Giant Snake-necked Turtle

1 Overview

The giant snake-necked turtle (Chelodina oblonga, formerly C. expansa) is a large Australian side-neck with an extraordinarily long neck. It is long-lived, with some animals documented well beyond 50 years.

SOURCE NOTE: the source gave only ‘Giant snake-necked turtle’; the binomial is Chelodina oblonga.

2 Appearance

The dark oval carapace is smooth; the neck can be nearly as long as the shell. Adults reach 40-50 cm, making it one of the bigger chelids.

3 Care & Temperament

Requires a large, deep, well-filtered aquarium or pond with a basking area. Generally sedentary but can be defensive when young.

Shell rot follows poor water quality; strong filtration is essential.

4 Habitat & Environment

Rivers, dams, and wetlands of southwestern Australia. Keep warm, clean, deep water with a dry basking spot and UVB.

5 Diet & Feeding

Carnivorous and opportunistic: fish, insects, crustaceans, and amphibians. Feed in water; moderate portions.