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The Chinese Three-Stripe Box Turtle is also called the
Three-lined Box Turtle, the Three banded Box Turtle, and the
Golden Coin Turtle. It's scientific name is Cuora
trifasciata.
This Asian Box Turtle is found in the wild in southern China
and Northern Viet Nam, in or around clear streams and other
waters. It is carnivorous and likes fish.
The Three-Striped Box Turtle, as you might guess, has three
raised black stripes running down its back. The rest of the
top shell is brown. The dark head has a black-bordered olive
stripe from the eye to the nostrils, with a spot behind the
eye.
Its jaws and chin are yellow, the underside of its neck is
pink or orange, a black stripe extends back from its nose,
and a yellow stripe runs from the mouth to the neck on each
side of its head. The underside of its legs are also bright
orange or pinkish yellow. It is a very handsome turtle.
You should be an experienced turtle keeper before you
acquire any of the Asian Box Turtles. You will need to
provide your Asian Three-striped Box Turtle a large vivarium
with enough water for the turtle to swim, plus dry land with
a cool shaded area and another warm area with a full-
spectrum basking light, temperatures between the high 60s
and the low 80s Fahrenheit, and a good carnivorous turtle
diet of whole foods and/or with a calcium supplement. In
warm weather or semi-tropical climates, an outdoor area with
a pond is also excellent.
You should of course be careful to buy a captive bred Asian
Box turtle or be willing to pay large vet bills to get/keep
a rescued wild-caught turtle healthy. Also, be aware that
wild-caught turtles, and particularly all Asian turtles,
have being removed from a rapidly dwindling population and
are usually greatly stressed by terrible handling and
transport methods. We highly recommend that you stick with
captive bred turtles of any and all species.
Do your research and prepare your turtle's future home
before you buy, and you and your Chinese Three-Stripe Box
Turtle should have a long and happy life together.
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