{"product_id":"eastern-long-necked-turtle","title":"Eastern Long-necked Turtle | Chelodina longicollis","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Eastern Long-necked Turtle is the snake-necked turtle most people picture when they think of an Australian freshwater turtle. The neck is close to half the length of the shell, and the animal uses it the way a heron uses its own, sitting still on the bottom and striking sideways at anything that swims past. It is calm, hardy and very long-lived, and it suits a keeper with some aquarium experience who can run a properly filtered aquatic setup. Australian stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Eastern Long-necked Turtle lives in slow-moving swamps, wetlands, billabongs, farm dams and the quieter reaches of streams and rivers through Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. It is a bottom dweller rather than an open-water swimmer, and when its wetland dries it will walk overland to find another one, with wild animals recorded travelling several kilometres. In captivity it wants still or gently moving water it can walk along the bottom of, strong filtration to cope with a messy carnivore, and a dry basking dock it can climb out onto and dry off on completely.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe carapace (the top shell) is broad, flattened and dark brown to almost black, and the plastron (the underside shell) is cream to pale yellow with dark seams between the plates. The long neck is grey-brown above and paler below, and it folds sideways under the lip of the shell rather than pulling straight back in. Adults reach around 25 to 26 cm of carapace, so the animal should never be bought for the size it is now. A healthy turtle has clear eyes, a firm even shell with no soft patches or pitting, unbroken skin and strong swimming. When startled or handled this species can release a pungent fluid from scent glands near the base of the legs, which is where the old nickname \"stinker\" comes from. It is harmless and settles as the turtle gets used to being handled.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTemperament is best described as calm, deliberate and slow-moving compared with the short-necked turtles. It is an ambush hunter, so it will sit motionless for long periods and then move quickly. It is naturally solitary in the wild and is best kept on its own, though a large, heavily filtered system with more than one basking spot can hold more than one. Crowding causes competition at feeding time and leads to biting, nipped necks and damaged shells, so space and filtration decide how many you can keep, not the number of turtles you want.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a carnivore and it stays a carnivore. Unlike short-necked turtles such as the Murray River Turtle, it does not shift towards plant matter as it matures, so do not build its diet around vegetables or greens. Feed whole small fish, prawn, yabbies, earthworms, insects and aquatic invertebrates, along with a quality turtle pellet. Hatchlings feed daily, adults every two to three days. Feed in the water, because the species can only swallow with its head submerged. Do not overfeed, as uneaten food is the fastest way to wreck water quality in a turtle tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eHatchlings can start in a smaller, shallow, well-filtered tank where they can reach the surface easily, then move up as they grow. A single adult needs an aquarium or pond of at least around 120 cm long, and more water volume is always better. Keep water at 20 to 24 degrees, which is cooler than most tropical fish tanks, and provide a dry basking dock that reaches 30 to 32 degrees under a heat lamp. Run UVB lighting over the basking dock for 10 to 12 hours a day and replace the globe on the manufacturer's schedule. UVB is the ultraviolet light the turtle needs to make vitamin D3 and use calcium, and without it the shell and bones deform. The turtle must be able to leave the water and dry off fully, otherwise shell and skin infections follow. Change part of the water regularly and keep the filter well maintained.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eEastern Long-necked Turtles lay eggs. In the wild the female leaves the water in the warmer months and digs a nest in sand or soft soil along a bank, laying a clutch of roughly 8 to 24 hard-shelled eggs, and incubation runs long at around 120 to 150 days. Breeding is not something most keepers should plan for, as it needs mature adults, dry land to nest on and the right licence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eChelodina longicollis\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEastern Long-necked Turtle, also called the Eastern Snake-necked Turtle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSwamps, wetlands and slow waterways of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and south-eastern South Australia\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e25 to 26 cm carapace\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e30 to 40 years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCalm, slow-moving ambush hunter\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntermediate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Enclosure Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAquarium or pond around 120 cm long for one adult, with a dry basking dock\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Enclosure Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLarger aquarium or outdoor pond with strong filtration\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarnivore - fish, prawn, yabbies, earthworms, insects and turtle pellets. Does not become a plant eater with age\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBasking Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e30 to 32 degrees\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAmbient Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater 20 to 24 degrees\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUVB Required\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes - UV Index 3.0 to 4.0 at the basking dock, 10% UVB globe. Essential for shell and bone health\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHumidity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAquatic species, not applicable\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntermediate keepers with aquatic setup experience\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLicence Required\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes - reptile keeper's licence in most Australian states\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBest kept on its own. If more than one is housed, use a large, heavily filtered system with a basking spot for each turtle and watch for bullying at feeding time and over basking space.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDo not house with fish or invertebrates small enough to be eaten, which for this species is most of them. Do not mix with short-necked turtles or with turtles of a noticeably different size, and never crowd turtles into water volume that cannot carry them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese are hatchlings and will grow to the adult size listed above, so plan the setup for the adult and not the animal in the tub. Australian livestock for in-store collection or local delivery, with our live arrival guarantee. A reptile keeper's licence is required to buy and keep native reptiles and amphibians in most Australian states, so please make sure you hold the right licence for your state before purchasing.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55627284775203,"sku":"BA9361","price":150.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/eastern-long-necked-turtle","provider":"Nicks AOT","version":"1.0","type":"link"}