In size mud turtles grow up to 5 inches (12.7cm), with the male being slightly smaller than the female in most species of mud turtle. He is also distinguished by a longer tail and a larger head. An interesting feature of the mud turtle is its plastron, which is double-hinged. This allows the mud turtle to retreat completely within its shell and close it off for protection.Breeding occurs in spring. Females are usually ready to mate from the ages of 5 to 8, with males being slightly more precocious. If conditions are unsuitable or drought strikes, mud turtles may aestivate during summer.
For a captive environment, provide a tank of at least 20-gallon capacity and include a shallow and a deeper side. A habitat with a sloping bottom might marry the two options.
Provide plants in its habitat for cover. This will make the turtle feel more secure, but do make sure there is nothing available with the potential to trap it. Supervise the interactions of turtles sharing space, as this type has powerful jaws and can show aggression to co-habitants.
For basking, set up an area between 80 and 85 Fahrenheit (26.6 and 29.4 degrees Celsius). The water temperature can be between 70 and 75 Fahrenheit (21.1 and 23.8 degrees Celsius). A slight drop in temperature at night is acceptable.
Mud turtles share a defence mechanism used the musk turtles and also the Australian snakehead turtles. If threatened by predators, they can release an unpleasant smell from their glands. They are similar to musk turtles in appearance too, but the musk turtle has a single hinged plastron. Another difference is found on the carapace. Only the musk turtle has a keel. There has however been some controversy over allegations by some scientists that the common mud turtle and the striped mud turtle are genetically closer to musk turtles than to other species of mud turtles.
They dwell partially on land and are often found in the mud as their name suggests. The eastern mud turtle dwells in the eastern parts of the USA, ranging from Long Island to Florida. Its natural enemies include snakes, crows, opossums, weasels, skunks, raccoons and foxes, although these are usually drawn by eggs or new hatchlings. A more recent threat to adult mud turtles is human automobiles.
Mud turtles eat both insect and plant matter, including tadpoles, worms, small fish, grubs, insects, plants, berries and even carrion in their diet. In captivity, they can eat insects, such as crickets, earthworms, small fish, krill, crayfish, Romaine lettuce, water hyacinth and duckweed. A word of caution about the latter is that it could become so lush as to clog water filters. You could also try commercial turtle pellets to feed your pet mud turtles.