Japanese Wood Turtle

Think of a North American Wood Turtle, with a pretty golden shell, and a charcoal black belly - just as outgoing and intelligent... These Woods are perfect for states that don't allow North American Woods - they even take the cold well as adults...

*The recent CITIES appendix 2 listing/protection for Japanese Wood Turtles has caused the demand for this rare species to significantly increase. With only a few US breeders working with them, hatchlings and juveniles are now even harder to find - Luckily, our breeding colony is producing lots of eggs (see our Latest Hatchling section for photos*

Japanese Wood Turtles, (Mauremys japonica) are semi aquatic turtles found in slow moving streams, ponds and marshes on the Japanese islands of Honshu, Kyoshu and Shikoku.

Excellent turtles for keepers, Mauremys japonica are omnivores, eating insects, frogs, fish, earthworms and plants. We feed ours pellets, super worms, cut fish, earth worms - our adults enjoy plent of fruits and vegetables. Japanese Wood Turtles love to bask, and do very well in land/water set ups - or in water set ups with lots of basking area.

Sometimes called Japanese Pond Turtles, Mauremys japonica are all black on their bottoms, with pretty golden brown carapaces (top shells) in younger turtles, and deeper brown carapaces on older adults. Japanese Wood Turtles are somewhat shy at first, but become very outgoing and friendly in time. This species is in peril in it's native Japan, fortunately a few breeders produce them here in the US - our well started yearlings are third and fourth generation Americans...