Mud turtles are so-named because they hang out in the bottom mud of streams and ponds. They are not very good swimmers with their heavy, domed shells. Instead, they walk around the bottom eating worms, aquatic insects, and crustaceans. Although they can dive as deep as 3 meters (10 feet), they tend to stay in shallow water where they can easily come up for air. Eastern mud turtles also venture on land, hunting for food, such as worms and caterpillars. They usually pass the winter on land in a dormant state (hibernation). When temperatures drop, they walk as far as 200 meters (650 feet) from the water and bury themselves under dirt or leaves. Hot and dry summer conditions can also send them onto land. If their aquatic habitat dries up, they either leave the area or burrow into a humid spot and go dormant until it rains (aestivation).