Chinese three-striped box turtle (Cuora trifasciata)

Short answers

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

An aqua-terrarium from ~150×60 cm / ~1000 l with a land section of ~0.3 m² (adult).

Chinese three-striped box turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime water 25–32 °C (summer), basking spot up to 40 °C (heat emitter above the land section), at night 20–25 °C.

Chinese three-striped box turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (Ferguson zone 2–3).

Chinese three-striped box turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 20–40+ years.

Chinese three-striped box turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

water 25–32 °C (summer)

Night temperature

20–25 °C

Basking spot

up to 40 °C (heat emitter above the land section)

Humidity

70–90 % (land section)

UVB

UVB needed (Ferguson zone 2–3)

Enclosure

Minimum size

an aqua-terrarium from ~150×60 cm / ~1000 l with a land section of ~0.3 m² (adult)

Substrate

Water section: sand or fine gravel; land section: a sand and soil mix with roots and plants as hides

Feeding

Food

Omnivorous: fish, snails, worms, insects, a few water plants and fruit, pellets

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles more often

Key facts

Adult size

up to 25 cm (usually ~20 cm)

Life expectancy

20–40+ years

Origin

Southern China (Hainan, Hong Kong), formerly Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian

Protection status

CITES Appendix II (a zero quota for wild-caught animals) / EU Annex B – registration required, with an unbroken chain of proof of breeding or origin. IUCN: Critically Endangered.

Brumation

A slight winter rest – lower the water to 20–25 °C, or a cooler rest period depending on their origin; subtropical, with no deep winter dormancy.

Cohabitation

Keep them singly; highly territorial, with fights between males. An extremely valuable species – breed them only under supervision.

Notes

A more aquatic Cuora species with a land section and a large water section. Because of its enormous trade value (TCM), almost only in conservation and commercial breeding; the wild populations are largely gone. Some husbandry figures are derived from related species (C. cyclornata) and Austrian minimum requirements.

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Related species

• Southeast Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) – Intermediate
• Bourret's box turtle (Cuora bourreti) – Expert
• Yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) – Intermediate
• 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 Chinese three-striped box turtle (Cuora trifasciata) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (an aqua-terrarium from ~150×60 cm / ~1000 l with a land section of ~0.3 m² (adult)), substrate (Water section: sand or fine gravel; land section: a sand and soil mix with roots and plants as hides), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.