black long necked turtle..what is it?

[digdown2001]

Hi,
OK, a few months back my mother bought me a long necked turtle from a local petshop. I have other long necks, but this one is black, underneath, on top, top half of the neck, etc.etc. It is not an old adult, it is only from last years hatchies.

What say you all?? I'll get a pic or two tomorrow. I don't know if this is a rare species, a melanistic issue, I have no clue, but the animal is healthy and other Eastern long necks are three times the size at the same age????

Thanks guys

Steve

 

[Eastern Snake Neck]

A picture would be good.

However, in the absence of a picture, my thought was that the turtle you refer to is normal, fit and healthy. If the others are three times the size at the same age, it sounds like they are being overfed.

Do the others have lighter grey skin and a brown carapace? These two characteristics are typical of captive turtles being fed a diet based around red meat. Red meat is not a part of a turtle's natural diet and feeding it to turtles helps them to develop renal failure.

This site will be able to help you:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/AustralianFreshwaterTurtlesandFrogs/

Regards,
Michael.

 

[JasonL]

might of been caught in a sewer , wait a few months untill it sheds and see what colour it is

 

[m.punja]

they hatch black and orange, maybe it's still in the process of growing out of these colours an into the normal colour of the long necked turts?

 

[digdown2001]

Hi,
Thanks for the help. I already keep other C.longicolis (among the Latta lines E.kreffti, E.subglobosa and Elseya latisternum and have some knowledge about the species lifecycle, so I know the colour variations, particularly involved with diet. This is clearly not a case of diet as the animals eat the same and are treated as such. Further, this is clearly not diet related. This is a variant among normal stock.

I think the only way to display this is to show you, will post pics soon

Thanks for the help so far guys

Steve

 

[digdown2001]

Hi,
We have ID'd the animal down to black morph C.expansa.

Thanks everyone

Steve

 

[Eastern Snake Neck]

Hi Steve,

When you said that it was a long necked turtle, I assumed that you were referring to the generic name for Chelodina longicollis.

If it is Macrochelodina expansa, then that is different.

Some pictures would be good.

Regards,
Michael.