Reeves' Turtle — care sheet

Beginner–Intermediate. Genuinely one of the hardier, more forgiving aquatic turtles — smaller and calmer than a red-eared slider, and tolerant of a wide temperature range. But "hardy" is not "cheap or easy": it still needs a big filtered heated tank, real UVB, and a dry basking dock, and those cost real money and space up front.

Omnivore that shifts toward more plants with age. Base the diet on a quality aquatic-turtle pellet, rotated with protein (earthworms, crickets, mealworms, occasional cooked fish/shrimp) and leafy greens/aquatic plants (kale, dandelion, duckweed, water lettuce). Hatchlings: protein daily. 6–12 months: protein every other day. Adults: protein only ~2–3×/week, with greens/plants offered daily.

Go by water volume, not "gallons of tank." The modern rule of thumb is at least 10 US gallons of WATER per inch of the turtle's adult shell length — so a 6-inch adult wants roughly 60+ gallons of water, plus extra length above the waterline for the basking dock. A single adult is happiest in a long tank at least ~90 cm (3 ft) wide. Bigger is always better; long footprint beats tall.

70–80°F (about 21–27°C) for a healthy active adult, held with a guarded aquarium heater. Hatchlings and sick turtles are kept at the warmer end.

Give real but not extreme depth. Minimum roughly 1.5× shell length; adults do well around 8–12 in (20–30 cm) once they're confident swimmers (Reeves are only moderately good swimmers). Hatchlings start shallow (~2 in) with easy exits until they swim strongly — too-deep water is a drowning risk for tiny turtles.

Turtles are messy; filtration is non-negotiable. Use a canister (or turtle-rated) filter rated for at least 2–3× the tank's actual water volume. Even with a strong filter, change ~30% of the water every 1–2 weeks to keep ammonia and nitrate down.

A DRY basking dock (cork, floating platform, or stacked slate) the turtle can climb fully out onto and dry off completely. Basking-surface temperature ~85–95°F (30–35°C). It must be genuinely dry — a permanently damp shell leads to shell rot.

Lights and basking heat off at night is fine; this is a temperate species that tolerates a natural night drop. Let air fall to normal room temperature (roughly high 60s–low 70s°F / ~20–22°C). Keep the WATER within its daytime range with the heater; avoid letting it drop below the low 70s°F for an active (non-brumating) turtle.

A linear T5 HO UVB tube running roughly half the tank length in a reflective fixture — e.g. Zoo Med Reptisun T5 HO 5.0 or Arcadia Forest 6% (higher-output ~10–12% tubes are also used over the basking area). Mount ~8–11 in above the dock if firing through mesh, ~13–15 in if unobstructed. Replace the bulb every 12 months even if it still glows (UVB output fades before the visible light does).

Bare-bottom is easiest to keep clean, or a thin layer of large river stones / sand too big to swallow. For any land/soil area, a semi-moist sandy soil mix (roughly 80% clean topsoil, 20% play sand) works. Avoid small gravel that can be eaten and cause impaction.

Leave a cuttlebone or calcium block floating in the tank at all times for free-choice calcium. A calcium (with D3) dust on food a couple of times a week is a common belt-and-braces addition, but real UVB plus a varied diet does most of the work.

Most adults reach about 5–6 in (13–15 cm) carapace length; females run larger, and some lines/wild individuals can exceed 9 in (23 cm). Carapace has three distinct keels (the "Chinese three-keeled pond turtle").

Commonly 15–20+ years in good care; well-kept turtles can live 25+ years, so plan for a decades-long commitment.

See a reptile or exotics vet if you notice: Swollen, sunken, or crusty eyes, or eyes held shut — see an exotics vet (possible infection or vitamin-A/hygiene issue).; Soft, pyramided, or discolored shell, or a turtle that can't lift itself to walk/bask — possible metabolic bone disease; get UVB/diet reviewed by a vet.; Soft, flaky, foul-smelling, or pitted patches on the shell or skin (possible shell rot / infection).; Open-mouth breathing, wheezing, bubbles from the nose/mouth, or a turtle listing to one side while swimming — possible respiratory infection; see a vet promptly.; Refusing food for an extended period, unusual lethargy, or straining/not passing waste — get it checked rather than waiting it out.; Any wound, bite, or bleeding from tankmate conflict..