Pond turtles > Info > European pond turtle

European pond turtle

The European pond turtle is a well-known turtle that comes from Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. They are also known as either the European pond terrapin or Emys Orbicularis (say that name ten times fast!).
This turtle is known throughout the turtle-loving community as a beautiful, friendly pet turtle.
The European pond turtle is a fairly slow-moving water turtle that lives in and around water. They are known to hibernate for up to seven months at the bottom of the water! Making it a trick to take care of these beautiful animals; causing them to not be the right turtle for a beginner.
They are a medium sized turtle, varying from five to eight inches in length and width. Their shell is a rich brown with spots of yellow and a tinge of green. The one drawback to these turtles is that they are a host to many different parasites. This makes it extremely important to have a vet near-by who specializes in turtles.