Southeast Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis)

Short answers

Southeast Asian box turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

Aqua-terrarium from 150 × 60 cm for one animal, water depth 20–30 cm (expert report: shell width × 2) with a consistently structured water area and ways to climb out, plus a large moist land area with 15–20 cm of substrate and an egg-laying option.

Southeast Asian box turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime water 24–28 °C, air 26–30 °C, basking spot 35–40 °C at the basking spot, at night 22–24 °C.

Southeast Asian box turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended.

Southeast Asian box turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 25–40+ years.

Southeast Asian box turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

water 24–28 °C, air 26–30 °C

Night temperature

22–24 °C

Basking spot

35–40 °C at the basking spot

Humidity

High, 70–90 % (land section)

UVB

Recommended

Enclosure

Minimum size

aqua-terrarium from 150 × 60 cm for one animal, water depth 20–30 cm (expert report: shell width × 2) with a consistently structured water area and ways to climb out, plus a large moist land area with 15–20 cm of substrate and an egg-laying option

Substrate

Structured water; a damp land section (moss and leaf litter), an egg-laying site

Feeding

Food

Omnivorous, roughly half plant-based and half animal-based: aquatic plants, meadow herbs, lettuce, cucumber, courgette and fruit, as well as snails, earthworms, fish, mussel meat, shrimp and turtle pellets. In the first few months, juveniles eat almost no plant matter and need significantly more animal food.

Feeding interval

juveniles daily, adults 2–3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

18–22 cm

Life expectancy

25–40+ years

Origin

South and Southeast Asia: India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sunda Islands) and the Philippines

Protection status

CITES Appendix II / EU Annex B – registration required; wild populations are severely threatened

Brumation

No winter dormancy. For breeding stimulation, a few weeks to months cooler at 20–24 °C water temperature with shortened lighting.

Cohabitation

Keeping singly is safest. Females get along with each other if given plenty of space; males are kept singly: they court all year round, harass females to the point of emaciation and can hold them under water while mounting. For breeding, put them together under supervision and separate them again; always plan for a way to separate them. The water section must have exit aids everywhere, because the species is a clumsy swimmer.

Notes

Keep it warm and humid all year; a poor swimmer – shallow, well-structured water with places to prop itself up and a large proportion of land.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Bourret's box turtle (Cuora bourreti) – Expert
• 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 Southeast Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (aqua-terrarium from 150 × 60 cm for one animal, water depth 20–30 cm (expert report: shell width × 2) with a consistently structured water area and ways to climb out, plus a large moist land area with 15–20 cm of substrate and an egg-laying option), substrate (Structured water; a damp land section (moss and leaf litter), an egg-laying site), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.