Asian Box Turtles (Cuora spp.) - NOT FOR BEGINNERS
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Copyright by Valerie Haecky. This document may be freely 
distributed for non-profit use, provided this notice is
included.

Species Notes
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The southeast Asian box turtles, genus Cuora, are 
tropical and live in semi-aquatic habitats. However,
the different species have significantly different
requirements.  

Cuora flavomarginata (yellow-margined box turtle)
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High-arched shell and distinct vertebral yellow
stripe. Well-marked growth annuli on scutes may be
present. Carapace is usually
dark brown with bright vertebral stripe. There may
be reddish-brown splotches along the outer border
of each marginal (my turtle does not have this).
Plastron is dark brown to black. Underside of
marginals is yellow.
Head is gray to greenish with broad yellow stripe
running from the eye to the neck. Forelimbs are
covered with large scales. Yellow on backside of
legs and back-heel. 

Occurs in from southern China, Taiwan, and the Ryukyiu
Islands.

Usually occurs in ponds and rice paddies, but has been
reported in gentle upland streams. 

Fond of basking and spends lots of time on land. Males
can be rather aggressive towards each other and females.
My male, for lack of another victim, often tries to
court me and push me over and assert his territory. He
also follows me around for food. Pretty smart turtles.

Diet is omnivorous, though they seem to be picky eaters
with special preferences for favorite foods, even if offered
a variety.

Cuora amboiniensis (Malayan box turtle)
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High-arched carapace with or without medial keel in
adults. Dark olive or black color. Plastron yellow
to light brown with large dark-brown or black spot 
toward the outside of each scute.
Head is olive dark, towards black on side, towards
olive or yellow towards neck.  On each side, a
black-bordered yellow strip runs anteriorly from the neck,
passing above the eye to the tip of the snout. Two more
stripes are on the side of the head.

Distribution is from Nicabar islands, Bangladesh,
Assam, Burma, Thailand, Kampuchea, Vietnam,
Malaysa, east Indonesia all the way to the Philippines.

Lives in lowland water bodies with soft bottoms and slow
currents, such as marshes, swamps, ponds, and rice paddies.

Gentle, shy species.

In the wild, this turtle is decidedly herbivorous, but 
captives soon learn to take animal foods, too.

Cuora galbinifrons (Indochinese box turtle, flower turtle)
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Recently, I've also started to see this in pet shops.

High-domed carapace; no vertebral keel in adults.
A narrow, yellow to cream-colored stripe runs along
the vertebrals. On each side of this, covering the rest of
the vertebrals and the upper portion of the pleurals, is a wide,
darkbrown to olive stripe, often containing a mottled 
pattern of dark marks. The lower 2/3 to 3/4 of the
pleurals is usually plain white, cream, or yellow, but there
can be mottles and dark interruptions in that, too. 
The marginals are dark and mottled, again.
Plastron is dark brown or black.
This is a very distinct turtle, and once you see one, you'll know
it!

Occurs in Vietnam, China, Hainan Islands.

The least aquatic Cuora species that likes water but mostly
lives in bushy woodlands at rather high elevations.

Very shy. Carnivorous.

Cuora trifasciata (Chinese three-striped box turtle)
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Brown with 3 keels marked by black stripes.
Underside of marginals are bright orange or pinkish or
yellow with possible black spots.
Head is olive to black. An olive-colored, black-bordered
stripe runs backward from the nostril through the eye.
Behind this is a black-bordered spot.
The upper jaw is yellow, and a yellow stripe extends from
the corner of the mouth through the tympanum to the
side of the neck. Lower jaw an chin are
yellow. Top and sides of neck are olive and covered with
small scales. ventrally there is a wide
orange or pinkish-yellow medial stripe. Limb sockets and
undersides of the limbs are bright orange or pinkish yellow.
Very attractive turtle!

Northern Vietnam, southern China, Hong Kong, Hainan Islands.

Inhabits clear mountain streams and other habitats. 
Basks frequently and is quite terrestrial.
Males can be rather aggressive.

Carnivorous. Like fish.


There are a few other species, but they are, to my
knowledge, not available in the pet trade and not
described here.



Setup
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Use a basic box-turtle with the following modifications:

Asian box turtles, specifically the Chinese Box Turtle (Cuora 
flavomarginata), the Malaysian Box Turtle (Cuora ambionensis), and 
the Three Striped Box Turtle (Cuora trifasciata) are harder to 
keep than regular box turtles.

Asian box turtles love to wade and are able to swim for short distances.
For Asian box turtles, about an inch or two of water are best; 
make it so the turtle can comfortably stick its head out.

You must take Asian box turtles indoors--they
do not hibernate and will die outdoors if the temperature drops too
low.

You can go with the same basic setup with the following changes: 

* About 1/4 to 1/2 of the enclosure should be water deep enough for 
the turtle to submerge halfway. A cat litter box is about the right size. 
These turtles are semi-aquatic. Their natural habitat is rice 
paddies and forest streams. Asian box turtles love to be in the water!

* The diet is more carnivorous. Vegetables are rarely taken, but
fruit are. You should still offer a variety of fruit and veggies.
I found that one of my Chinese box turtles likes peas, the other
one likes corn. Try banana as a magic food! They will also take egg,
tomatoes, melon, blueberries, strawberries...

* Coolest temperature should be around 75F. These turtles do 
not hibernate and will not eat if too cool. Make sure some part
of the enclosure is always nice and warm.

* If your turtle is a finicky eater, try earthworms, pinkies, and 
banana. They are favorite foods. Mine also likes avocado (feed rarely,
since high in fat!), tomato, tofu (low fat), egg (don't feed often),
any kind of meat, strawberries. 

* To get my Cuora to eat greens, I mince the greens, mostly butter
lettuce, then mash it together with a little banana.

* Loves to chew on cuttle fish bone.

* Either feed a vitaminized dry food, or use a supplement powder; for
example mashed in with a bit of banana once a week.

* For more information, please, get the care sheet No. 013 from the 
San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Club listed in the references.