Black Marsh Turtle

1 Overview

The Black Marsh Turtle, also called the white-cheeked turtle, as an adult resembles the all-black mature male of the Chinese pond turtle. It is one of the more precious freshwater turtles; wild numbers are few, but in recent years many captive-bred individuals appear in markets to meet demand.

English Name: Black Marsh Turtle (also Siebenrockiella crassicollis)

Latin Name: Siebenrockiella crassicollis

Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Testudines, Geoemydidae, Batagurinae, Siebenrockiella, Siebenrockiella crassicollis

Distribution: across southern Myanmar, south to Vietnam, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, and also Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.

2 Physical Characteristics

Its appearance is plain — no fancy carapace, no strange shape, a super-‘normal’ turtle, yet this ordinary look still wins affection; perhaps the charm of simplicity.

It is a medium-sized black freshwater turtle. It is distinguished from other Borneo turtles by three keels on the juvenile carapace (adults have only one). The rear carapace has a serrated edge; the adult vertebral-scute area is flat. Adult males are told by a relatively longer, thicker tail and a slightly concave plastron. Adult females retain pale head spots, while males’ spots fade with growth.

Selection notes: (1) It cannot leave water long; prolonged absence sticks the eyelids and invites infection, and the carapace edge tends to curl up causing shell rot (healthy ones curl slightly too). (2) Red spots on limbs, head, or neck are a common, hard-to-treat disease. (3) As a wild turtle it usually has minor injuries; not serious if slight. (4) Check for nasal discharge. (5) Foul breath may mean stomatitis, very hard to cure. (6) Watch for fishhooks. (7) Prefer one that bites. (8) White discharge in scute seams means shell rot — common in this species. (9) Otherwise pick like a normal turtle. (10) Best is one already eating.

3 Husbandry

Keeping it is not that complex, but as an endangered species, worsening wild habitat makes survival harder. Now many captive-bred individuals circulate, helping conservation.

The Black Marsh Turtle is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and was one of 11 endangered Asian turtles in a recent seizure.

Water: it is a swamp turtle living in marshes in origin, so water need not be crystal clear — best sunned a few days. Environment: relatively shy, keep quiet, especially new arrivals; a little aquatic plant cover so the bottom is not fully visible helps start feeding. Temperature: best around 25°C; eats at 12–15°C but less; it is not cold-hardy and needs heating in winter, no hibernation. Starting feeding: keep quiet, dim, suitable temperature 3–7 days, then feed; small fish and small shrimp with the rostrum removed work well, or some meat; afterwards a little fruit/vegetable — pears and pumpkin are favorites but not staple. Filter: it demands water quality and loves quiet, so use a strong filter with good biological filtration; a UV lamp is ideal.

4 Habitat and Environment

It is not demanding about environment. As an aquatic turtle its swimming is not great, but it likes staying in water and rarely uses a basking platform; prolonged time out of water can sicken or kill it.

Wild: it likes slow or still water — marshes, ponds, streams, lakes. It hides in bottom mud most of the time. Its carnivorous diet includes aquatic animals — worms, snails, small shrimp, frogs — and it is also a scavenger. Although it eats in water, at night it comes ashore to graze. Males court by swinging the head. It lays 3–4 clutches a year, only 1–2 eggs each; elongated eggs average 45×19 mm. Hatchling carapace about 52 mm.

Captive setup: keep new arrivals quiet, dim, with good water; once feeding is stable you can take tank and turtle to sun briefly — not intense sun, since it rarely comes ashore (almost never except to breed); 15 minutes is enough. Water need not be deep — just 1–2 cm over the carapace. Its swimming is modest, so slightly shallower water suits its strong adaptability; pick healthy individuals and mind the method.

5 Feeding

Not for beginners, though it is an easy water turtle — for inexperienced keepers any turtle is trouble, and it is expensive and protected, so beginners should avoid it.

But it is not as hard as legend; after a while it can take food from hands and eat in front of you — a fun turtle. Whether or not it is eating, suspect disease and check thoroughly; even if it starts eating at home, do not feed yet. Even a wild-looking healthy one has some gut infection; immediate feeding overloads the gut — a common cause of sudden death. Do not forget deworming when buying.

If there is a white eye film, give up. Worst acceptable standard: slightly stuffed nose + shell rot + skin rot + local ulceration + willing to open mouth + willing to bite = worth a try. It inhabits slow or still water — marshes, ponds, streams, lakes — hiding in bottom mud, eating worms, snails, shrimp, frogs, and scavenging; grazes ashore at night; males court by head-swinging; 3–4 clutches yearly, 1–2 eggs each, eggs 45×19 mm, hatchlings ~52 mm.