Barbour's map turtle (Graptemys barbouri)

Short answers

Barbour's map turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

200×80 cm aquarium.

Barbour's map turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C, basking spot 40–45 °C at the basking spot, at night 18–22 °C.

Barbour's map turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0).

Barbour's map turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 25–35 years.

Barbour's map turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

40–45 °C at the basking spot

Humidity

Aquatic

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

200×80 cm aquarium

Substrate

Water 40–60 cm deep, sand, a current, a large basking spot

Feeding

Food

Females almost exclusively hard-shelled molluscs – snails and small mussels; males and juveniles mainly insects, insect larvae and crayfish, plus some aquatic plants

Feeding interval

3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

males 10–13.5 cm, females 28–33 cm carapace length

Life expectancy

25–35 years

Origin

The Apalachicola river system (Florida, Georgia, Alabama)

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; protected in the USA

Brumation

Winter dormancy 10–14 weeks at a water temperature of 8–12 °C

Cohabitation

Single housing is the least stressful. Group housing is possible and explicitly provided for map turtles in the official German husbandry guidelines, but it needs a large tank and observation, because large females can harass smaller animals and males. In that case one male with several females has proven successful, because courtship is spread out. With a single pair, the much smaller male can harass the female with constant courtship – then you must be able to remove him, so a second tank belongs in the plan. In any case you need enough basking spots for all animals to lie dry at the same time.

Notes

The females have very broad heads – strict mussel and snail eaters. Hard food matters for wearing down the beak; a pure pellet diet leads to deformities.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Alabama map turtle (Graptemys pulchra) – Intermediate
• False map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica) – Intermediate
• Yellow-blotched map turtle (Graptemys flavimaculata) – Intermediate
• Northern map turtle (Graptemys geographica) – Intermediate
• Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni) – Intermediate
• Ouachita map turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis) – Intermediate
• Black-knobbed map turtle (Graptemys nigrinoda) – Intermediate
• Cumberland slider (Trachemys scripta troostii) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Barbour's map turtle (Graptemys barbouri) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (200×80 cm aquarium), substrate (Water 40–60 cm deep, sand, a current, a large basking spot), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.