Yellow-headed Temple Turtle

1 Overview

The yellow-headed temple turtle (Hieremys annandalei) is a sizable, mostly herbivorous Asian river turtle named for its bold yellow head. It is long-lived, with individuals documented well beyond a century.

It needs a large, deep aquatic setup and is best suited to keepers who can provide serious space.

2 Appearance

The carapace is oval and brown to olive; the head is large and bright yellow with dark markings. Adults can reach 40-50 cm, making them one of the bigger pond turtles in the trade.

3 Care & Temperament

Provide a big, well-filtered pond or tank with a basking area. They are generally calm and spend much of their time resting or grazing on plants.

Shell rot follows poor water quality, so robust filtration and regular maintenance are essential.

4 Habitat & Environment

Large rivers and flooded forest in Southeast Asia. Keep warm, clean, deep water with a dry basking spot and UVB.

5 Diet & Feeding

Primarily herbivorous: aquatic plants, leafy greens, and fruit, with some supplemental pellets. They graze steadily rather than gorging.