Chinese striped-neck turtle (Mauremys sinensis)

Short answers

Chinese striped-neck turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

Aqua-terrarium from 160 × 60 × 60 cm for a female, from 120 cm length for a male; the guideline for adult animals leans more towards 200 × 100 cm — the official expert report calculates length as 5 × carapace length, with width about half the length.

Chinese striped-neck turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime water 24–28 °C, basking spot 35–40 °C (basking spot on land), at night 20–22 °C.

Chinese striped-neck turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (above the basking spot).

Chinese striped-neck turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 20–30+ years.

Chinese striped-neck turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

Partly – manageable with some prior knowledge (difficulty: Beginner to intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

water 24–28 °C

Night temperature

20–22 °C

Basking spot

35–40 °C (basking spot on land)

Humidity

—

UVB

Essential (above the basking spot)

Enclosure

Minimum size

aqua-terrarium from 160 × 60 × 60 cm for a female, from 120 cm length for a male; the guideline for adult animals leans more towards 200 × 100 cm — the official expert report calculates length as 5 × carapace length, with width about half the length

Substrate

Fine gravel or sand, or bare-bottomed; a structured dry land section

Feeding

Food

Omnivorous: water plants, fish, snails, insects, aquatic turtle food; adults are more plant-focused

Feeding interval

juveniles daily, adults 2–3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

females up to about 27 cm carapace length, males at most about 20 cm

Life expectancy

20–30+ years

Origin

East Asia (China, Taiwan, Vietnam)

Protection status

CITES Appendix III / an EU annex – proof of origin recommended

Brumation

2–3 months of winter dormancy at 10–15 °C

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly is the least stressful option; males are generally kept alone and only introduced for mating. With plenty of space a group of one male and several females is possible, the drawback being: two males harass each other and the females, and under constant courtship a female visibly loses weight. Females do not always get along with each other either, so always plan a way to separate them.

Notes

A moderate swimmer – it needs resting places and a dry basking spot. A good filter is essential; do not heat the water at night.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for Chinese striped-neck turtle (Mauremys sinensis) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Annam leaf turtle (Mauremys annamensis) – Intermediate
• Balkan terrapin (Mauremys rivulata) – Intermediate
• Reeves' turtle (Mauremys reevesii) – Beginner
• Yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica) – Intermediate
• Japanese pond turtle (Mauremys japonica) – Intermediate
• Caspian turtle (Mauremys caspica) – Beginner
• Mediterranean pond turtle (Mauremys leprosa) – Intermediate
• Black-breasted leaf turtle (Mauremys nigricans) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Chinese striped-neck turtle (Mauremys sinensis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (aqua-terrarium from 160 × 60 × 60 cm for a female, from 120 cm length for a male; the guideline for adult animals leans more towards 200 × 100 cm — the official expert report calculates length as 5 × carapace length, with width about half the length), substrate (Fine gravel or sand, or bare-bottomed; a structured dry land section), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.