Adanson’s Mud Turtle

1 Overview

The Adanson’s Mud Turtle is an aquatic turtle species native to central Africa and a minor member of the African side-neck genus (Pelusios). It is relatively small and uncommon, and although it is not internationally recognized as endangered, trade in it remains limited.

Care is generally similar. The Adanson’s Mud Turtle is omnivorous with a strong feeding response and large appetite, feeding mainly on fish, shrimp, and shellfish, while insects and earthworms are also welcome foods. They will even cooperate to drag small birds or reptiles into the water and share them. In captivity they thrive on standard aquatic-turtle or fish pellets, with vegetables offered occasionally.

Chinese Name: Adanson’s Mud Turtle

English Name: Adanson’s Mud Turtle

Scientific Name: Pelusios adansonii

Taxonomy: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Order Testudines, Family Pelomedusidae, Genus Pelusios, Species Adanson’s Mud Turtle

Reproduction: Oviparous

Size: relatively small, carapace 15 to 20 cm

Preferred Temperature: 18 to 28 degrees C

Distribution: Central Africa

Diet: Omnivorous

2 Physical Characteristics

The Adanson’s Mud Turtle is a rather rare species, and captive numbers are small. It is a minor branch of the African side-neck genus; its habits are little different from other species, but in appearance it is relatively small.

After taming, some instincts disappear, and sexing is easy: males are smaller with a thick tail, while females are larger with a thinner tail. The Adanson’s Mud Turtle is a prolific layer; females can produce several clutches per year, averaging 10 to 15 eggs each. When laying, the female digs a very deep pit almost as long as her shell to avoid the high temperatures of intense sun. Notably, the eggs are coated with a slippery mucus when laid, which hardens when dry, making them waterproof and resistant to most insect predation. Hatchlings are dark and robust, growing quickly.

The Adanson’s Mud Turtle has a brownish-yellow, flattened carapace with clear patterns and a prominent raised keel; the scutes often bear radiating markings. The plastron is relatively small compared with the carapace and has a hinged joint, usually leaving the limbs outside the shell when closed. Unlike other turtles, side-necks do not pull the head straight back into the shell; when threatened they merely bend the head to one side.

3 Care & Husbandry

The Adanson’s Mud Turtle is a representative species of the African side-neck genus, but smaller than others, with a cute, endearing appearance that keepers love. Because it is not widely kept, the chance of acquiring one is low.

Among the African side-neck genus, the Adanson’s Mud Turtle is a very hardy aquatic turtle. Its adorable looks and comical eyes make it popular, and its undemanding care makes it a common first pet for beginners.

Temperatures from 15 to 30 degrees C are tolerated; below 10 degrees C heating is needed, and 10 to 15 degrees C allows a light brumation.

Water depth of about 5 cm suits hatchlings, while adults can be kept in deeper water; side-necks are strong swimmers and famed fish-catchers. Thanks to their harsh African origins, they survive prolonged drought. One keeper once had a 10 cm swamp side-neck turtle that escaped for a month and crawled out from under a bed, presumably thirsty.

Food is varied and they accept all animal prey; adults show little interest in pellets but love small fish and shrimp, beef, pork, and mutton, with good interaction, snatching food while swimming on their backs and eating quickly. After eating they may bite dead any leftover fish but not eat it.

They are non-aggressive when co-habited and can be mixed with other aquatic turtles.

Growth is roughly 5 cm per year, or about 3 cm per year when food is restricted.

4 Habitat & Environment

The Adanson’s Mud Turtle is distributed across central Africa and is a subordinate group within the African side-neck genus, so its habitat largely resembles that of most African side-necks, favoring pools of standing water.

The African side-neck turtle is the most widely distributed freshwater turtle in Africa. It is a small, semi-aquatic turtle, usually living in standing pools. During dry seasons it burrows into bottom mud to aestivate through drought, so it tolerates changes in environment and food well, is gregarious, and is a very robust, easy-to-keep aquatic turtle.

Most imports are wild-caught, and dehydration or shell damage is common. The African side-neck turtle is easily confused with the East African side-neck turtle in the other genus, in appearance and habits. Basically, the African side-neck turtle is smaller than the East African side-neck, which has fifteen species that can all grow to 30 to 50 cm.

Care is generally similar. The African side-neck turtle is omnivorous with a strong feeding response and large appetite, feeding mainly on fish, shrimp, and shellfish, while insects and earthworms are also welcome; they even cooperate to drag small birds or reptiles into the water and share them. In captivity they thrive on standard aquatic-turtle or fish pellets, with vegetables offered occasionally.

Its tolerance of low temperatures is also higher than that of typical tropical turtles. When startled they, like musk turtles, release a musky-smelling fluid.

5 Diet & Nutrition

The Adanson’s Mud Turtle is typically omnivorous, eating small fish and shrimp, weeds and plants, and remarkably some turtles catch birds, showing it is a formidable species; thus live prey is a good choice when keeping them.

For heating, the side-neck is a typical tropical species, so a heater is essential. Keep the temperature above 30 degrees C; at 30 degrees C growth, recovery, and disease resistance are strongest and fastest. In a power outage, keep warm with a blanket or add hot water; a generator helps if available.

For diet, turtle pellets are more nutritious; imported pellets are recommended, along with frozen bloodworms. Although the Adanson’s Mud Turtle is omnivorous, feeding only pellets leads to nutritional gaps that hinder coloration and growth, so vary the diet, such as with live small fish and shrimp to stimulate its hunting instinct.

The Adanson’s Mud Turtle is not fully aquatic and must have a basking platform, bought or DIY. A basking lamp is also needed, with at least 2 hours of basking daily. As a semi-aquatic turtle, the basking platform is very important; this is not a turtle that can stay in water for long.