[1] As of recently, the spiny softshell has expanded its geographic range (through human assistance) into Washington State and California.

[7] Spiny softshell turtles are often referred to as ecological generalists, meaning that they are found in a wide variety of habitats.

[8] The spiny softshell can be found in bodies of fresh water including ponds, lakes, rivers, tributaries, and streams.

Sandy environments are important for nesting sites, proper juvenile growth and development, and camouflage.

The spiny softshell will migrate between their zones and their average home range length is 10.8 km (6.7 mi).

Mean annual home range was also found, in the same study, to be over ten times larger for female softshells compared to males.

They are primary consumers and feed on invertebrates (crayfish and aquatic insects), fish,[15] algal stocks and other plant material, and mussels.

[16] Some evidence suggests that spiny softshell turtles exhibit a nuclear-follower foraging association with fish.

A study that took place in an urban drainage canal in Louisiana found that when foraging, spiny softshell turtles were observed moving along the creek bottom thrusting their probosces into the substrate which then allowed fish to enter the suspended sediment and capture prey otherwise unavailable to the fish.

[18] A few months later, the female turtle quickly lays her eggs along a sunny sandbar or gravel bank in a flask-shaped cavity she has dug close to the water.

This nesting behavior typically begins around July with the females leaving the water and probing the ground with her snout to find the spot to lay her eggs.

[20] In studies observing nesting behavior, it has been found that the females are more likely to lay eggs on days where there is a small difference between the air and water temperatures.

[22] Late-term embryos and hatchlings of spiny softshell turtles have been recently found to make various click- and chirp-type sounds before emergence onto the surface.

Other turtle species are more adapted to variation in oxygen levels but spiny softshell turtless are not able to regulate it as well, especially during hibernation periods.

While they are susceptible to anoxia, they have the ability to maintain their metabolism completely via aerobic means which gives them a slight advantage when compared to other hibernating aquatic turtles during winter.

[26] The very rare black spiny softshell turtle, a subspecies found only in Mexico's Cuatro Ciénegas Basin, is considered critically endangered.