Eastern Long-necked Turtle

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widely distributed throughout eastern and southeastern Australia, from the Murray-Darling basin north to Queensland, New South Wales, and parts of Victoria. It inhabits a broad range of freshwater environments, including slow-flowing rivers, lakes, billabongs, swamps, and temporary wetlands. They are known to travel overland in large groups during wet weather.

Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the class Reptilia, order Testudines, suborder Pleurodira (side-necked turtles), family Chelidae, and genus Chelodina. Described by Shaw in 1794. Genetic research reveals localized genetic variations but overall species cohesion, though coastal populations face pressures from urban encroachment and nesting predation.

Behavior and Habits: Primarily aquatic, yet highly terrestrial compared to other water turtles, frequently migrating between water bodies. It is an ambush predator, using its long, snake-like neck to strike rapidly at prey. When threatened, it can emit a strong, offensive-smelling musk from its inguinal glands, earning it the colloquial name 'stinker'.

Morphology: Features a neck that is exceptionally long, often equal to or exceeding the length of the carapace. The carapace is oval and flattened, dark brown to black, while the plastron is creamy-yellow with dark seams. Adult carapace length ranges from 20 to 25 cm (8-10 inches). The head is flat with eyes positioned forward.

Terrarium Setup: Requires a large aqua-terrarium, with a minimum tank size of 120x50 cm (48x20 inches) for an adult. The aquatic section should make up 80% of the enclosure, with a water depth of at least 30-40 cm to allow active swimming. Provide a dry basking platform accessible via a ramp, and install a powerful external canister filter.

Lighting and Heating: Water temperature should be maintained between 20°C and 24°C (68-75°F). The basking platform must reach 30-32°C (86-90°F) under a heat spot lamp. A high-quality UVB bulb (5.0 or 10.0) is mandatory over the basking area, run on a 12-hour cycle to ensure proper shell development and calcium absorption.

Humidity and Hydration: As an aquatic species, ambient air humidity should be around 60-70%. Ensure the air above the water is warm to prevent respiratory infections. Dechlorinated tap water must be used. Gravid females require an land area with a deep, moist sand nesting box (at least 20 cm deep) to deposit eggs safely.

Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly carnivorous diet. Feed in the water on whole small fish, earthworms, freshwater shrimp, insects (crickets, dubia roaches), bloodworms, and high-quality aquatic turtle pellets. They will not consume plants. Dust food with calcium powder once weekly for adults and daily for growing juveniles.

Compatibility: Can be housed individually or in small groups of similarly sized females in large enclosures. Avoid keeping multiple males together, as they can become territorial. Do not keep with small fish, which will be eaten, or aggressive turtle species that may bite their long, vulnerable necks.

Health and Common Diseases: Fungal or bacterial skin and shell infections (shell rot) are common if water quality is neglected or if the turtle cannot dry off completely. Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) occurs from inadequate UVB or calcium. Swollen eyes (conjunctivitis) are typically caused by poor water hygiene or chloramine exposure.