Hilaire's toadhead turtle (Phrynops hilarii)

Short answers

Hilaire's toadhead turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

200×80 cm aquarium.

Hilaire's toadhead turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–27 °C, basking spot 33 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Hilaire's toadhead turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 6 %).

Hilaire's toadhead turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 30–40 years.

Hilaire's toadhead turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–27 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

33 °C

Humidity

Aquatic

UVB

Essential (UVB 6 %)

Enclosure

Minimum size

200×80 cm aquarium

Substrate

Water 35–50 cm deep, sand, roots, a basking spot

Feeding

Food

Fish, insects, snails, pellets

Feeding interval

3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

30–40 cm

Life expectancy

30–40 years

Origin

Southern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A cooler spell in winter

Cohabitation

Keeping singly. Two males harass each other and the females; under constant courtship pressure a female visibly loses weight. Hence one male to several females - and plan in the option of separating the male temporarily.

Notes

A large, mainly carnivorous aquatic turtle with a high space and filtration requirement. It grows markedly larger than is often assumed.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

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

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Hilaire's toadhead turtle (Phrynops hilarii) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (200×80 cm aquarium), substrate (Water 35–50 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.