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Encyclopedia / Turtles / African helmeted turtle
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Variations

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African helmeted turtle

Pelomedusa subrufa · Helmeted turtle, African helmeted, Pelomedusa

Active and may bite; keep alone.

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20 cmAdult size ✓
UnknownTemperature ?
UnknownpH ?
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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This one is best kept on its own, or with its own kind.

Not recommended
  • African helmeted turtle should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Not recommended
  • African helmeted turtle should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Not recommended
  • African helmeted turtle should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ?Unknown
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ?Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?Bottom
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 4–6 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Active and may bite; keep alone.

Check your local laws. US: live turtles under 4 in (10 cm) carapace length and viable eggs may not be sold or distributed commercially (FDA, 21 CFR 1240.62; exceptions for science/education/exhibition, non-business transfers and export). CITES status not confirmed in the sources checked. Check the rules where you live before you buy one, and never release it into the wild.

Good to know: Needs a basking dock with UV and heat lamp and deep water. Never house with fish.

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Food

Pellets, worms and vegetables.

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Male or female

Males have long, thick tails and a concave plastron with a narrower rear lobe; females have short tails, flat plastra and slightly broader shells.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-layer (buried clutch) · Moderate

Egg layer: courts in spring; females nest in late spring or early summer, digging flask-shaped nests 10-17 cm deep; apparently one clutch a season. In the wild it lives in temporary rain pools and buries itself in mud when they dry.

Pairing

Pair.

Setup

Large tank with land.

What starts it

Seasonal rain cycles.

Eggs

Usually 13-16 eggs (up to 42) in one clutch a season; hatching after 75-90 days.

Raising the fry

Hatchlings are fully independent: house them in shallow warm water with a basking spot and feed small pellets, worms and daphnia daily.

Common mistakes
  • Undersized tank and weak filtration
  • No UV or basking heat (soft shells, poor growth)
  • Releasing unwanted turtles into the wild
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Where it lives in the wild

RegionSub-Saharan Africa
Rivers and lakesRivers and ponds across sub-Saharan Africa
HabitatSeasonal ponds and slow rivers
Native rangeAbout 3,000 km across
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The story of the african helmeted turtle

A small side-necked turtle that folds its neck sideways under the shell. In the wild it lives in temporary marshes and rain pools in open African country, burying itself in mud in the dry season; it eats almost any animal food. 'African helmeted turtle' covers about ten species since a 2014 revision.

Pierre Bonnaterre described the African helmeted turtle in 1789. It is widespread in Africa. In 2014 it was split into several species.

First described by Pierre J. Bonnaterre in 1789.

  • It can bury itself in mud during droughts.
  • It was split into several species in 2014.
  • As a side-necked turtle, it tucks its head sideways under the shell edge.

Sources

9 facts checked with sources