The Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis), also known as the Malayan box turtle or Amboina box turtle, belongs to the genus Cuora. This genus includes 10 other species: C. aurocapitata, C. flavomarginata, C. galbinifrons, C. mccordi, C. pani, C. trifasciata, C. yunnanensis, C. zhoui, C. serrata, and C. (Pyxidea) mouhotii. These classifications are current as of this writing, but turtle taxonomy is often revisited and modified. Cuora amboinensis, arguably the most commonly kept species, is further divided into four subspecies: C. a. amboinensis, C. a. couro, C. a. kamaroma, and C. a. lineata.
The Asian box turtle ranges throughout Southeast Asia, including Bangladesh, the Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, Assam, southern Vietnam, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, and the Philippines. These areas are characterized by a tropical or subtropical climate without any actual winter. Within its range, C. amboinensis can be found in ponds, flooded rice plantations, swamps, and other slow-current aquatic habitats. It is primarily aquatic, although it may be found far from water, usually after rain and when humidity is high. Description: The carapace of an adult Asian box turtle is highly domed, with a medial craniocaudal keel that tends to disappear with age. The oldest specimens have a smooth carapace. Carapace color ranges from dark brown to black, and the plastron is pale yellow to light brown. Most specimens display a large blotch in the center of the plastron and black or brown spots on each scute. Black stains are also present on the ventral surface of the marginal scutes. There are no major differences in form and size of the carapace between adult males and females. The turtle’s head, with its prominent nose, exhibits elegant coloring; skin color ranges from dark brown or black on the upper surface to pale yellow or light gray on each side and on the inferior part of the neck. On each side of the head, there are three yellow stripes: the first superior line extends from the nose to the base of the neck, passing above the eyes; the second runs from the nostrils through the eyes and meets the third line on the tympanic membrane. The lower jaw is yellow, as is the rest of the inferior surface of the neck. Sexing adult C. amboinensis is straightforward. The male’s tail is rather thick and long, and the cloaca is situated more toward the tip, while the female’s is considerably shorter and the cloacal opening is near its base. Additionally, the plastron of the male shows a notable concavity to assist with copulation; the female’s plastron is absolutely flat.Adult male and female Asian box turtles show no major differences in carapace form and size.
Juvenile Asian box turtles resemble adults but have a flattened carapace with three prominent keels. Sexual characteristics become evident when turtles reach about 4 inches in length. Outdoor and Indoor Enclosures In Italy, Asian box turtles are kept outdoors for six months and indoors for the other six. During warm months, they inhabit an outdoor enclosure with an aquatic section between two land areas with different substrates: one part sphagnum peat to two parts river sand, and a soil layer covered by 1½ inches of fine bark. Indoor Asian box turtle enclosures must provide both water and land sections. Land plants include Indian shot (Canna indica) and various ferns. Aquatic plants include watercress (Nasturtium officinalis), water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), water lentil (Lemna minor), mosquito/water fern (Azolla caroliniana), and floating fern (Salvinia natans). Turtles regularly consume these plants, requiring frequent replenishment. When temperatures drop below 62°F, turtles are moved to an indoor tub measuring 4×3 feet with 10-11 inches of water depth. Aquatic plants are maintained in the water, and a 20×12 inch plastic box filled with a 1:2 ratio of fine gravel to river sand serves as a land area. This land is used for basking by all turtles and for egg-laying by females. Females spend more time on land, while males seldom emerge. Juveniles are almost entirely aquatic. The indoor enclosure is lit by a fluorescent aquarium tube for 11 hours daily, plus a 35-watt Solar Raptor bulb over the land area from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, creating a basking spot reaching 95°F. The enclosure is in a room with other exotic turtle species. Ambient air temperature ranges from 80-82°F daytime to 64-68°F nighttime, with water temperature maintained similarly. For the first 15 days after hatching, keep hatchlings in small plastic boxes with a few inches of water. After 7-10 days, offer bloodworms (Chironomus) and small chicken pieces. After one month, move them to a small aquarium (about 12×12 inches) with 2 inches of water, a rock for emerging, and water plants. Use a small filter and pump to maintain water quality.Feeding Asian Box Turtles
