Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

Does anyone have any info on this pond turtle?
(Housing/Feeding requierments...)

Thanks!
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-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

-----
-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

Do mean chinese three keeled POND turtle or three keeled BOX turtle?
The former (Chinemeys reevesi) is more commonly reffered to as Reeve's turtle and i can tell you a little about that. The latter is Pyxidea mouhotti (and i know very little about that species but there are others here who do)
Could you have also possibly meant Chinese three striped box turtle (Cuora trifasciata)?

Pyxidea mouhotti

Cuora trifasciata

Chinemeys reevesi

Assuming you mean Chinemys reevesi, I can tell you the following:

I have several of these and am in the proces of negotiating to buy a friend's breeding colony. What do you want to know?

In gerenal: they are somewhere between semi aquatic and semi terrstrial; they swim better than wood turtles but worse than say, painted turtles. So i keep them accordingly (some deep water, lots of shalow water) lots of partailly submerged basking spots)and about 1/3 - 1/2 half of the enclosure is land to wander on.

Some people keep them as you might keep a slider or a painted, and indeed there is a an article on the web which suggests them as an alternative to a painted turtle. I disagree with this husbandry practice, I think it CAN work but the turtles seem much happier with larger areas of shalow water to walk/wade in.
They are omnivores (like most turtles) and seem very easy to feed (and hence to over feed, though they tend to exhibit fewer shell growth problems than many other turtles i have kept)

I use a variety of insects, fish and meats and well and some fruits and vegetables and some pellets as well. They seem to prefer to take food in the water. some people reporte that thye eat water plants I have had limited success with this.

They are smart and personable and rarely shy and i have never seen an aggressive one.

They are impressive climbers and very unafriad of people, dogs etc.. so if you keep them in a pen, make it secure and be careful not to step on them as they will walk right under your feet.

Right now i have some juveniles in a tank with water in the low seventies and a temp gradient in the air of about 75 - 95. One guy reports they don't do well if the water drops below 60 degress but i have always doubted this as they do hibernate in some parts of their natural range. i do not hibernate them.

Local breeder keeps them outside in arizona (they aestivate some, not all, days of summer) I had them aestivate in (milder than AZ) New York summers. Guess they can't deal with it too hot. Don't know what their crictical thermal max is.

They seem to be a very smart curious turtle. If you start with one in good health they even make a good beginner turtle.

There is some belief that a color/size variation occurs among the popilations in the wild:

Supposedly those from Japan grow to a larger size (as much as 12 - 15 inches) and are darker in color while the Chinese populations are lighter and remain smaller (4- 6 inches). I have seen mnay turtles described as reeves which looked intermediate between these two characterizaions so i am not sure about the details of this belief.

This species has been cross bred with mauremys mutica to produce the hybrid "Pricthard's Pond Turtle" Mauremys pritchardi.

In recent years it has been reported that this species is popping up in food markets in China at an alarmingly high rate. While generally thought to be an abundant turtle in the wild, heavy harvesting seems likely to lead to its endangerment.

Anything else?

darrell s (WCT) has a care sheet:

reeves at WCT

seneca park zoo has a blurb:

reeves at seneca park

CTTC has an article:

reeves by mae smith

the aforementioned article by d kirkpatrick

reeves as alternative to painted

Thanks for the info!

It is a full grown adult Chinese 3 Keeled Pond Turtle and he/she is measures about 7 inches.

It was given to me yesterday, and I was mainly wondering about houseing & feeding requierments. So far he is in a 50 gallon Rubber-maid containor with a large shallow soaking dish.
What kind of substrate should I use? What kind of habbitat do they like?
I offerd it turtle food and an earth worm last night but the turtle didn't seem interested (he's probably just adjusting to his new surroundings though.)

Thanks so much for your help and info!

btw, here are some pics! http://community.webshots.com/album/82425258pAgIDG/1
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-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

well i'd not try to treat it like a box turtle. I think i should have emphasized they are sort of between semi aquatic and semi terrestrial. os in my mind that means the water area should be about 1/2 - 2/3 of the enclosure. I also think 7 inches is a bit large for 5 square feet, but i guess it'll do for now. I get a filter, fill the tub with water and then make a land area fron a smaller tub filled with stones/soil.

Thanks, so far I have the setup filled with moist moss and wood chips (lol he seems to like digging around in the substrate)with a large pan on one end filled with water that he can get in...
Does this sound ok, or does he need more water?
Also that about feeding requierments?

Thanks!
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-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

You are misunderstanding all the terrific information that has been given to you. Take all the substrate moss and other crap out of the tub rinse it clean and fill the tub 1/2 to 3/4 full with water. Then provide a land area (you can use a small sized container with some gravel or play sand or something to fill it for the turtle to climb onto and bask.) Or just get him a basking platform. He will need a basking light and you will need filtration for the water. A heater may be needed if your room temperature is too cool.
Currently the animal is setup as if it were a box turtle or a wood turtle it is neither of these things. It is more aquatic than that (as the name POND turtle would suggest) and needs to be able to SWIM not soak.

Oops meant 1/2 to 2/3 (not 3/4) of the tub should be water as bloomindaedalus instructed.

I'm sorry, I was confussed because I think my Turtle resembles both a Pyxidea mouhotti, Chinemeys reevesi...
(But I think it is probably a Reeves Turtle --I thought they were smaller though?)
Thanks for the your help, time and info everyone!
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-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

Perhaps you could post a picture so that we could definitely id the turtle. What he is could definitely influence what kind of environment he should be kept in.

In any event once you know what he is I am sure you will fix everything to his liking and needs.

Good luck with him

Steve

Here are some pictures.

http://community.webshots.com/album/82425258pAgIDG/1
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-Lauren

~ Lauren's Lizards ~

groups.yahoo.com/group/LaurensLizards

Your turtle is definately a Reeve's turtle (Chinemys reevsei). There is a ton of captive husbandry information on the internet. It is an aquatic turtle and will thrive in an indoor or outdoor pond-type habitat. They are omnivorous and should take quality commercial turtle chow (i.e. Mazuri) readily.