Bourret's box turtle (Cuora bourreti)

Short answers

Bourret's box turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

120×60 cm with a shallow water section.

Bourret's box turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–27 °C, basking spot 30 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Bourret's box turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0).

Bourret's box turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 40–60 years.

Bourret's box turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–27 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

30 °C

Humidity

80–90 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

120×60 cm with a shallow water section

Substrate

Damp forest floor with a thick layer of leaf litter, moss, a shallow water spot

Feeding

Food

Snails, earthworms, insects, windfall fruit, fungi

Feeding interval

3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

15–20 cm

Life expectancy

40–60 years

Origin

Central Vietnam – montane forest

Protection status

CITES I / EU Annex A – sale only with a valid EU commercial-use certificate; IUCN "Critically Endangered"

Brumation

A cooler spell of 6–8 weeks

Cohabitation

Solitary housing is the simplest option. A pair is possible if the male can be removed once he starts harassing the female during courtship - a second tank should be part of the plan; keepers with more space put one male with several females so courtship is spread out.

Notes

Split from the galbinifrons complex. A cool, humid montane forest species; warmth above 28 °C quickly leads to respiratory problems. Annex A – papers are essential, and wild-caught animals are illegal.

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Related species

• Southeast Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) – Intermediate
• Yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) – Intermediate
• Chinese three-striped box turtle (Cuora trifasciata) – Expert
• Yellow-headed box turtle (Cuora aurocapitata) – Expert
• Hainan box turtle (Cuora hainanensis) – Expert
• McCord's box turtle (Cuora mccordi) – Expert
• Pan's box turtle (Cuora pani) – Expert
• Southern Vietnam box turtle (Cuora picturata) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Bourret's box turtle (Cuora bourreti) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (120×60 cm with a shallow water section), substrate (Damp forest floor with a thick layer of leaf litter, moss, a shallow water 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.