Spotted Turtle
Clemmys guttata
The Spotted Turtle is a tiny, highly prized semi-aquatic North American species, famous for its smooth black shell beautifully adorned with bright yellow spots, preferring shallow wetland setups.
Temperatura da água
15 - 32 °C
Valor de pH
6 - 7.2
Ambiente
Água doce / Semiaquático
Umidade
60 - 80 %
Temperatura diurna
22 - 26 °C
Temperatura ambiente
22 - 26 °C
Temperatura noturna
16 - 18 °C
Local para se aquecer
30 - 32 °C
Tamanho adulto
12 cm
Gabinete mínimo
>= 150 L
Temperatura de brumação
4 - 8 °C
UVB
Ferguson 3
UVI
1 - 2,6 UVI
Descrição da espécie
Geographical Origin and Habitat: This species is native to eastern North America, ranging from southern Canada (Ontario) southward along the Atlantic coastal plain of the United States to northern Florida, and westward through the Great Lakes region. It inhabits shallow, slow-moving wetlands such as bogs, fens, swamps, wet meadows, flooded woodlands, and temporary vernal pools with soft, muddy bottoms and abundant aquatic vegetation. It prefers shallow waters where it can easily reach the surface to breathe by extending its neck.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Clemmys guttata belongs to the family Emydidae and is the sole remaining species in the genus Clemmys. Phylogenetically, it represents an ancient, genetically isolated lineage. The species exhibits low genetic variation across fragmented habitats. Due to habitat loss, road mortality, and poaching for the illegal pet trade, it is classified as 'Endangered' by the IUCN and is protected throughout its range.
Behavior and Habits: A diurnal and heliothermic semi-aquatic reptile. It is highly active in early spring, spending long periods basking on logs, tussocks, or mats of vegetation to raise its body temperature. During the hot summer months, it may enter a state of estivation, burying itself in mud or terrestrial leaf litter, while in winter it hibernates underwater at the bottom of ponds or inside flooded animal burrows, tolerating near-freezing temperatures.
Morphology: The carapace is smooth, unserrated, and oval-shaped, with a solid black or dark brown coloration covered in a variable number of bright yellow or orange spots (hence the name guttata). The plastron is yellow or orange with large, dark blotches on each scute that expand as the turtle ages. It is a small species, with adults measuring 8-12 cm in carapace length. Males have brown eyes, a dark chin, and a concave plastron; females have orange eyes, a yellow chin, and a flat plastron.
Cuidado, criação e companheiros de tanque
Terrarium Setup: Requires a specialized aqua-terrarium (paludarium) or a secure, predator-proof outdoor pond. An indoor tank should measure at least 100x50 cm for a single adult. The aquatic area should cover 60-70% of the enclosure, with a shallow water depth of 15-20 cm and plenty of underwater structures (branches, live or fake plants, rocks) to allow the turtle to climb to the surface easily. The land area must be dry, easily accessible, and equipped with a humid hide containing damp sphagnum moss.
Lighting and Heating: A high-quality linear UVB light (5% or 10%) is mandatory, running for 10-12 hours daily over the land area. Position a basking spot lamp over the dry area to create a localized hot spot of 30-32°C (86-90°F). Water temperature should be maintained between 20°C and 24°C (68-75°F) using a submersible aquarium heater equipped with a protective guard. Ambient air temperature should be 22-26°C (72-79°F).
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain air humidity around 60-70% in the dry zone. Lightly misting the land area daily is recommended. Water quality is critical; use a high-capacity canister filter to provide mechanical and biological filtration, and perform weekly 25-50% water changes using declorinated water. Keep ammonia and nitrite levels strictly at zero.
Feeding and Supplementation: Primarily carnivorous and opportunistic. Feed a variety of live foods such as earthworms, crickets, dubia roaches, snails, small freshwater fish, and thawed shrimp, alongside high-quality commercial aquatic turtle pellets. They may occasionally consume aquatic plants (duckweed, Elodea). Dust food with pure calcium carbonate twice a week, and provide a multivitamin supplement once a week.
Compatibility: Can be kept singly or in small groups consisting of females only. Males are highly territorial and aggressive, often harassing females or fighting with other males, which can cause severe bite injuries; therefore, housing males with females is only recommended for controlled breeding purposes. Do not house with larger or aggressive turtle species.
Health and Common Diseases: Susceptible to shell rot and fungal infections of the skin and shell if water quality is poor or if the turtle cannot dry out completely under the basking light. Respiratory infections (pneumonia) can occur from cold drafts or low air temperatures. Vitamin A deficiency manifests as swollen, closed eyes. A well-heated dry area is essential to prevent these conditions.
Origem e distribuição geográfica
This species is native to eastern North America, ranging from southern Canada (Ontario) southward along the Atlantic coastal plain of the United States to northern Florida, and westward through the Great Lakes region. It inhabits shallow, slow-moving wetlands such as bogs, fens, swamps, wet meadows, flooded woodlands, and temporary vernal pools with soft, muddy bottoms and abundant aquatic vegetation. It prefers shallow waters where it can easily reach the surface to breathe by extending its neck.
Origem
Oceanos tropicais e recifesAmérica do Norte
Perfil de réptil
- Dieta
- Omnivore
- Spotted Turtles are highly adaptable omnivores that forage extensively in shallow waters for both plant and animal matter. A large part of their diet consists of small aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles, insects, worms, and occasional carrion. They also consume various forms of aquatic vegetation, algae, and soft plant stems to balance their nutritional intake. In captivity, they eagerly accept a mix of high-quality aquatic turtle pellets, live foods, and fresh greens offered directly in the water.
- Tamanho adulto
- 12 cm
- Estilo de vida/Microhabitat
- Semi-aquatic
- A semi-aquatic turtle that requires an enclosure with extensive shallow water sections and multiple easily accessible land areas.
- Ciclo de atividades
- Diurnal
- They are diurnal and highly active, spending hours basking on logs before diving into the water to hunt for food.
- Socialidade
- Solitary
- Spotted Turtles are semi-aquatic and spend a great deal of time basking on logs or clumps of grass near shallow, slow-moving bodies of water. They are most active during the cooler months of spring and fall, often seeking refuge by burying themselves in mud when the summer heat becomes too intense. They are notoriously shy and will quickly dive off their basking spot at the first sign of a perceived threat. Due to their preference for shallow bogs and marshes, a proper enclosure must offer extensive, heavily planted land areas alongside shallow water.
- Reprodução
- Oviparous
- Courtship typically occurs in the water during early spring, involving the male frantically pursuing the female and occasionally biting at her legs and carapace. The female subsequently leaves the water in search of an open, sunny nesting site, often preferring moist, loamy soil or sphagnum moss. She lays a remarkably small clutch, usually containing just 3 to 4 elongated eggs. Environmental temperature during the critical incubation period dictates the sex of the hatchlings, which emerge fully independent by late summer.
- Tolerância de tratamento
- Display only
- They are small, easily stressed, and prone to shell damage if dropped. They are best kept as visual display animals.
- Brumação
- Obrigatório
- They undergo brumation naturally to survive freezing winters. This process can be simulated in captivity but must be managed strictly.
- Muda
- Regular
- Shedding of the skin and scutes occurs periodically. Good water quality and UVB lighting are vital to prevent fungal infections during shedding.
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