Pink Belly Snappers - Elseya novaeguinea

The Elsey Novaguinea or the Pink Belly Snapper Turtle aka the New Guinea Snapping Turtle is an exotic species, rapidly rising the popularity charts amongst turtle hobbyists and keepers. They are natives of rivers and swamps of Indonesia and Papua, New Guinea. A Pink Belly Snapper hatchling is slightly larger than a quarter coins but it grows up to 11 inches. Their carapace varies from olive to brown with a dark spot at the center. The hatchling’s plastron is a vivid pink unlike any other species. The neck throat and chin are bright pink. An adult Pink Belly Snapper is no more a “pink bellied” turtle, it is yellow with tints and spots of pink here and there. Though the Elsey Novaguinea shares its name with the North American Snappers they are not at all similar and are very sociable and docile.

Pink Belly Snapper Turtle Habitat

Natives of the South pacific Islands of Papua, New Guinea and Indonesia the Pink Bellied Snapping turtles are most comfortable in marshy and fresh water environment. Though the hatchlings are tiny they grow up to 11 inches and need a large water tank. A 75-90 gallon water tank is recommended for a single pink belly snapper; if you are planning to keep more you should sufficiently increase the volume. An additional 40 gallon per turtle should be sufficient. These turtles are excellent swimmers and very fond of swimming and the keepers should provide a clean water tank with as much depth as possible. It is important to provide them enough space to swim. Water filtration is absolutely necessary to keep the turtles healthy. If affordability of such a huge tank is a problem you can use Rubbermaid tanks. Water volume is a necessity. Both Rubber and glass water tanks mean the same to the turtles. You can use anything from sand, gravel to corals as substrate in the aquarium. Contrary to what some sources suggest the Elsey Novaguinea are basking turtles and spend plenty of their time basking. Like all other turtles the Pink Belly Snapper also needs to synthesis Vitamin D using sunlight. If you can’t provide direct uninterrupted sunlight for them to bask it is advised to place a UVB light along with a heat lamp in the basking area. The recommended water temperature is 70 degrees F and the basking temperature should be around 80 t0 90 degrees F.

Elsey Novaguinea is very friendly and docile and does well with other Elsey and Emydura turtles.

The Pink Belly Snapper Turtle Diet The Pink Bellied Snappers are mostly carnivores and like to hunt. In their natural habitat they feed on mollusks, crustaceans, fishes and insects. Feeding them live fishes would help them retain their natural tendency of hunting. Elsey Novaguinea in captivity has been observed to be fond of shrimps and insects. They love to eat crickets, other assorted insects and Cichlid Sticks.

The Pink Belly Snapper has recently become a popular option as a pet and not much is known about his breed, the keepers therefore are advised to stay extra cautious to their health.

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