Reeves' Turtle

Reeves' Turtle

(Chinemys reevesi)

Distribution

This
beautiful semi-aquatic turtle originates from Mainland China and
Japan. It can also be found in Taiwan, Hong Kong and parts of Korea.
Several specimens have also been found in the USA possibly as
released pets, although it is not known if they are breeding. This
species is also known as the Coin Turtle or the Chinese Three Keeled
Turtle.







Size

Hatchling
Reeve's Turtles begin life at around 3cm long and 2 cm wide. They
eventually reach and average adult size of 12.5cm (5 inches),
although females have been known to reach sizes of up to 18cm (7.2
inches) and males have reached 13cm (5.2 inches).







Description

The
shell of the Reeve's has three keels, or ridges, running the length
of the carapace from head to tail. Coloration of the Reeve's turtle
varies widely from individual to individual. The shell can range from
a yellowish-brown to a dark brown or black shade, while the skin can
range from an olive or grey-green shade to black. In the lighter
animals, there are a series of white or yellow lines running along
the sides of the neck and head. The black animals tend to lack this
striping. Reeve's turtle is not saucer-shaped but more rectangular
overall.







Diet

In
the wild the Reeve's Turtles are omnivores and will eat a variety of
insects, amphibians, fish and plant matter. It is essential therefore
in captivity to maintain them on as varied a diet as possible. A list
of suitable foods are as follows: raw liver, beef heart, chicken
breast, salads, fruits, earthworms, crickets, white bait (and other
fishes, although freshwater fish is best), prawns (best with shells
on), snails, pink mice, water cress, dandelions and water weed. This
species of turtle is a voracious feeder and will overeat if the
chance arises. It is often better to feed your turtles in a separate
container in order to reduce the mess in their captive habitat.







Requirements

• Heat
  Source: - For the water, a thermostatically controlled water heater
  will be required. For the basking area, a guarded and
  thermostatically controlled reflector spot lamp will be required.
• UV
  Light Source: - Reeve's Turtles require a Reptisun 5.0 light. This
  should be left on for 12 to 14 hours a day and replaced every 6
  months unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer. It should be
  positioned no more than 30cm away from the basking turtle and not
  behind plastic or glass screens.
• Filtration:
  - This is important to reduce foul smells and to keep the water
  clean. Under gravel filters do not work very well on turtles. You
  would be well advised to buy either a large internal filter or an
  external filter to help keep the water clear. Fluval filters work
  well for smaller turtle enclosures.
• Land
  Areas: - Two land areas should be available to your turtles. One
  area should be for basking and have a heat source above it. The
  other area should be away from the heat source, to allow the turtle
  to regulate its temperature. If you are keeping females then
  remember a suitable nesting site should be provided, in order to
  prevent egg retention problems.
• Housing:
  - For two adult turtles a 120cm (4 foot) terrarium would be
  sufficient. Tortoise tables can also be used with good effect for
  this species as they allow natural microclimates to develop.
• Water:
  - The water should be maintained at a depth of around 7.5 - 12.5cm
  (3 - 5 inches). This should be changed frequently as it is also the
  water they drink.
  

Temperature

A
temperature of 20 - 29ºC (68 - 85ºF) should be maintained
during the daytime. The water temperature should be maintained at
around 23 - 27ºC (78 - 83ºF).





NB
– a photograph and a distribution map can be found on
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/Creevesiicare.htm








Recommended
Reading/Useful Contacts





Stuart
Dodsworth – stuartandlynette@dodsworth2005.wanadoo.co.uk



The
International Herpetological Society –
www.international-herp-society.co.uk





The
British Herpetological Society – www.thebhs.org



Taxonomy
Information –
http://srs.embl-heidelberg.de:8000/s...-bin/wgetz?-e+[REPTILIA-Species:'Chinemys_SP_reevesii']



Tortoise
Trust – www.tortoisetrust.org




BCG
– British Chelonia Group –
http://www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/



http://www.tortoise.org/archives/reeves.html



http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?SpeciesID=1228
- info on released pets in USA


http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/Creevesiicare.htm



www.reptilekeeper.co.uk