Painted River Terrapin - Callagur borneoensis - Borneo Painted Deep River Turtle

The Callagurborneoensis or the Painted River Terrapin or the Borneo Painted Deep Water turtle is one of the most beautiful, attractive and perhaps that is why, one of the most endangered species of turtle. The Painted River Terrapin is endemic to the archipelagos of Indonesia, Malaysia and other South East Asian countries and is a highly aquatic species. In recent years American hobbyists and breeders have shown interest in this exotic species and have made efforts to breed them in captivity.

The Painted River Terrapin Habitat

The Painted River Terrapin usually inhabits estuaries, swamps and fresh water bodies. Very often they enter salt water or brackish water bodies at the river’s mouth where it meets the sea. The Painted River Terrapin can grow up to 60-80 centimeters in length and needs deep water tank with plenty of water volume. They are highly aquatic and would prefer to stay under water for most part of the day. A 200 gallon water tank would give them freedom of movement and plenty of water volume to swim around. The Callagurborneoensis are natives of tropical zones and need warmer climatic condition for healthy survival. It is recommended to place plenty of aquatic plants in their aquarium to give them a more home like and safe environment. You can even opt for a cheaper alternative rubber tanks. Though seeing them is a delight to the eyes, the Painted River Terrapin are shy and usually prefer privacy. An underwater heater should be fitted and the temperature should be regulated around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. A submerged filter should also be fitted in the aquarium that can filter the complete volume of water at fixed intervals. The Borneo deep water turtle is not a heavy basker but loves to bask once in a while. An elevated basking platform, a piece of log or a large rock protruding out of the surface of water can be used as a basking area. A heating lamp should be placed over the basking area that can maintain the temperature around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If natural uninterrupted sunlight is not available to the Painted River Terrapin keepers re advised to fit a UVB spectrum light over the basking area to assist them in synthesizing vitamin D.

The Painted River Terrapin Diet

The Painted River Terrapin is essentially entirely vegetarian and live on hyacinth, aquatic weeds and plants. Naturalists have reported seeing monkeys feeding throwing fruits for them. Hatchlings and juveniles can sometimes eat worms and aquatic insects. In captivity you can feed them mazuri turtle diet, fruits, vegetables, romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage and other leafy vegetables. Being vegetarians their protein and calcium requirements are scarcely met and need regular dosage of supplements.

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