Painted turtles are commonly seen basking on logs or rocks.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only in summer
• D. They do not bask

Answer: (A)

Basking is a key thermoregulation and UV exposure behavior for painted turtles. By lying on sunlit logs or rocks, they raise their body temperature, which helps metabolic processes, digestion, and shell health through vitamin D synthesis and calcium metabolism. This behavior is commonly seen across a range of warm days, not just in the peak of summer, and turtles often stack on a warm surface to absorb heat efficiently. So the statement that painted turtles are commonly seen basking on logs or rocks is true. The idea that they never bask or that basking occurs only in summer doesn’t fit with how these turtles use sun and warmth to regulate their physiology.