Amazon Mud Turtle

1 Overview

The Amazon Mud Turtle is a relatively scarce species among the musk turtles; when threatened, it also emits a musky odor. It reproduces rather slowly, so its wild population is declining. In the wild it feeds on insects and is a carnivorous turtle.

Chinese Name: Amazon Mud Turtle

Alternative Names: Stinkpot, Stinky Jim

Binomial Name: Amazon Mud Turtle

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Testudines

Family: Kinosternidae

Genus: Kinosternon

Species: Amazon Mud Turtle

Distribution: The lower Colorado River in the United States and the Gila River of Arizona, south through New Mexico to the continental divide at the Rio Yaqui basin, and eastward across the Rio Casas Grandes basin in northwestern Chihuahua.

Appearance: The head, neck, and limbs are usually gray or mottled, and the lower jaw is cream-colored and may develop black spots.

Reproduction: Each year it can lay 1–4 clutches with about 1–11 eggs each. Clutch size is related to female body size. The elliptical eggs have hard shells, measuring 28.0–35.0 × 13.8–19.0 mm, and hatching usually occurs in August.

Habits: When threatened, it often emits a musky odor, hence it is often called ‘Stinkpot’ or ‘Stinky Jim.’ The gland is located on both sides of the body, beneath the carapace where it meets the skin.

Diet: The Amazon Mud Turtle is a carnivore that also eats algae and aquatic plants, as well as insects, snails, worms, small fish, crustaceans, and amphibians. It is distinctly nocturnal, unlike other members of its genus.

2 Physical Characteristics

The top of the Amazon Mud Turtle’s head and neck is usually brown or tan, interspersed with markings that are sometimes bright and sometimes dull; in pictures, yellow markings predominate. The throat has nipple-like protrusions. The shell is generally brown and tan, and wild individuals often bear green algae. The carapace is noticeably elongated and relatively high, usually with 23 marginal scutes; the top is sometimes slightly concave or flat, with a faint keel running down the center of the carapace to the edge.

3 Care & Husbandry

The Amazon Mud Turtle’s numbers are declining, something people have long been aware of, yet it has not been well protected. People can only try not to damage the environment, but scarcity is already a fact.

Conservation Measures: In the United States, since 1997 the Amazon Mud Turtle has been listed under the Endangered Species Act as a candidate species requiring protection. Changing climate in the southwest and shrinking habitat have an evident impact on it, making population decline unavoidable.

Habitat: The Amazon Mud Turtle occurs at elevations up to 2,042 meters, in permanent streams, rivers, ponds, ditches, and water holes. It is often found in woodlands, with only a few entering temporary waters. In the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, 90% of 580 Sonoyta mud turtles were captured in pools, 5% in stream pools, and 5% on land. They occasionally migrate from one water body to another, suggesting the temporary ponds they visit are no more than 8 km from permanent water.

Diet: The Amazon Mud Turtle is a carnivore that also eats algae and aquatic plants, as well as insects, snails, worms, small fish, crustaceans, and amphibians. It is distinctly nocturnal, unlike other members of its genus.

4 Habitat & Environment

The enclosure setup for the Amazon Mud Turtle can reference other turtle species, such as other mud turtles, but a problem arises in that different turtles have different environmental requirements, so it is advisable to accumulate experience while keeping them.

Enclosure Setup: The Amazon Mud Turtle can be kept in ponds, tanks, wooden tubs, or reservoirs, each with pros and cons, chosen according to local conditions. For general breeders and small farms, pond breeding is preferable because it is easy to manage and more economical. Hatchling and breeding ponds can follow the specifications and methods used for the Chinese golden turtle (Cuora trifasciata). Adult turtle ponds are similar but can be larger to house more turtles.

Feeding Precautions: Hatchlings, adults, and breeding turtles should be kept in separate ponds to avoid large turtles eating small ones, and to facilitate feed quantification and management and observation of growth. The sand between the pond and the enclosing wall should be kept moderately moist; in midsummer, cooling measures such as sprinkling water and planting small shrubs should be taken. Before hibernation, check the turtles’ condition; for weaker individuals, increase feeding of preferred foods so they store ample nutrients, build up strength, and safely overwinter.

5 Feeding Requirements

In the wild the Amazon Mud Turtle is carnivorous, but in captivity it also accepts some plant food and turtle pellets, which is a good sign. However, to avoid digestive problems, feeding methods should be managed carefully.

The Amazon Mud Turtle has a broad diet, eating rice, wheat, peas, small fish, shrimp, insects, and snails; its favorites are small fish, snails, corn, and rice. In captivity, to meet its nutritional needs and avoid poor growth or anorexia from a single feed, a variety should be used—animal feeds such as fish, shrimp, snails, and mussels, and plant feeds such as rice, wheat, and corn.

To help the Amazon Mud Turtle fully digest the feed, crush corn and peas and soak them for about 2 hours before feeding; other large pieces should be chopped first. Also, at different growth stages, feed with different nutrient compositions according to its growth traits. Its life is closely tied to climate: feeding begins in early April; peaks in June–August with the fastest weight gain; declines after October as temperatures drop; and stops below 10°C, entering hibernation.