Southern Vietnam box turtle (Cuora picturata)

Short answers

Southern Vietnam box turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

~120×60 cm forest-floor enclosure (terrestrial, only a shallow water dish).

Southern Vietnam box turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–26 °C (cool, below 28 °C), basking spot No strong hot spot; warm place ~28 °C, at night 18–20 °C.

Southern Vietnam box turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended, low (shade-loving, Ferguson zone 1).

Southern Vietnam box turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: probably 30+ years.

Southern Vietnam box turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–26 °C (cool, below 28 °C)

Night temperature

18–20 °C

Basking spot

No strong hot spot; warm place ~28 °C

Humidity

80–90 %

UVB

UVB recommended, low (shade-loving, Ferguson zone 1)

Enclosure

Minimum size

~120×60 cm forest-floor enclosure (terrestrial, only a shallow water dish)

Substrate

A deep layer of leaf litter plus humus soil, densely planted; damp floor zones

Feeding

Food

Omnivorous: earthworms (the favourite), snails, insects, soft fruit, greens, a little protein

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

~18–20 cm

Life expectancy

probably 30+ years

Origin

Southern Vietnam (the montane forests of Phú Yên and Khánh Hòa)

Protection status

CITES Appendix I / EU Annex A – the strictest protection, with an EU commercial-use certificate and proof of origin mandatory. IUCN: Critically Endangered (probably extinct in the wild).

Brumation

A cooler rest period in winter to stimulate breeding (mild); a montane forest species – rather cool all year.

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly is recommended; shy and prone to stress, so breed them only under supervision.

Notes

A terrestrial montane forest species, NOT an aquatic animal – it needs cool, humid, quiet forest-floor conditions with no basking heat. Very delicate (respiratory infections, stress). Extremely rare; conservation breeding only. The figures are derived from the galbinifrons complex.

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

• Southeast Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) – Intermediate
• 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

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Southern Vietnam box turtle (Cuora picturata) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (~120×60 cm forest-floor enclosure (terrestrial, only a shallow water dish)), substrate (A deep layer of leaf litter plus humus soil, densely planted; damp floor zones), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.