Natural History Alligator snapping turtles inhabit deep waterways such as large rivers, canals, lakes, bayous, and swamps. Alligator snapping turtles are found only in a select number of states in...
Turtles and Tortoises
Bell’s Hingeback Care ( Kinixys bellina)
Charles J. Innis, VMD Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM Introduction Bell’s hingeback tortoise, Kinixys bellina, is one of the most common tortoise species seen in the pet trade. Unfortunately,...
Box Turtle Care (Terrapena sp.)
Erica Mede, CVT Susan Horton, DVM These inquisitive little chelonians are native to North America and have a unique hinge on their plastron that allows box turtles to withdraw their arms, legs, and...
Chinese Box Turtle Care (Cuora flavomarginata)
Natural History These inquisitive little chelonians, also called “snake eating turtles”, Yellow Margined box turtles, and Golden-headed box turtles. These turtles are native to the sub-tropical and...
Common Health Problems (Turtles and Tortoises)
Susan Horton, DVM So many of the health problems we see with turtles and tortoise are related to improper environment or feeding. Please research your specific breed’s requirements carefully. I...
Common Snapping Turtle Care (Chelydra serpentina)
Natural History Common snapping turtles are a common inhabitant of brackish, shallow slow moving waterways. Snappers, as they are often referred as, will also take up residence in deep lakes and...
Diet For Sulcata Tortoises
Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM What you feed your Sulcata is critical to its health and development Sulcata tortoises evolved to deal with life in a semi-arid environment, where the only...
General Care of Aquatic Turtles
Shannon RW Brandl, CVT and Susan Horton, DVM Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM Introduction Aquatic turtles are very common as pets. Unfortunately they are also more difficult to care for than...
General Tortoise Husbandry
By Phillippe De Vosjoli Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM Husbandry factors are a common cause of many of the health problems affecting tortoises. Addressing husbandry issues is a critical...
Healthy Veggie Shopping for Reptiles
Listed below are some nutritious foods for you to incorporate into your family member’s diet. Nutrition plays a major role in the health and longevity of any animal. Keep in mind that moderation...
Heating Reptile Enclosures
Paul Gibbons, DVM ABVP Avian and Reptile One of the most important aspects of reptile care is temperature maintenance. Although reptiles are commonly thought to be “cold blooded”, a study of...
Leopard Tortoise Care (Stigmachelys pardalis)
Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM Beautiful and large, these gentle giants will move furniture, plants, and anything that they find to be in their way. The Swahili call these...
Metabolic Bone Disease Care
Home care for green iguanas and other reptiles with secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism Initially I wrote this send home sheet for Green Iguanas since they were the ones I most often saw with...
Mud Turtle Care (Kinosternon baurii)
Erica Mede, CVT Natural History These small oval shaped turtles are only 3-4 inches long with horizontal yellow stripes along the face and neck. With their tiny size, adorable markings, and fairly...
Musk Turtle Care (Sternotherus odoratus)
Erica Mede, CVT Natural History Common Musk turtles, also called Stinkpots, are native to North America from south eastern Canada down through the south eastern and south central United States ....
Painted Turtle Care (Chrysemys picta)
Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM The Painted turtle like sliders and cooters are prolific and widespread. The Paints are very common in captivity being small and incredibly...
Ranaviruses
Kristin Claricoates, DVM Overview Ranaviruses are viruses belong to the Iridoviridae family and the genus Ranavirus. Occasionally, amphibian ranaviruses are called iridoviruses rather than...
Red Eared Slider Care
Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM The Red Eared Slider (also known as RES and Red Ears) is an extremely prolific and widespread chelonian accounting for 70-85% of the turtle...
Red-foot Tortoise Care
Erica Mede, CVT Enclosure Style Terrestrial Natural Habitat Tropical/Amazon Basin Diet Style Modified Omnivore Life Span >80 years Size 12-18 inches(Carapace) Temperature Range 74-80 F...
Russian Tortoise Care (Agrionemys horsfieldii)
Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM Natural History Found naturally in the dry open landscapes of Aghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, and China this tortoise is also known as the...
Soft Shelled Turtle Care (Apalone sp.)
Erica Mede, CVT Natural History Throughout central and south eastern United States , the soft sandy and muddy bottoms of rivers, lakes and ponds are home to the unique soft shell turtle. These...
Sulcata Care (African Spur Thighed Tortoise, Centrochelys sulcata)
Erica Mede, CVT Photos and edited by Susan Horton, DVM Natural History Sulcatas are found along the southern edge of the Sahara in Africa and created large burrows and tunnels during the dry season...