African Side-necked Turtle

Helmeted Terrapin
Hinged Terrapin

Pelomedusa subrufa and Pelusios sp.

Description

African side-necked turtles get their name from their long muscular neck and the fact that when they retract into their shells their head is crooked sideways. Their shell is uniformly tan to brown, occasionally mottled with blotches or dull patterns. The appendages and head are generally slightly lighter in color. There are at least 15 described species of Pelusios. Most adults don’t get larger than 12 inches (30 centimeters), but one species (Pelusios castaneus) may reach up to 20 inches (50 centimeters). Most of the animals imported are likely to be Pelomedusa subrufa or Pelusios castanoides. African side-neck turtles can live up to 16 years in captivity.

Natural Habitat

African side-neck turtles are widely distributed throughout mainland Africa, the Seychelles Islands and Madagascar. They can be found in dry and moist savannas and semi-desert in all sorts of stagnant or slow-moving smaller water bodies. They are rarely found in very large rivers or lakes, presumably due to the prevalence of predators. They are very aquatic and will often bask floating in the water.

Artificial Habitat

Due to their widespread distribution and habitat tolerances, African side-neck turtles are fairly easy animals to accommodate. Their enclosure should be horizontally oriented with about a foot to 18 inches/30-45 centimeters (depending on the size of the enclosure) of well-filtered water with plenty of floating vegetation and/or driftwood or other emergent décor. African side-necks are very good swimmers and often float at the surface of the water with only their head protruding. Like most turtles, they like to bask and should be provided with both a basking light and a source for UV. The two can be effectively combined with one of the many UV-emitting basking lights on the market. The water should be kept in the 78-82 degree Fahrenheit range.

Diet

African side-neck turtles are curious, active and voracious eaters. They will eat fish, crayfish, worms, crickets, roaches and superworms. They also particularly enjoy water lettuce and water hyacinth. African side-neck turtles take readily to many of the commercially available floating turtle diets, but these should always be supplemented with live prey items.

Caveats

Since most (if not all) African side-neck turtles are imported, they may have some shell damage. Usually this is not serious and can be treated with a commercially available scrub or ointment. Access to natural sunlight or UV can also help tremendously. Although African side-neck turtles are quite tough and temperature tolerant, extended exposure to cold temperatures can cause respiratory problems. Lastly, some African side-necks exhibit aggression. This can usually be eliminated by keeping turtles of a similar size together and by providing adequate hiding/escape spaces.

A note about Salmonella:

As mentioned above, the FDA enacted a ban on the sale of small turtles in 1975. The primary reason for the 4” law (as it is commonly known) is to prevent small children from being able to fit a turtle into their mouth (and subsequently contracting Salmonella), which apparently happened far more than most of us would like to believe. Having a four-inch turtle does not prevent a turtle from potentially transmitting Salmonella however. All turtles (as well as many other animals and a lot of food items) have the potential to carry Salmonella. That being said, in spite of the amount of attention that is given to turtles and Salmonella in the news, the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates that only 6% of Salmonella infections in the U.S. may be traced to reptiles. The bottom line is be careful and be responsible. With all reptiles and amphibians (and any other animal for that matter), care should be taken to wash one’s hands after handling or even touching the animal. Furthermore, if you have young children (who are more susceptible to all types of infections) a turtle or reptile may not be your best choice for a pet.