1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Bottom walker; may bite.
This one is best kept on its own, or with its own kind.
Bottom walker; may bite.
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: all musk turtles (Sternotherus spp.) are in Appendix II since 23 Feb 2023, so international trade needs CITES permits. Check the rules where you live before you buy one, and never release it into the wild.
Turtle pellets, snails, worms.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Males have a large, thick tail ending in a small spine (claw), with the vent beyond the shell edge; females have a short tail.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Egg-layer (substrate spawner) · Moderate
Lays a few brittle-shelled eggs in a nest on land, up to three times in the May-July season.
Buy a pair of adults.
A shallow tank with a nesting area.
A cool winter then warm spring.
Usually 2-5 eggs per clutch (range 1-9); hatch in about 60-90 days.
Hatchlings eat insects and pellets.
A small turtle (3-5 inches) that mostly walks along the bottom rather than swimming; nicknamed 'stinkpot' for the musk it releases.
French naturalist Latreille described the common musk turtle in 1802, at first in another genus. It is one of the smallest turtles in North America and a long-time favourite for indoor aquariums. It spends most of its time walking along the bottom rather than swimming.
First described by Pierre A. Latreille in 1802.
12 facts checked with sources
Author (Latreille, in Sonnini & Latreille, 1801). Older name Kinosternon odoratum appears in some literature (VHS). Reptile (aquatic turtle), not a fish; needs land/basking access and is long-lived.
Illinois Natural History Survey (University of Illinois): Eastern Musk TurtleNew value (legacy had none).
Missouri Department of Conservation: Eastern Musk Turtle (government)Carapace length (CL). Typical adults 5-11.5 cm (MDC: '2 to 4½ inches; occasionally to 6 inches'); maximum about 13-15 cm. Legacy 12 cm is a large adult.
Illinois Natural History Survey (University of Illinois): Eastern Musk Turtle · Virginia Herpetological Society: Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) · Environment and Climate Change Canada: Eastern Musk Turtle management plan 2024 (government)Wild records 15-19 years (Gibbons 1987, via VHS) and one wild animal aged 28 (ECCC); captive record over 54 years. Legacy 30-50 is plausible for captivity; recorded the full sourced span 20-54+.
Missouri Department of Conservation: Eastern Musk Turtle (government) · US Fish & Wildlife Service: Musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) (government) · Environment and Climate Change Canada: Eastern Musk Turtle management plan 2024 (government)Sources only describe biting when handled, not behaviour toward tankmates.
Virginia Herpetological Society: Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)Prefers shallow, mud-bottomed water (MDC, INHS).
Virginia Herpetological Society: Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) · Environment and Climate Change Canada: Eastern Musk Turtle management plan 2024 (government)New value. Found only in Canada and the USA.
Environment and Climate Change Canada: Eastern Musk Turtle management plan 2024 (government)Males also have patches of rough scales behind the knees (INHS).
Virginia Herpetological Society: Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) · Illinois Natural History Survey (University of Illinois): Eastern Musk TurtleLegacy agrees in substance; VHS Virginia clutches 1-9 eggs (mean 3.6).
Missouri Department of Conservation: Eastern Musk Turtle (government) · US Fish & Wildlife Service: Musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) (government) · Virginia Herpetological Society: Eastern Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)Added after batch 10.
eCFR 21 CFR 1240.62 Turtles intrastate and interstate requirements · USFWS press release: Critical progress at CITES CoP19 (Nov 2022) · USFWS: Ancient reptiles need modern regulations