The musk turtle has a brown or blackish, somewhat domed carapace with a small plastron and two distinctive stripes on the face, running from the nose to either side of each eye. The common name refers to the strong smelling secretion that is emitted from glands under the rim of the shell when the turtle is frightened or excited.
The common musk is an excellent turtle for the beginning turtle hobbyest due to its small size and easy maintenance. In the wild, the musk is primarily carnivorous, living on earthworms, insects, fish, and snails. In captivity commercial turtle food is readily accepted although it should be supplimented with live foods when possible, dusted with a calcium suppliment. Indoors they do well in a 20-30 gallon aquarium with a small land area. Musks are happiest with multiple hiding places. UV light is also important.
Unlike many water turtle species, the musk do not have an elaborate mating ritual. Most lay multiple clutches a season with 1 to 5 eggs apiece. Incubation time is 3 to 5 months depending on the temperature. In captivity, eggs incubated at 25 degrees C result in males while 30 degrees C usually results in females. Hatchling musk turtles are generally 20 mm (less than 1 inch) in size. Depending on availability of food, they grow rapidly in size. They tend to be long-lived. One musk turtle lived to over 54 years of age at the Philadelphia zoo.
