Help with a Twist Necked turtle.

[joeybsmooth]

Hello,

I am thinking of getting a Twist Necked turtle, but I know so little about them. I was hoping to get some help on how to keep them. I know the worst thing that one can do is to get a turtle with out understanding how to care for him .

I have two turtles already a Map turtle and RES .From what I understand twist necks are very different from those two .

[turtlegirl]

Twist neck? Do you mean African sideneck/black helmet turtle one of the Pelomedusa or Pelusios species? I have one and she is lovely but not considered a "beginner" turtle species.

If that is the one you plan to get they have very different requirements to maps and sliders =warmer shallower water, different food. They are essentially bottom walkers like musks so need large surface area rather than depth. They are not great swimmers as they don't have big webbed hind legs like sliders.. They are also meant to be very aggressive predators and so should not be kept with other species as they could theoretically kill tankmates. You can't have 2 African sideneck males together either as they will fight to death.
For detailed info on care of sidenecks visit the specialist websites
www.pelusios.com OR www.pelomedusa.com

[joeybsmooth]

Thanks for the inform but he is just called a twist neck turtle ... here is a link to him.,

www.empireoftheturtle.com/platemys_platycephala.htm

[turtlegirl]

This is a species I have never come across before, probably a South American relative of the African sidenecks -looks similar but with a flattened shell. Again, it will need very diferent conditions to the map and slider - much shallower water, probbaly a lot warner too and a carnivorous diet, Wil you be able to keep him fed on worms and pondsnails (UK garden snails and slugs carry roundworm parasites which might be passed on to turtles so are not suitable food)


Where did you see this sideneck for sale in UK? Looks cute and interesting but probably too exotic for beginners.

[turtlegirl]

Found care instructions -very difficult to keep as it needs land and shallow water which is hard to keep clean.They are prone to fungal infections if water conditions are poor

Platemys platycephala
Up to 7½"
DIET
In the wild, they feed upon fish, snails, amphibians, insects and worms and some vegetation.
TEMPERATURE RANGE (°F)
Air Temperature: Low to mid 80's
Basking Temperature: Mid to High 80's
Water Temperature: Low to mid 70's
WATER pH LEVEL
5.2 - 6.0
HABITAT
Shallow rainforest streams, pools and marshes.
DISTRIBUTION
Northern South America.
BEGINNER TURTLE
No
CAPTIVE HABITAT
Platemys platycephala requires a large area of land as well as a shallow pool of water. They are at home as much on the land as they are in the water, so a significant amount of both is required. They prefer shallow, soft-bottomed habitats, with a lot of vegetation. Either artificial plants or aquatic plants that can withstand the low pH requirements are suggested. The substrate, if used, should be sand or a fine gravel. UVB lighting is required, as well as a heat lamp over the designated basking area. A submersible heater is also recommended.
RECOMMENDED ENCLOSURE
Recommended size for a single adult Platemys platycephala would be a 55 gallon aquarium as a minimum (75 or larger preferred). This will provide adequate swimming area and a good amount of land for the turtle to move about, as well as assisting the filtration in maintaining good water quality. For additional Platemys platycephala, I would recommend adding 30 gallons of tank space per additional turtle at a minimum. A longer and wider tank is preferred as they do not require deep water.
Stock Tanks and Rubbermaid containers also work well. The same space recommendations remain the same.
CAPTIVE DIET
In captivity, they do well on Mazuri and ReptoMin, Reptile/Pond 10, Cichlid Sticks, fish, crickets, assorted worms and insects, and some vegetables.
COMMUNITY HABITAT
It is recommended that if they be kept in a community habitat, that the other turtles within the community have the same requirements of shallow water as well as being from the same region as the Platemys platycephala.
OTHER INFORMATION
Platemys platycephala are highly susceptible to fungal infections and close attention to their water conditions is a must. They are sociable turtles and will gladly accept food by hand.

[joeybsmooth]

Thanks for the information everyone. It seems like this little guy might be a handful when it comes to talking care of him.