White Lipped Mud Turtle

Description

A pretty and personable mud turtle, White-Lipped Mud Turtles are found in the quiet waters with soft bottoms of southern Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia and Peru. Medium to dark brown shells and white or yellow head colorations are the trade mark of this long (up to 6 inches) and narrow turtle. Like other mud turtles, the White-lipped Muds are hinged, and can completely close up inside their shells – just like a box turtle.

An excellent pet turtle, White-Lipped Mud turtles (Kinosternon leucostomum) are moderately to highly aquatic, appreciate a nicely arranged water tank and can be kept with fish. Only a small basking area is needed – and is not always used. They are omnivores, eating any protein and several plant foods offered. Ours enjoy pellets, cut fish & meat and even some insects. This species does well in groups of the same or similar sized mud turtles, or are fine by themselves, spending much of their time foraging and investigating their tank bottoms.