Diamondback Terrapin Care Sheet

CB Reptile has some of the highest quality captive bred Diamondback terrapins for sale online. CB Reptile offers a wide variety of aquatic turtles for sale including the northern diamondback terrapin for sale. We offer two diamondback terrapin morphs: northern diamondback terrapin for sale and concentric diamondback terrapin for sale.

Explore our diamondback terrapin care section provided by our biologist and learn a ton regarding the following diamondback terrapin care tips:

Scientific Name: Malaclemys terrapin

Diamondback Terrapin Origin

Diamondback terrapins originate from eastern and southern United States and in Bermuda. They can be found living in brackish coastal tidal marshes in the wild.

Diamondback Terrapin Habitat

Diamondback terrapins require brackish water in captivity to match the water from where they come from. Turtles kept in unsalted freshwater will begin to show health problems from the lack of salt.

Any large waterproof container will make a fine tank for your terrapin, although fishtank is the most common place to keep terrapins. Wherever you chose to keep your terrapin, make sure the diamondback can not climb out. A single turtle requires a tank that is at least 75 gallons to allow your terrapin to swim and dive.

The water depth in the tank should be at least three times as deep as the length of the turtle’s current shell. Terrapins also need a wide, flat place to climb out of the water for comfortable group basking.

Water filtration if crucial to a turtle’s environment because they are very messy eaters and create dirty water. Dirty water leads to shell and skin problems. You can chose from a large variety of submersible, canister, and traditional water filters.

The bottom of your tank should be filled with crushed coral to act as a substrate and a calcium supplement as well. When the terrapins bite the coral, it supplies them with calcium and is a natural way to wear their beaks down.

Diamondback Turtle Lighting

Terrapins need water that’s above 70 degrees F. During the daytime, white heat lights provide warmth to your terrapin’s tank. At night, a ceramic heat emitter with only blue or red light will be needed to provide extra warmth, as temperatures drop after sunset. The same water heaters that are used to heat fish tanks can also be used to keep the water warm. It is important to make sure the ambient temperature in the air of the enclosure is kept close to 80 degrees F.

Diamondback turtles need UVB lights. UVB spectrum lights that are made for reptiles should be kept on for about 12 hours a day and should be kept about a foot from where the turtle basks. This allows your turtle to grow, stay healthy and strong, and convert vitamin D into energy. Metabolic bone disease and not growing properly are side effects of lack of UVB light.

Diamondback Terrapins Diet

Diamondback terrapins primarily eat meat, unlike a lot of aquatic turtles. They eat a variety of small aquatic animals in the wild. They snack on some plants also. While in captivity, they must be fed turtle pellets, dried snails, shrimp, smelt, or other seafood. They should be fed once every other day.

They must not be fed chicken or beef. They do not enjoy food that they would not find in their native habitat. They do not digest new foods easily. Terrapins are some of the messiest eaters of the turtle species. They can be found turning over their food bowls to eat wherever they choose.

Diamondback Terrapin Behavior

Diamondback terrapins are social turtles and enjoy the company of other terrapins. They are known to enjoy sharing resources and basking together on the best basking rock. They often bask together during the day. Diamondbacks do better in groups if there is enough space for each one. Overcrowded tanks lead to aggravated turtles which may nip at other turtle’s tails.

A Diamondback Terrapin Lifespan

While they are not the longest living species of turtle, they can live to be 25 to 40 years old. But this is only if they are properly cared for.

Diamondback Terrapin Size

Females are larger than their male counterparts, reaching 11 inches long, whereas males only grow up to 5.5 inches. Adult females have larger heads, shorter tails, and wider jaws.

Diamondback Terrapin Breeder

CB Reptile has a wide selection of diamondback terrapin ages for sale also. Whether you are looking for a young adult diamondback terrapin or a hatchling diamondback terrapin, we’ve got you covered. Our diamondback terrapins also come with our full live arrival and 7-day health guarantee. CB Reptile has a real biologist on-site, and handles and of our diamondback terrapins quite a bit to ensure calm, well-adapted pets.

Diamondback terrapins are commonly available at breeder websites, pet stores, and reptile expos. As a diamondback terrapin breeder, our first priority is to provide the highest quality specimens that make the best pets.