European pond turtle
Emys orbicularis
Profile
| Home: | Spain, France, Sardinia, Corsica, Italy, eastern Adriatic coast, Greece, Turkey, former Soviet Union, North Africa, Iran, Syria, Georgia | ||||||
| Size: Weight: |
up to 22cm up to 600 grams |
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| Incubation: |
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| Diet: | mainly animal | ||||||
| Hibernation: also young animals! |
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European pond turtle
Area of origin:
The European pond turtle lives in heavily weeded waters. It can live in estuaries, but also in brackish water.
The distribution area extends across Europe, North Africa and the Middle Oster.
As a reptile, it is dependent on sufficient warmth, which it achieves by sunbathing extensively on the water and on the shore.
Care:
In summer, European pond turtles live in a pond in the garden. The pond must be exposed to the sun throughout the day. The deepest point should be at least 100cm. The pond should have different depths and different vegetation zones.
A strong structure and hiding places support the well-being of the animals.
Sunlight and warmth are the elixir of life for European pond turtles!
Marsh or aquatic turtles should not be kept together with tortoises. The fencing must be at least 40 cm high to be escape-proof. Marsh turtles are excellent climbers and are true escape artists. The corners of the enclosure must be particularly well secured.
Mesh fencing is not suitable as a fence.
Food:
The agile and intelligent pond turtles feed mainly on animals. Offer your animals a varied diet:
- Water insects
- Earthworms
- small crayfish
- Meadow plankton
- Snails
- mosquito larvae
- whole fish (dead)
- Carrion, like dead fish
Commercially available dry food can be fed to pond turtles for variety. However, allow your animals the stimulus of foraging and hunting instincts. Adult animals also eat duckweed and water lily leaves.
Do not fatten your animals. Fat animals can no longer fully withdraw into their shell and thus provide a target for quarrelsome rivals
Juveniles: They should be fed in the same way as adult turtles.
Hibernation:
European pond turtles hibernate in winter. It lasts 4-5 months. Observe your animals even more closely than usual in autumn, as sick animals are not allowed to hibernate. The pond must be at least 100cm deep. The animals hibernate at the bottom of the pond.
A closed layer of ice, even for weeks, does not harm the animals.
Hatchlings: They hibernate from their first year of life, preferably in a controlled water basin. The water level should be 2 times the width of the carapace.
Temperature: +4 to +6 degrees
Duration: 4-5 months
Breeding and rearing:
The males are often fierce and defiant partners. They can dominate a pond to such an extent that no other animals dare enter the water. Discuss the possibility of temporarily separating overly active males. Mating takes place very early in the year, usually immediately after hibernation.
Egg-laying:
This takes place in May, in the warmest part of the land. The egg pit is dug in the late evening hours. The eggs are laid under cover of darkness.
Disturbing factors:
- Lack of egg-laying sites
- Enclosure change
- Enclosure overcrowding
- Deficiency symptoms
Deficiency symptoms can lead to egg loss. These females must be examined by a specialist. X-rays are a suitable method of detecting eggs in the abdomen.
Incubation:
![]() Photo: Fritz Wüthrich | Our outside temperatures are not sufficient for natural hatching. The soft-shelled eggs are incubated in a moist substrate such as vermiculite, seramis or garden soil at temperatures of 24C to 28C or 30C. 29C can lead to hermaphroditism. Young animals must be exposed to natural sunlight. Protect them from predators such as martens, crows and cats. |
Acquisition:
If you want to buy pond turtles, you should take the following points to heart.
- Buy pond turtles in Schweizer - buy only Swiss-bred turtles
- If you have little or no experience with turtles, please buy a specialised book first and then the turtle.
- Always buy at least two animals; even turtles don't like loneliness
- Only buy European pond turtles if you have a garden. Keeping them on a balcony or indoors is unsuitable.
- Feed your turtle a sensible diet, otherwise the animals will suffer health problems.
Our trained team is available to assist you with any questions or issues at Zoo Roco. They can provide you with expert advice on all matters.
Source reference: Fact sheet 3, Schweizer. Swiss interest group
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