What kind of turtle is the Golden-headed Box Turtle? Breed characteristics and habits
The Golden-headed Box Turtle (Cuora aurocapitata), also known as the Ten-thousand-gold Turtle, is classified under the family Geoemydidae, genus Cuora, species Golden-headed Box Turtle. In China it is distributed in Anhui; it has not been reported abroad.
[Morphological characteristics] The head is relatively long, with the top of the head golden yellow, the eyes relatively large, and the upper jaw slightly hooked. The carapace is dark reddish-brown, scattered with pale yellow spots. The plastron is yellow, with basically symmetrically arranged black markings on the scutes; the carapace and plastron, and the pectoral scutes and abdominal scutes, are connected by ligaments. The dorsal side of the limbs is grayish-brown, the ventral side is golden yellow, and the toes are webbed.
[Male-female identification] The female turtle's snout is relatively round and blunt, the center of the plastron is flat, the cloacal opening is relatively close to the edge of the plastron, and there is no copulatory organ in the cloaca; the male's snout is relatively pointed, the center of the plastron is slightly concave, the cloacal opening is relatively far from the edge of the plastron, and there is a black copulatory organ in the cloacal opening.
[Living habits] It lives in mountain streams and rock crevices in hilly areas, feeding on insects, small fish, small shrimp and other animals. It likes dark places and is good at climbing.
[Breeding equipment] The Golden-headed Box Turtle is an aquatic turtle; it has well-developed webbing and can live in deep water. Stones that protrude above the water must be scattered in the water for it to rest on. The rearing pond must be arranged in a "water-land" style. If the water depth is about 20 cm, no land area needs to be built; if the water depth exceeds 20 cm, a land area must be built to prevent the turtle from having no chance to breathe for a long time in the water and suffocating to death.
[Feeding and management] According to the habits of the Golden-headed Box Turtle and its requirements for temperature and bait, it is generally very easy to raise. At a temperature of about 15°C it stops eating or eats little, below 10°C it enters hibernation, and at 20°C it can eat normally. Under artificial rearing conditions, at first use fresh fish meat to lure it to eat, and gradually put in bait for it to eat on its own. In addition to putting in fish, shrimp and other carnivorous bait, a small amount of plant bait should also be fed regularly. Feed once a day. In spring, summer and autumn, the feeding amount or frequency can be increased. In early spring and late autumn, special attention should be paid to temperature, especially the temperature difference when changing water, which must not be too large. The water temperature for overwintering should be above 0°C, otherwise there is a risk of frostbite.