How difficult is it to keep Spiny Turtle?

Advanced. This is an advanced-level species. It requires specialized equipment and advanced husbandry skills with precise environmental control.

What is the lifespan of Spiny Turtle?

The average lifespan of Spiny Turtle is Maximum recorded longevity in captivity is 22 years. With proper care and nutrition, they can live a long and healthy life.

How large does Spiny Turtle get?

Spiny Turtle typically reaches Carapace 18-22.5cm as an adult. Size may vary depending on care conditions and individual genetics.

What should I feed Spiny Turtle?

Spiny Turtle feeds on: Chopped vegetables, fruit and prepared pellets. Aim for a balanced diet with appropriate feeding frequency.

What is the typical price for Spiny Turtle?

The price of Spiny Turtle varies significantly depending on morph, size, and lineage. Check our market price page for the latest pricing information.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Spiny Turtle

Advanced

Heosemys spinosa

The sharp spines on the marginal scutes of juveniles give the turtle its English and Japanese names, and the specific name spinosa means spiny. The spines disappear with growth. It is the smallest member of its genus, with a carapace to 22.5 cm.

Difficulty

Advanced

Temperature

25〜32℃

Lifespan

Maximum recorded longevity in captivity is 22 years

Size

Carapace 18-22.5cm

Humidity

40〜70%

Diet

Chopped vegetables, fruit and prepared pellets

About

Heosemys spinosa is the type species of its genus and the smallest member of it, with a carapace of 18-22.5 cm. The shell is rather flat and a broad barrel shape seen from above, brown with paler yellowish brown along the keel. The plastron is yellow to yellowish brown with radiating black markings. Its most striking feature is the shape of the juvenile: the marginal scutes end in sharp points and further spines run along the rear of the keel, the costal scutes and the front of the gular scutes. The specific name spinosa, meaning spiny, matches the English and Japanese names, and the spines are thought to deter predators. They are lost with growth and the carapace darkens. In adult females the joint between the rear of the carapace and plastron becomes ligamentous, giving the plastron some movement and making it easier to lay large eggs. Terrestrial, it lives around forest streams below 900 m and rests buried in leaf litter.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Lifespan of the Spiny Turtle

The Spiny Turtle lives Maximum recorded longevity in captivity is 22 years.

Size of the Spiny Turtle

The Spiny Turtle grows to Carapace 18-22.5cm.

Basic Info

Origin

Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, southern Thailand, southern Myanmar and the Philippines, around streams and pools in tropical rainforest and monsoon forest below 900 m

Lifespan

Maximum recorded longevity in captivity is 22 years

Size

Care Specifications

PeacefulSolitaryBreeding: Hard

Sources: Wikipedia (Japanese): Spiny turtle / Wikipedia (English): Spiny turtle / Reptile Database / AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database

References & Sources

Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team

The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.

Primary sources

Taxonomy & Authority

Accepted name: Heosemys spinosa (Gray, 1831)

Synonyms: Emys spinosa Gray, 1831, Geoemyda spinosa (Boulenger, 1889), Heosemys spinosa (McDowell, 1964)

Authority databases: Reptile Database

Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.

Regulations & Conservation Status

CITES Appendix IIIUCN EN · Endangered

Listed in CITES Appendix II, effective February 13, 2003. Because of Appendix II status, no individual registration certificate under the international rare and endangered species regulation is required. It is not listed as a special animal under the Enforcement Ordinance of the Animal Welfare and Management Act, nor as a specified invasive species.

Sources: CITES Appendices / Ministry of the Environment: list of invasive alien species / Order for Enforcement of the Act on Welfare and Management of Animals (designated dangerous animals)

Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.