Yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata)

Short answers

Yellow-margined box turtle: How big does the enclosure need to be?

A room enclosure from ~2 m² for 1–2 animals (at least ~120×80 cm of floor area), a land section plus a shallow water zone.

Yellow-margined box turtle: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C (summer up to 30 °C), basking spot 30–35 °C, at night 18–20 °C.

Yellow-margined box turtle: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (Ferguson zone 2–3, UV index 2–4).

Yellow-margined box turtle: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: over 30 years, often 40+.

Yellow-margined box turtle: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C (summer up to 30 °C)

Night temperature

18–20 °C

Basking spot

30–35 °C

Humidity

70–90 % (juveniles more humid, adults tolerate less)

UVB

UVB needed (Ferguson zone 2–3, UV index 2–4)

Enclosure

Minimum size

a room enclosure from ~2 m² for 1–2 animals (at least ~120×80 cm of floor area), a land section plus a shallow water zone

Substrate

A deep, diggable humus and sand mix with leaf litter and roots; a shallow water area

Feeding

Food

Omnivorous: earthworms, snails, insects or superworms, occasionally pinkies or beef heart, soft fruit, a little greenery, pellets

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles (almost) daily

Key facts

Adult size

15–19 cm

Life expectancy

over 30 years, often 40+

Origin

Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands (Japan), mainland China

Protection status

CITES Appendix II (a zero quota for wild-caught animals) / EU Annex B – registration required, proof of origin needed. IUCN: Endangered.

Brumation

Yes – a cool overwintering of ~6–8 weeks at 10–12 °C (subtropical to temperate).

Cohabitation

Solitary housing is the simplest option. Only with a lot of space and structure is pair or group housing (one male with several females) also possible; otherwise males harass and bite females during courtship and do not tolerate each other.

Notes

A semi-terrestrial hinge-back or box turtle, not a purely aquatic animal – it needs plenty of land area for digging plus shallow water. Common mistakes: keeping adults too wet, and too small an aquarium instead of a room terrarium. The most robust of the Cuora species listed.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Southeast Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) – Intermediate
• Bourret's box turtle (Cuora bourreti) – Expert
• 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 Yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (a room enclosure from ~2 m² for 1–2 animals (at least ~120×80 cm of floor area), a land section plus a shallow water zone), substrate (A deep, diggable humus and sand mix with leaf litter and roots; a shallow water area), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.