How to Raise African Sideneck Turtles

African Sideneck turtles, also known as African Mud turtles, are native to southeast Africa. There are more than 15 subspecies of African Sideneck turtles, and many of them have become very popular display pets. Although they are naturally aggressive, most domestic African Sideneck turtles learn to become quite tame. They are called African Sideneck turtles because instead of drawing their heads straight back into their shells, they turn their heads and draw them in sideways.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquariums
  • Aquatic plants
  • Turtle food
  • Heat lamps
  • Mustard greens, dandelion greens
  • Worms, fish, crickets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill several turtle aquariums with at least 20 gallons of water each to prepare for the arrival of the African Sideneck turtles. As the turtles grow, they will need tanks that contain anywhere from 60 to 100 gallons of water, depending on the subspecies of turtles. The water should be around 10 inches deep, and at least as deep as the turtles are wide.

    • 2

      Set the water temeperature between 79 and 82 F and a pH of 6.0 or 6.5.

    • 3

      Place a heat lamp in each tank so that the turtles can warm themselves and absorb important UVB rays. Create places for the turtles to rest and bask. The basking areas should be kept dry and heated to 90 F.

    • 4

      Feed the African Sideneck Turtles as soon as they have hatched, and feed them once per day after that. They need the same food as adult African Sideneck turtles, although they eat more plants than adults do. Feed them small animals such as worms, fish and crickets, as well as small amounts of commercial aquatic turtle food and green vegetation. Give them leafy green vegetables such as mustard greens or dandelion greens every day or plant aquatic plants in their tank for them to eat. The amount of food an African Sideneck turtle needs depends on what size, sex and subspecies it is. However, if the turtle is eating all of the food that is given to it, it should be provided with more to eat.

    • 5

      Separate the turtles based on their sex and behavior. Separate the males from the females so that they do not breed with each other. Some African Sideneck turtles are more aggressive than others. The ones that are very aggressive should be kept in their own tanks, while more docile ones can be kept in pairs or trios.