Herptiles

Phrynops geoffranus

Hilaire’s Side-necked Turtle

Phrynops geoffranus

Basic info

Common names
  • Side-neck Turtle
  • Hilaire’s Side-necked Turtle
Species namePhrynops geoffranus

Further Reading

Temperatures & Season

Day time temperatures

Background25 - 30 °F
Basking spot35 °F

Night time temperatures

Background summer23 - 25 °F
Background winter20 °F

Season

Photoperiod12 hours

Microhabitats

Microhabitats are specific small habitats that an organism inhabits within its broader environment. These can vary greatly depending on the species and can give us insights into the preferred living conditions of each reptile. Understanding these microhabitats can be key to providing the correct care for these animals in captivity.

  • Fossorial
    Fossorial
  • Sa
    Semi-arboreal

Ferguson Zones

Ferguson Zones are a way to classify the amount of UV light that reptiles are exposed to in their natural habitats. These zones help us understand and replicate their natural light conditions in captivity, promoting the health and wellbeing of the reptiles. Below, we detail the specific Ferguson Zones of the Chinese Water Dragon, along with recommendations for replicating these conditions

The Ferguson Zones in which the Hilaire’s Side-necked Turtle has been placed has been chosen based upon an assessment of its typical basking behaviour and likely microhabitat in the wild.

3
Open or partial sun basker
UVI range avarage: 1-2.6, UVI max recorded: 2.9-7.4
4
'Mid-day' open sun baskers
UVI range avarage: 2.6-3.5, UVI max recorded: 4.5-9.5

Recommended lighting methods in captivity

Sunbeam method

This method uses the 'Max UVI Recorded' value as a guide for the upper limit of the UVB gradient in captivity. This maximum should be the highest level which a Hilaire’s Side-necked Turtle can obtain at its closest approach to its UVB lamp. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the Hilaire’s Side-necked Turtle.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

More in-depth information about Ferguson zones can be found here: https://jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150

Biomes

These are the biomes the Hilaire’s Side-necked Turtle was found in. Click here to learn more about terrestrial ecoregions and biomes.

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References

  1. Baines, F.M., Chattell, J., Dale, J., Garrick, D., Gill, I., Goetz, M., Skelton, T. and Swatman, M. 2016. How much UVB does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research. 4, 1 (Jan. 2016), 42–63. DOI:https://doi.org/10.19227/jzar.v4i1.150.
  2. iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org
This website is created by Jefrim Keijzer | All species