Pink-ringed Tent Turtle

1 Overview

The Pink-ringed Tent Turtle is a high-domed aquatic turtle that is fairly difficult to keep; typically hatchling mortality can exceed 80%, and a large part is due to skin rot, which is why the number kept is small and they are not commonly seen.

Chinese name: Pink-ringed Tent Turtle

English name: Pink-ringed tent turtle

Reproduction: Oviparous

Diet: Fairly omnivorous; generally accepts vegetables, frozen bloodworms, and mealworms. Once past the risky import period, it becomes easier to keep.

Care: Choose carefully when buying, watching especially for signs of infection; keep hatchlings separately at first and treat with fish antifungal medication to prevent infection, then mix with others after the adjustment period.

2 Physical Characteristics

The Pink-ringed Tent Turtle is very good-looking; its cheeks are pink like a shy child, and the three keels on its carapace are also pink, with an overall green body and only a pink band around the carapace’s outer edge. This clashing color scheme makes it look very special and easy to recognize.

Its carapace can reach 26.5 cm. The red-ringed sawback belongs to the high-domed turtle group, characterized by a tall carapace, especially a prominently raised third vertebral scute. There are three subspecies, and this one is the most outstanding. The pink ring on the carapace is very eye-catching; it should be the most brilliant of the high-domed turtles.

Both Taiwan and mainland China habitually call it the red-ringed sawback or pink-ringed keeled turtle, which is actually a translator’s mistake. The Latin name refers to a turtle with a keel like a ridge along its back, not saw-like teeth; the species name is tent turtle (Pangshura tentoria), divided into 2–3 subspecies (classification is not yet settled).

3 Care Guidelines

The main thing in keeping the Pink-ringed Tent Turtle is disease prevention; it is sensitive to temperature, so large fluctuations easily cause death. What is its ideal temperature?

1. The importance of temperature

It is an ectothermic animal, so it reacts keenly to changes in ambient temperature; its feeding and activity are affected by temperature. Because the heat produced by its metabolism is limited and it lacks a mechanism to retain body heat, to overcome this it moves to cool or warm places to control daily body-temperature swings.

2. The adaptable temperature range

Only when the temperature of the artificial enclosure matches that of the natural habitat can its physical and mental health be assured. Tropical turtles generally do well at 27–38°C, and temperate turtles at 20–35°C. For some, lethal temperatures occur roughly 5°C above the upper limit of their comfortable range. At lower temperatures the turtle becomes inactive (brumation).

3. Physiological performance at different temperatures

To breed turtles successfully in captivity, avoid temperatures that are too high or too low, or that fluctuate dramatically. At around 10°C the turtle begins to hibernate. When the temperature rises to about 15°C it becomes active and some may even feed. Feeding and activity at 25°C are generally considered normal, while around 30°C is optimal for feeding, activity, and growth. Thus, in China’s middle and lower Yangtze region, April through October is the feeding and active period, and November through March of the following year is the hibernation period.

4 Behavior & Habitat

In setting up the enclosure, the turtle needs a hiding space, because it is very shy, and it also loves to bask; based on these two points, the following aspects must be noted.

1. Provide a proper hiding place, such as driftwood with a cave or floating plants on the surface, so they feel safe.

2. There must be land for basking; it need not be large, since they do not like to crawl on land much, they just need a spot to rest their plastron and enjoy the sun. Importantly, basking species that lack land and stay submerged long-term will inevitably develop skin rot and shell rot, so providing a basking area is a key prerequisite for preventing these.

3. Based on the above, you must create an environment where air temperature is higher than water temperature, otherwise basking in low temperature then entering high-temperature water, or leaving high-temperature water for low-temperature sunbathing, is the biggest trigger for pneumonia. Remember: the turtle basks to raise body temperature and enters water to lower it, so the gradient between water and air temperature must never be reversed. Basically keep air at 30°C (add a heat lamp above the basking area) and water at 26°C, and the turtle stays lively with a good appetite.

5 Feeding Requirements

The Pink-ringed Tent Turtle has a varied diet and many foods can be offered; below are common turtle foods from which keepers can choose what is easy to buy, ensuring nutrition.

1. Fish slices, meat slices

You can feed meat and fish bought from the supermarket or fish shop, but only as supplements. Avoid fatty fish species. Intestines or liver can also be used, but cut into swallowable pieces, otherwise they quickly foul the water.

2. Commercial pellets

Generally use turtle-specific pellets; for mainly herbivorous turtles, use tortoise pellets. Ornamental-fish pellets can be used as supplements. Pellets for large carnivorous fish are favored by carnivorous turtles, and goldfish pellets, being strongly scented and sinking, suit the early keeping period. Some seawater-fish pellets are algae-based or strongly scented, good for supplementing plant nutrition in carnivorous turtles. To prevent large turtles from getting fat, use koi pellets.

3. Dried foods

Most often dried seafood products, though some argue these contain too much salt; acceptable as a supplement, not a staple. Some river shrimp can be used often and are loved by many turtles. These foods acidify easily once opened, so store in the refrigerator.

4. Vegetables and fruit

When feeding aquatic turtles vegetables or fruit, cut them into swallowable pieces, otherwise they only pollute the water and the turtle cannot eat. Clean up promptly after feeding.

The Pink-ringed Tent Turtle has high water-quality demands, so watch water changes after feeding and clean debris promptly to keep the water healthy.