# Planted Tanks > Vivariums >  Malayan Box Turtle in Vivariums?

## Gecko

Anyone keeping Malayan Box Turtle and has a setup to share? 

Thanks.

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## bossteck

Box turtles are banned in Singapore right?

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## Wackytpt

I believe it is so.

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## Freshman

http://www.ava.gov.sg/AnimalsPetSect...ex.htm#animals
Malayan box turtle (Cuora amboinensis) CITES Appendix II

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## zyblack

Malayan Box Turtle is allowed in Singapore by AVA. The only turtle allowed besides the common Red Ear Slider. 

This is my set-up for my turtle.



I linked it to my other community tank with plants to make use of the nutrients from the turtle poo.

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## EvolutionZ

very nice set up bro!. the MBT need water? no tank mates?

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## zyblack

Erm..it is not a MBT but another species of turtle I picked up in a LFS sometime back. It is called Ocadia Sinensis aka Chinese-Stripped Neck Turtle. Qianhu mixed up a RES shipment in 2005 and included a batch of these turtles for sale to the LFS. I just so happened to be researching in Fengshui back then and was about to get a turtle to improve career luck so it was a coincidence that I got it. If I was a week earlier or a week later...I would have missed this lovable guy! :Smile:  My mum can't get enough of it and she was the one to push me to get a bigger home for it so I did the setup in June this year.

MBT is an aquatic turtle and would require both land and water. I read somewhere that a 50/50 ratio would be good. My Ocadia crawls out of the tub whenever it needs to dry itself...though he needs help to get in  :Laughing:  

Tankmates? Feeder fish and ghost shrimps (feeder shrimps). It is a survival of the fittest in my tank. The fittest will survive the turtle and breed thus ensuring good genes in my fish :Smile:  They even steal food away from it's beak now and peck at its shell and limbs at times. 

Some more shots..feeding time...



Looking for the bedroom...


Sitting on the fence...

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## EvolutionZ

very cute bro!.. whats the size when you first bought?

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## XnSdVd

i doubt they'd ban the animal considering it's native to Singapore. Though i suppose since it's endangered it's sale would be regulated. We should really ban the red eared sliders though...  :Razz:

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## zyblack

It looks just like any other terrapins you see in the LFS. About 50 cent big.

Baby photos

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## EvolutionZ

very cute bro!... seems like it grew to quite a big size

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## Justikanz

Erm, isn't this thread asking about the Malayan Box Turtle? Maybe we should discuss about the LEGAL ones instead...  :Razz: 

Yes, the Malayan Box Turtle is allowed to be kept as a pet in Singapore... Along with the commonly seen Red-ear Slider... 

Anyway, I thought all turtles are oppotunistic feeders and will tear up everything to try eating them, right?...  :Opps:  So, how to keep them properly in a vivarium?

And anyone able to provide the statistics of the Malayan Box Turtles? i.e. How big they grow to etc?

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## Gecko

Thanks zyback. Looks workable. If you ever want a companion for it, try the chinatown wet market, sadly they are sometimes sold as food.

Malayan Box Turtle vital statistics: Max Carapace length: 25 cm. 

http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/tur...x_terrapin.htm

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## brianclaw

The Malayan Box can get up to about 14 inches depending on the sex of the animal. These guys do better in a 50/50 set and are not supposed to be very strong swimmers. Most habitats I've seen them in don't go deeper than 12 inches. 
Avan, what kind of lighting do you have for your turtle? All turtles need a UVB light, or if not possible, at least half an hour of unfiltered sunlight daily. From your pics, you're lucky you've got a male. Females can top out at about 13 inches in carapace length and you'd end up needing an even bigger home for it.
With most turtles, the older they get, the more vegetable matter is consumed. Romaine lettuce and other dark leafy vegetables are a better choice(nutritional value) than light leafed vegetables like Iceberg lettuce.

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## Gecko

Still searching for this turtle.....anyone has any updates?

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## Crazy Frog

i did saw one near my house grassland mths back and it was like 4inch big... but didnt see it again...it common in malaysia doh.

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## beetroot

The malayan box turtle is really cute and pretty with its three yellow stripes. It is definitely a keeper and beautiful to admire. 

Unfortunately we can't find it in our LFS here. I believe it could be going extinct soon:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/96742

Well, if you manage to find and keep one, don't feed it spinach.
It sure loves prawns and grapes though (in moderation). Really funny to watch when it "smells" a chopped up prawn meat.

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## silane

I have a setup in a 3x2' fibre tub, half of it is "land", half of it is water. The water is about 4 to 6cm and the land is filled with sand and leaves.New water is dripped in slowly and overflow out of the tub when too much.

Inside there, there are 2 MBT.

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## pacu man

> The Malayan Box can get up to about 14 inches depending on the sex of the animal. These guys do better in a 50/50 set and are not supposed to be very strong swimmers. Most habitats I've seen them in don't go deeper than 12 inches. 
> Avan, what kind of lighting do you have for your turtle? All turtles need a UVB light, or if not possible, at least half an hour of unfiltered sunlight daily. From your pics, you're lucky you've got a male. Females can top out at about 13 inches in carapace length and you'd end up needing an even bigger home for it.
> With most turtles, the older they get, the more vegetable matter is consumed. Romaine lettuce and other dark leafy vegetables are a better choice(nutritional value) than light leafed vegetables like Iceberg lettuce.


hey brian :Grin:  :Grin: you said that malayan box turtle can eat prawn meat right raw or cooked

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## pacu man

please reply brian :Angel:

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## Merviso

> please reply brian


hey pacu man, guess no one will be there to cook the prawn for the turtle in the wild... and since they are scavenger anyway.... they will eat the prawn dead or alive...  :Grin:

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## jetset

> I have a setup in a 3x2' fibre tub, half of it is "land", half of it is water. The water is about 4 to 6cm and the land is filled with sand and leaves.New water is dripped in slowly and overflow out of the tub when too much.
> 
> Inside there, there are 2 MBT.


Didn't know you were into turtles as well... must be like a zoo at your place.

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## cannon_14595

I have a fried wo keeps them in the toilet.
For sometime he'll let it swim in the bathtub,
sometime he'll bring it out and walk in the grass.

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## monstar

wah really dam sad. singapore really sianz got no other turtle

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## FuEl

Agreed. Sad case.

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## silane

> Didn't know you were into turtles as well... must be like a zoo at your place.


MBT is an old friend of mine. I kept MBT when I was little, and was looking for them for over 30 years. And recently happened to find 2 in an abandoned pond.  :Smile:

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## monstar

anybody knows the alligator snapping turtle? used to have one of these amazing guys wheni was in malaysia .

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