Spotted Turtle

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to Florida. Inhabits shallow, slow-moving waters like bogs, swamps, and wet meadows.

Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Emydidae, genus Clemmys. The sole remaining species in its genus, distinguished by its yellow-spotted black shell.

Behavior and Habits: Semi-aquatic. Excellent swimmer in shallow waters, often basking on logs or mud flats. Undergoes brumation during cold winter months.

Morphology: Small turtle, averaging 10-12 cm. Smooth black carapace decorated with round yellow spots. Males have brown eyes and dark chins; females have orange eyes and yellow chins.

Terrarium Setup: A paludarium (minimum 90x45x45 cm) with shallow water (15-20 cm deep, allowing them to breathe while resting on bottom) and an easy-access dry basking area.

Lighting and Heating: Keep water temperature at 22-24 °C. Provide a basking spot heated to 30 °C using a spot lamp. Linear 10% UVB lighting is mandatory.

Humidity and Hydration: Maintain air humidity around 60-80%. Water must be kept clean with a canister filter, using a low-flow outlet to prevent strong currents.

Feeding and Supplementation: Omnivorous with a preference for meat. Feed earthworms, crickets, bloodworms, fish, and aquatic plants. Supplement with calcium/D3.

Compatibility: Peaceful species. Can be kept with similar-sized spotted turtles in large setups. Avoid housing with aggressive turtle species.

Health and Common Diseases: Vulnerable to shell rot and skin infections in dirty water. High risk of Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) if UVB output degrades.