found in any other Canadian province. 

• Five-lined skink - Ontario only
• Blue racer snake - Ontario only
• Eastern fox snake - Ontario only
• Gray rat snake - Ontario only
• Eastern milk snake
• Smooth greensnake
• Watersnake
• Queen snake - Ontario only
• Dekay's brownsnake
• Red-bellied snake
• Butler's garter snake - Ontario only
• Northern ribbonsnake - Ontario only
• Common garter snake
• Ringneck snake
• Eastern hognose - Ontario only
• Massasauga rattlesnake - Ontario only
• Snapping turtle
• Spiny softshell turtle
• Stinkpot turtle - Ontario only
• Painted turtle
• Spotted turtle
• Blanding's turtle
• Wood turtle
• Northern map turtle
• Eastern box turtle - Ontario only

Blanding's Turtle photo courtesy of CARCNET

Creature Feature

Stinkpot (Musk) Turtle Sternotherus odoratus

These turtles prefer shallow water with little or no current. Although highly aquatic, they are poor swimmers and prefer to walk on the bottom, probing the mud with their heads to look for food. They eat, mate and hibernate in the water.

Colour is generally olive brown to dark grey, with black markings. They can reach up top 13 cm in length.

-also called Stinking Jim, Common Musk turtle

-newly hatched young are about the size of a nickel

-juveniles have spots or streaks on their carapace (top shell)

-powerful jaws can inflict a painful bite

-produce a musky scent when threatened

-active morning and evening, they spend the day buried in mud

-rarely come ashore to bask; float on the water surface or sit in shallow water

-good climbers and can climb slanted trees to 2 metres above the water

-do not dig a nest to lay their eggs; use a shallow depression or muskrat lodge

-sometimes take bait off fisherman's lines

-hibernate in groups

-known lifespan up to 25 years in the wild