South American Wood Turtle 5-6 inches
Rhinoclemmys punctularia

South American Wood Turtle 5-6 inches

A large dry, land area needs to be provided for them to scamper about as well as a substantial amount of shallow swimming room. UVB lighting and a heat lamp over the land area is required. A submersible heater is also recommended. Their swimming area needs to be relatively shallow, being deep enough to cover the top of the shell, plus about 1 inch. Filtration is a must for their water as they tend to pass waste more frequently in the water. A single adult Rhinoclemmys punctularia would need to have a 75 gallon aquarium as a minimum (90 or larger preferred). This will provide adequate walking area as well as swimming area, in addition to assisting the filtration in maintaining good water quality.