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Encyclopedia / Turtles / Asian leaf turtle
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Variations

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Asian leaf turtle

Cyclemys dentata · Leaf turtle, Cyclemys

Shy but active; needs land and shelter.

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

Not recommended
  • Asian leaf turtle should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Not recommended
  • Asian leaf turtle should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Not recommended
  • Asian leaf 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 ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 3–5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Shy but active; needs land and shelter.

Check your local laws. CITES Appendix II (all Cyclemys, since 2013): international trade needs CITES export permits. USA: turtles with a carapace under 4 inches (10 cm) may not be sold or distributed commercially (FDA, Salmonella rule; exceptions for science/education/export). Check the rules where you live before you buy one, and never release it into the wild.

Good to know: Semi-aquatic; needs a dry land area.

  • wood

Food

Pellets, insects, worms and fruit.

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Male or female

Females grow slightly larger than males; males have longer, thicker tails.

Health

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

Breeding

Egg-layer (buried clutch) · Moderate

Females dig a nest 13-18 cm deep on land and may lay 4-5 clutches a year of a few large, elongated white eggs; the female's plastron becomes slightly flexible so the eggs can pass.

Pairing

Pair.

Setup

Semi-aquatic tank with land.

What starts it

Warm season.

Eggs

Typically 2-4 large eggs (about 55 x 32 mm) per clutch, 4-5 clutches a year; hatchlings about 5.6 cm. Incubation time not found.

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
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSoutheast Asia – Sundaland and nearby
Rivers and lakesRivers and streams of Southeast Asia
HabitatForest streams and wetlands
Native rangeAbout 1,500 km across
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The story of the asian leaf turtle

A semi-aquatic turtle of shallow forest streams with a brown, oval shell whose rear edge is serrated like a leaf (the name dentata means 'toothed').

John Edward Gray described the Asian leaf turtle in 1831. Its brown shell resembles a dry leaf. Several related species have been split from it.

First described by John Edward Gray in 1831.

  • Its shell looks like a dry leaf.
  • Young have serrated shell edges.
  • Several species have been split from it.

Sources

11 facts checked with sources