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Care sheet

Common Musk Turtle

Sternotherus odoratus

Also known as: Eastern Musk Turtle, Stinkpot

Kinosternidae · Testudines

BeginnerIUCN LC
Activity
🌆 Crepuscular
Temperament
Hands-off
Adult length
3–5.5 in
Lifespan (captivity)
30–50 yrs
Native range
Eastern North America — southern Ontario through the eastern/central USA to the Gulf Coast

Care guide

Overview

Common Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) — a small, hardy, fully aquatic turtle well suited to keepers who want a turtle in a manageable footprint. It's a bottom-walker rather than a strong swimmer, so keep water shallow enough to reach the surface easily and provide climb-outs. Still needs filtration, a basking spot, and UVB. Long-lived — plan for decades.

Environment

Climate

Cool side
72–80 °F
Basking spot
85–90 °F
Nighttime
70–75 °F

Environment

UVB lighting

Required?
Yes — provide UVB
Fixture type
T5 HO
Replacement interval
Every 12 months

Housing

Enclosure

Orientation
Semi-aquatic
Bioactive setup
Not ideal
Minimum size by life stage
  • HatchlingNot specified
  • JuvenileNot specified
  • Adult20 gal min (vet); 40 gal / 36x18 in preferred. Water 8-12 in deep with easy climb-outs.

Housing

Substrate

Safe options
bare-bottomlarge smooth river stones
Avoid
ingestible gravel/sand

Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Dietary type
Omnivore
Feeding frequency by life stage
  • JuvenileDaily
  • AdultEvery other day / 3-4x weekly; remove uneaten food
Supplementation

Calcium; use a complete aquatic pellet (Zoo Med/Mazuri) to avoid vitamin-A deficiency (swollen eyes).

Care

Water & behavior

Water

Aquatic setup: water 75-80F, filtration >=2x tank rating, 25-50% weekly changes; bottom-walker (weak swimmer).

Legal & ecology

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LC · Least Concern
Wild populations

Least Concern; not CITES-listed. One of the best small aquatic turtles for keepers with limited space.

Citations

Sources

Every husbandry parameter on this page is backed by the references below. Click through to read the originals.

  1. Common Musk Turtle Care

    Tree of Life Exotic Pet Medical Center

    veterinary

    20/30 gal, water 75-80F, depth 8-12 in, basking 85-90F, UVB 5-10 for 10-12h, diet, disease signs.

    Published: 2023-01-01

  2. Sternotherus odoratus — IUCN Red List

    IUCN

    government

    Least Concern assessment.

    Published: 2011-01-01

  3. Care and Maintenance of the Common Musk Turtle

    The Bio Dude

    breeder community

    40 gal, UVI 3-4, size, bottom-walking behavior.

    Published: 2021-01-01

Common Musk Turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) care sheet — Herpetoverse