Cuora amboinensis is strongly omnivorous in nature, feeding on a wide variety of vegetation and prey, including insects, aquatic invertebrates, small fishes, amphibians and other small prey that it is able to capture. I offer my Asian box turtles a variety of items, enriched with a reptile/turtle vitamin powder at least once a month. A female eating figs and watermelon. Photo by Davide Carlino. I feed them the following items: – Land (Helyx spp.) and freshwater snails (Lymnea stagnalis) – Earthworms; wax worms; mealworms; superworms (Zoophobas morio) – Thawed pink mice; turkey, rabbit and quail meat; chopped chicken (mostly heart and liver) – Big-scale sand smelt (Atherina boyeri); fresh shrimps – High-quality pellets for aquatic turtles and koi – A homemade blend of foods I also offer my Asian box turtles all kind of fruit, including banana, cherries, apricots, peaches, melon, figs, watermelon, pears, apples, mango and papaya, as well as vegetables, such as tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin and cucumbers. Less frequently, I offer them tinned cat and dog food. In the water, I also provide my Asian box turtles with chicory (Cichorium intybus), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus), watercress, water hyacinth, water lettuce and water lentil. Cuttlebones are always present in both the outdoor and indoor enclosures. It is especially favored by females that are developing eggs. Breeding Cuora amboinensis I bought my first Asian box turtle, a female, in November 2000. I didn’t know a lot about the species, and back then it was not so available in the pet trade. It took me two years, in April 2002, to find a potential mate for my female. After about 60 days of quarantine I put them together in the same tank for the first time. The young small female, born on July 20, 2012, in comparison with her grandmother. Photo by Davide Carlino. It didn’t take long for courtship behavior to be displayed, during which the male would extend its neck along each side of the female’s head. Eventually, the male mounted the female’s carapace while biting her neck. Mating took place, lasting about 15 minutes. About 60 days later, give or take a couple weeks, I found my first two Asian box turtle eggs. Unfortunately, they proved infertile. I have since learned that egg coloration varies from rose to pale yellow immediately upon deposition, but two to four days afterward a fertile egg shows a white blotch that will grow larger over the following days. Eventually it forms a ring around the egg before it becomes entirely white. This color change indicates that the egg is fertile. A female searches for a place to lay eggs. Photo by Davide Carlino. Incubation typically ranges between 70 and 90 days. I put the eggs in a small plastic box filled with vermiculite that is moistened with water in a ratio of 1:1 by weight. My incubators are set to 85 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level of 80 to 90 percent. I use two types of incubator. One is a commercially manufactured model (by Lucky Reptile) that tends to dehydrate the vermiculite.This requires me to check the eggs often and to add additional water, if necessary. My other incubator is home-made from a polystyrene box. It contains a few inches of water heated by an adjustable aquarium heater. A piece of tilted glass prevents condensation from dropping onto the eggs, which could damage them or inhibit proper development.
Photo by Davide Carlino A beautifully detailed carapace. Conclusion Imported Asian box turtles frequently arrive in bad condition and are dehydrated and exhibiting mild to severe shell damage. New arrivals should be taken to a reptile veterinarian soon after procurement for a fecal exam and to treat for internal parasites, if necessary. Whenever possible, it’s recommended that you buy captive-bred turtles, not only for health reasons but also because C. amboinensis is becoming rare in nature, due to loss of habitat and demand for the pet trade. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES, and its status is considered Vulnerable by the IUCN. A healthy Asian box turtle will provide great satisfaction to its keeper. Cuora amboinensis is not shy, and this turtle typically makes a very entertaining and active pet. I would like to thank Nicola Martin, who shares my passion for this wonderful turtle, and for frequent exchanges of views and data that allowed me to better study Cuora amboinensis. I also thank Gianluca Bastianelli for help with procuring photos, and Russ Case for offering me the opportunity to write this article for REPTILES magazine. Davide Carlino was born in Cassino, Italy, in 1982. He is a medical student who currently maintains about 200 specimens of more than 50 turtle and tortoise species, and he breeds more than 20 species. His primary focus is Asian and North American turtles, especially box turtles of the genera Cuora and Terrapene. He is a member of several Italian turtle and tortoise conservation associations, collaborates with Tarta Club Italia and is the author of a 2010 book about the red-footed tortoise, La tartaruga dalle zampe rosse, Chelonoidis carbonaria.
