Musk Turtle

The musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) is a small black, grey or brown turtle with a highly domed shell. The shell grows to roughly 5 to 14 cm (2 to 5.5 in) long, and algae often grow on it.

They have a long neck, rather short legs and a vaguely triangular head with a pointed snout and sharp beak. Yellow-green stripes run from the nose to the neck, and barbels sit on the chin and throat. The plastron is small and has a single hinge at the front.

Males usually have significantly longer tails than females, with a spike at the tip. Females are typically larger. Musk turtles are also called stinkpots, and they live mostly in the water.

Musk turtles are native to southeastern Canada and much of the Eastern United States. They range from southern Ontario and southern Quebec, and from southern Maine south to Florida and west to central Texas, with a separate population in central Wisconsin.

The species was first described in 1801 by the French taxonomist Pierre André Latreille, from a specimen collected near Charleston, South Carolina. He placed it in the genus Testudo, as almost all turtles were then. In 1825 John Edward Gray created the genus Sternotherus for the musk turtles.

Musk turtles belong to the family Kinosternidae, alongside the mud turtles. As recently as the 1990s some authors placed Sternotherus within the mud turtle genus Kinosternon, but that was not widely accepted.

Musk turtles spend nearly all their time in shallow, heavily vegetated water such as slow creeks and ponds. They are poor swimmers and are most often found walking along the bottom. They come onto land mainly to nest, to bask, or sometimes to forage.

They can climb sloping, partly submerged branches up to about 2 m above the water, and have been known to drop into passing boats. They use chemical cues to communicate with each other.

Their main defence is a foul musky scent released from glands at the edge of the shell, possibly to deter predators. A harassed wild musk turtle often will not hesitate to bite, and the neck can stretch as far as the hind feet.

They are omnivores. They eat snails, mussels, insects, crustaceans, worms, small fish, tadpoles, algae, plant matter and freshly dead animal material.

Musk turtles are long-lived, with captive specimens recorded at over 50 years old.

Some populations show megacephaly, where the head and jaw muscles become much larger and broader. It is linked to a diet of hard-shelled food and seems to develop in individuals rather than being inherited.

They are able to rapidly adjust their immune activity to match outside temperatures. Algae commonly grows on their shells. In the wild, eggs and hatchlings suffer heavy predation, and adults are eaten by animals such as raccoons, herons and larger turtles.

This is general awareness only, not veterinary advice. Always consult a vet about your pet's health.

Why is it called a stinkpot?

The musk turtle can release a foul musky odour from scent glands at the edge of its shell, especially when stressed or attacked. This may help deter predators.

How big do musk turtles get?

They stay small, with a shell length of about 5 to 14 cm (2 to 5.5 in). Females are typically larger than males.

How long do musk turtles live?

Their lifespan is quite long, and captive specimens have been recorded at over 50 years.

Are musk turtles good swimmers?

Not especially. They are poor swimmers and are most often found walking along the bottom of the water. They regulate buoyancy by varying their lung volume.

How can you tell males from females?

Males usually have significantly longer tails with a spike at the end. Females are typically larger.

Musk turtles can climb branches up to about 2 m above the water, and have dropped into boats passing underneath.

The genus name Sternotherus means chest animal, referring to the hinge on the plastron.

Tiny bud-like papillae on the tongue let them respire underwater.

Females sometimes share nesting sites. In one case 16 nests were found under a single log.

Eggs take 100 to 150 days to hatch, and hatchlings are usually under an inch long with a ridged shell that smooths out with age.