Sternotherus odoratus

Aquatic aquarium / aquaterrarium for a bottom walker, with strong filtration and an accessible haul-out platform.

Minimum ~90 x 45 cm of floor area for a single adult (usable volume ~120-150 L); bigger is always better. A poor swimmer: water depth must stay moderate (often 15-30 cm) and allow the animal to reach the surface to breathe effortlessly, with branches, plants and submerged décor serving as supports. Provide a shallow area or an emersed platform for basking. A well-designed lid or rim: these turtles climb and can escape. Avoid housing adult males together (territorial aggression).

Aquatic species: humidity is not a management parameter. The critical factor is water quality, not air humidity. The basking area, however, must be able to dry completely.

Prefer a bare bottom (easy to clean) or fine sand that the turtle naturally sifts through. Avoid medium-sized gravel, which can be swallowed and cause digestive impaction. Add roots, plants (real or sturdy) and submerged hides to make it feel secure.

Recommended. Provide a UVB tube or lamp (type 5.0 / ~5 % UVB for aquatic turtle) above the basking area, replaced every 6-12 months. Combined with a calcium-rich diet, UVB prevents osteodystrophy and shell abnormalities. A dry spot where the animal dries completely remains essential even if the species basks little.

The MOST important parameter. Dechlorinated fresh water (conditioner or 24 h resting), powerful filtration (oversized external/canister filter) as these turtles are very messy. Regular partial water changes (25-50 %/week depending on load). Moderate depth with supports allowing it to reach the surface. Monitor ammonia/nitrites (close to 0): poor water quality causes shell rot, skin and respiratory infections.

Eastern North America (from southern Ontario in Canada down to Florida and Texas), in shallow, slow-moving fresh water: ponds, marshes, streams and muddy-bottomed lake shores.

Carnivore with an opportunistic omnivorous tendency — Snails and aquatic molluscs, crayfish and crustaceans, earthworms, insect larvae, small fish, carrion; quality aquatic pellets as a supplement.

Crushing jaws adapted to shelled molluscs. A varied, mostly animal-based diet; snails and crustaceans provide calcium and wear down the beak. Feed juveniles daily, adults 2-3 times/week in measured portions to avoid obesity. Remove leftovers and do not overfeed (water pollution).

Clutch 2–9 eggs/young. A notable fact: hard, brittle (calcified) shelled eggs, unlike most turtles which lay parchment-shelled eggs. Several clutches possible per season. Incubation ~60-90 days; sex influenced by temperature (TSD). The female needs a loose terrestrial/nesting area. Egg retention is a risk without an adequate nesting site or in case of calcium deficiency.

• Shell rot and skin infections (ulcerative dermatitis) linked to poor water quality
• Respiratory infections (often due to water that is too cold and an insufficient hot spot)
• Osteodystrophy / MBD and shell abnormalities from calcium deficiency or lack of UVB
• Egg retention (dystocia) in females without an adequate nesting site
• Digestive impaction from ingesting substrate of the wrong size