Mississippi Mud Turtle

Looks how to spot one

shell

A small, dark turtle with a smooth, oval upper shell that is brown, dark brown, or nearly black, especially when wet. The lower shell is yellowish-brown with darker edges along the scutes and centre. The skin is grey-brown, with two yellow stripes along the side of the head and neck, which may appear as a series of spots. On lighter individuals, small irregular yellow spots may cover parts of the head and neck. Males have a concave lower shell and a longer, thicker tail ending in a claw-like tip.25

Personality what they are like

Mississippi mud turtles are generally shy and secretive, but they are curious and enjoy prowling around their enclosure. They are not strong swimmers and prefer to walk along the bottom. They can be aggressive towards their own kind, especially males, so caution is needed when housing them together. When handled or frightened, they release a strong, musky odour.23

Daily activity how busy a day looks

These turtles are active during the day and spend much of their time exploring the bottom of their enclosure and wandering on land. They need a spacious land area and plenty of rocks, plants, and decorations to climb on and investigate. They are not strong swimmers, so water depth should be shallow, especially for juveniles.34

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Mississippi mud turtles are relatively easy to care for. They need a strong filter because they are messy eaters. Water temperature should be in the mid to high 70s °F, with a basking area in the mid 80s to low 90s °F. A basking lamp is essential. The substrate can be large river pebbles, which gives them security. They are more forgiving of water quality than some other turtles, but good filtration is still important.3

Home where they are happiest

In the wild, they live in quiet, shallow, well-vegetated waters such as swamps, sloughs, oxbow lakes, ponds, ditches, and canals, with soft bottoms. They also spend a lot of time on land in moist habitats. In captivity, a 20-gallon long aquarium is adequate for one adult. They need ample access to a land area for basking and exploring. Water depth should be shallow (less than 8 inches for adults, shallower for juveniles) and they need plenty of decorations to climb on. They are not strong swimmers and can drown in deep water.123

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Omnivorous. In the wild they eat insects, crayfish, snails, mussels, tadpoles, carrion, and some aquatic plants. In captivity they do well on high-quality turtle pellets (such as Mazuri or ReptoMin), supplemented with earthworms, crayfish, and occasional feeder fish.123

Company who they like around

Mississippi mud turtles are generally solitary and can be aggressive towards their own kind, especially males. They should be housed alone or with great caution. They can be kept with larger basking turtles like cooters or sliders if size differences are not too great, but water depth preferences may cause problems. They are not venomous and are not protected or illegal to keep in most areas, but they are a native species in some US states and may require permits for collection from the wild.3

The story where it all began

The Mississippi mud turtle is a subspecies of the Eastern mud turtle, distinguished from the nominate form by its more westerly distribution west of the Mississippi River and subtle differences in shell and head colouration. It has been kept as a pet for many years, particularly in the United States, and is considered a good beginner turtle due to its small size and relatively simple care. It is not heavily exploited for the pet trade because of its drab colours, but individuals are occasionally found in the trade, often as released or escaped pets in areas outside its natural range.153

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Least Concern (2017)6

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Listed as a subspecies of the Eastern Mud Turtle7