Is the Asian Giant Pond Turtle Worth Keeping? Care Experience and Common Questions

The Asian giant pond turtle (note: a semi-aquatic turtle that can move on land and in shallow water) is native to Southeast Asia and, in China, is mainly found in Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan and other regions. The Asian giant pond turtle, as the name suggests, is a relatively large Asian water turtle. Adults reach 40–50 cm in length and can weigh up to 10 kg, though they are often in the 3–5 kg range.

Do you want to have such a turtle? It follows you wherever you go, like a little clingy companion. After work each day, it may slowly crawl over to greet its owner like a dog, and a day’s fatigue might melt away because of it. Scenes like this are not common in China — after all, to have such moments you usually need a land tortoise.

However, land tortoises are not permitted for private keeping in China. Land tortoises are expensive and relatively delicate. Water turtles and semi-aquatic turtles cannot survive prolonged periods entirely on land, so direct human–tortoise interaction is naturally limited. Some people have found a semi-aquatic substitute that interacts well with humans: the Asian giant pond turtle.

Habits and Care

The Asian giant pond turtle can grow very large; larger individuals are capable of spending extended periods on land. They can feed on land and enjoy vegetables and fruit — traits that resemble those of land tortoises. For this reason, in China people often treat them like land tortoises. Asian giant pond turtle juveniles are raised in water; once they grow, they can be kept on land with occasional soaks in water.

Diet

They will eat most foods that humans can eat. Their diet is quite varied: they like vegetables, fruits, fish and shrimp, meat, rice, noodles, and so on. Their favorites are vegetables such as sweet potato leaves, A-choy (Chinese lettuce), napa cabbage, and other leafy greens; when munching vegetables and melons they often make a crisp “crunch” as they chew, which many find soothing.

Interaction Experience

A well-tamed Asian giant pond turtle placed on the floor will, if you clap and call from a distance, obediently crawl over to ask for food — such interaction is delightful. Asian giant pond turtles have large appetites, and their body size changes are noticeable; raising one from small to large is very rewarding. They can gain about 0.5 kg per year, and some accounts claim they can reach a maximum of ≈25 kg. Ordinary pets may accompany you for a few years, but the Asian giant pond turtle has a very long lifespan and can be a long-term companion.

The One Drawback: Large Fecal Output

The only obvious drawback to keeping an Asian giant pond turtle is its very large fecal output — colloquially referred to as being the “poop king.” Because these turtles eat a lot and have a fast metabolism, they defecate frequently and the odour can be strong, which increases maintenance costs. If kept in a city, a powerful filtration system is a must; in rural settings, it may be feasible to build a large pond and let them grow more freely.

Having read this, would you still want to keep an Asian giant pond turtle?