The scorpion mud turtle is a highly aquatic, adaptable kinosternid that will live in almost any body of water.

It is primarily omnicarnivorous, a glutton, and feeds on a wide variety of aquatic invertebrates (such as insects and their larvae, spiders, shrimp, crabs, snails and worms) and vertebrates (such as fish and frogs), as well as carrion and bird eggshells.

[2][3] In captivity, poorly fed K. scorpioides can be cannibalistic, biting off the toes and limbs of conspecifics.

[citation needed] Females probably lay 1 to 6 hard-shelled eggs.

Like many kinosternids, they probably construct a shallow terrestrial nest with little cover.