Eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis)

Short answers

Eastern long-necked turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

150×75 cm aquarium for 1 animal (water area plus land area), water depth 30–40 cm.

Eastern long-necked turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–26 °C, basking spot 33 °C (basking spot), at night 18–22 °C.

Eastern long-necked turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 6 %).

Eastern long-necked turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 30–50 years.

Eastern long-necked turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–26 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

33 °C (basking spot)

Humidity

Aquatic

UVB

Essential (UVB 6 %)

Enclosure

Minimum size

150×75 cm aquarium for 1 animal (water area plus land area), water depth 30–40 cm

Substrate

Water 30–40 cm deep, sand, roots, a basking spot

Feeding

Food

Fish, insects, crustaceans – purely carnivorous

Feeding interval

3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

20–28 cm

Life expectancy

30–50 years

Origin

Eastern Australia

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; export from Australia is prohibited

Brumation

Winter rest recommended: a reduced-activity period of 8–10 weeks at around 10–15 °C

Cohabitation

Single housing or a pair. Two males harass each other and the females; under constant courtship a female visibly loses weight. A pair therefore only works if you can remove the male as soon as he harasses the female — a second tank belongs in the plan. With more space, put one male with several females, so the courtship is spread out.

Notes

An extremely long neck that is laid sideways under the shell. A strict carnivore that hunts actively. Under stress it releases a foul-smelling secretion.

Do you keep this species?

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

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Related species

• Northern snake-necked turtle (Chelodina rugosa) – Intermediate
• Reimann's snake-necked turtle (Chelodina reimanni) – Intermediate
• African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa) – Beginner to intermediate
• Argentine snake-necked turtle (Hydromedusa tectifera) – Intermediate
• Gibba turtle (Mesoclemmys gibba) – Intermediate
• Matamata (Chelus fimbriata) – Expert
• Hilaire's toadhead turtle (Phrynops hilarii) – Intermediate
• Murray River turtle (Emydura macquarii) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (150×75 cm aquarium for 1 animal (water area plus land area), water depth 30–40 cm), substrate (Water 30–40 cm deep, sand, roots, a 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.