If you've ever seen a small turtle with a smooth shell and a bright yellow spot on its throat at a pet store, it was most likely a yellow-bellied mud turtle. These funny reptiles have long been popular with exotic animal lovers because of their modest size and active behavior.
In nature, these turtles can be found in slow-moving rivers, ponds, and swamps in the eastern United States. They prefer muddy bottoms, where they like to burrow in search of food and shelter, which is how they got their name. Their lives are full of mystery; they spend most of their time in the water, only occasionally crawling out onto logs to bask in the sun.
Despite its cute appearance, this turtle has the character of a true predator. It enjoys hunting small fish, snails, and insects. Its ability to swim quickly and catch prey at lightning speed often surprises observers. Let's take a closer look at this amazing aquatic creature and find out what makes it so special.
Description of the yellow-bellied slider turtle
The length of the carapace of males is up to 19 cm, and females – up to 23 cm, weighing up to 900 g. The shell has an oval dome-shaped shape, widening at the back. The carapace is olive, brown, or almost black. A low longitudinal keel is located in the center of the shell, mainly on the fourth and fifth vertebral scutes.
The plastron is yellow and contains a hinge between the pectoral and abdominal scutes. The head is broad but medium-sized, slightly flattened at the top. The tip of the snout is blunt and slightly rounded. There are two antennae on the chin that perform a tactile function. The upper jaw sometimes has two tooth-like protrusions. The eyes are black with a silver ring around the iris. The limbs are yellow to brown in color, and the head is dark to almost black. There are always five claws on the legs and underdeveloped membranes.
Males can be distinguished from females by their longer and thicker tail and slightly more concave plastron; females often have a slightly wider plastron.
Pelusios castanoides castanoides – females up to 23 cm long.
Pelusios castanoides intergularis – males up to 19.4 cm long, females up to 23.5 cm long. Pelusios castanoides intergularis has a dark carapace with a marbled pattern of yellow or brown spots. Individuals of the subspecies Pelusios castanoides intergularis have a pentagonal partition with straight seams between the throat shields, whereas in the nominal subspecies these seams are diagonal. The shell can become almost completely white in old age, and individuals of this subspecies have a narrower shell, especially in males.
Pelusios castanoides
HEWITT, 1931
RU: Yellow-bellied Mud Turtle
EN: Yellow-bellied Mud Turtle
Suborder: (Pleurodira) Side-necked turtles
Family: (Pelomedusidae) Pelomedusidae
Genus: (Pelusios) Folding turtles
Subspecies:
- Pelusios castanoides castanoides (East African Yellow-bellied Mud Turtle) (HEWITT 1931)
- Pelusios castanoides intergularis (Seychelles Yellow-bellied Mud Turtle) (BOUR 1983)
Conservation status
Habitat and lifestyle
It inhabits an area stretching from southern Kenya, Malawi, and Mozambique to Swaziland in South Africa, Madagascar, the Seychelles, and Tanzania.
Its habitat consists of shallow waters, such as wet peat bogs, floodplains, and swamps with muddy bottoms. The lizard does not hibernate in winter, but it does go into summer dormancy. Due to climatic conditions, the lizard has to spend a long time underground in summer dormancy.
Pelusios castanoides castanoides it inhabits Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Pelusios castanoides intergularis – it lives in the Seychelles (Cerf, Fregate, La Digue, Mahe, Praslin, Silhouette).
Feeding of the yellow-bellied mud turtle
Pelusios castanoides is omnivorous, its diet consists mainly of invertebrates (especially snails) and fish, but aquatic plants are also eaten. It is known that populations from the Seychelles are nocturnal, feeding on aquatic plants, crabs, snails, and fruit.
Young turtles of this species are mostly predatory. In captivity, predatory turtles are fed raw, lean river fish with entrails and bones, terrestrial and aquatic insects, terrestrial and aquatic snails with shells, complete feed for aquatic turtles, earthworms, tadpoles, and mice. All food should be raw and at room temperature.
More about feeding predatory turtles ›
Adult turtles, and sometimes adolescents, begin to supplement their diet with plant foods. At this point, they can be offered aquatic plants, meadow grasses, and various types of lettuce that are edible for turtles. Occasionally, you can treat your turtle to a piece of edible vegetable or fruit, as in nature they can pick up and eat fruit that has fallen into or near the water. Give plant and animal food on different feeding days.
More about the plant-based diet ›
Turtles should NOT be fed poultry and livestock fillets (beef, pork, lamb, etc.), fatty fish, poisonous plants, crab sticks, human food (sausage, hot dogs, etc.), or dog and cat food.
What not to feed turtles ›
Turtles are fed in the morning. Young turtles are fed every day, while adolescents and adults are fed every 2-3 days. The amount of food should be enough to satisfy the turtle, but in reasonable quantities, approximately 2 turtle heads. You can put a cuttlefish bone in the aquaterrarium to grind down the beak and replenish calcium reserves.
The yellow-bellied slider turtle is a small freshwater turtle found in slow-moving rivers, ponds, and swamps in Northeast Asia, including southern Russia. It is distinguished by its light, often yellowish shell and light belly, which is where it gets its name. This turtle is shy, agile, and spends most of its time in the water, although it sometimes comes ashore to bask in the sun. It feeds mainly on small animals — insects, mollusks, frogs, and sometimes carrion. In recent years, the population of this species has been declining due to habitat loss and collection for sale, so today it is protected by law.
Keeping in captivity
The minimum size of an aquaterrarium for 1-2 individuals: the length of the aquaterrarium = 4 times the length of the shell of the largest turtle, the width of the aquaterrarium = 2 times the length of the shell. For each additional turtle, add 20% of space. The water depth is greater than 5 times the width of the shell of the largest turtle. Stones, driftwood, and plastic plants can be placed in the aquarium as underwater shelters. Sand should be used as substrate, which should be laid in a deep layer. The shore is used by turtles for laying eggs and basking (warming up under lamps).
The background air temperature in the aquaterrarium should be 23-26°C with a temperature under the lamp of up to 35°C.
The aquaterrarium should also have a 10% UVB ultraviolet lamp and a good filter.
Keeping it in an outdoor enclosure is not recommended.
Turtles can be kept in a group of one male and two females.
This turtle is easy to care for and is suitable for beginners.
The yellow-bellied mud turtle is a small but surprisingly charismatic inhabitant of North American water bodies. Its inconspicuous appearance and secretive lifestyle often leave it unnoticed, but upon closer inspection, it turns out to be a very interesting creature. Its ability to burrow into the mud, omnivorous diet, and unusual defense tactics make it perfectly adapted to life in its environment.
Keeping such a turtle in a home aquaterrarium is a task for a patient and attentive enthusiast. It will not be a bright “toy,” but it will become a calm and observant pet for those who appreciate natural habits. It is important to remember that it needs not only water and food, but also a properly equipped space with the opportunity to dig in the ground and bask on land.
Ultimately, the yellow-bellied mud turtle reminds us that the beauty and interest of nature are often hidden in the details. This modest reptile is an important part of its ecosystem and a wonderful example of how even a small creature can possess a whole arsenal of amazing adaptations for survival.
