Graptemys cageli

Male   2.5" - 4"            Female   4" - 6.5"

In the wild, Females eat snails and insects, while Males eat insects.

Air Temperature:  Low to mid 80's

Basking Temperature:  High 80's to low 90's

Water Temperature:  Low to mid 70's

Limestone or mud bottomed ponds and river drainages.

Guadalupe and San Antonio river drainages in south-central Texas.

Yes

These are aggressive baskers, so a basking spot is required. UVB lighting is needed as well as a heat lamp over the basking spot. A submersible heater is recommended if the water temps fall below the recommendation. They are excellent swimmers and their captive habitat should have a water depth as deep as possible. Substrate should be anywhere from a sand to a fine-to-large size gravel. Abundant vegetation, either artificial or real, is recommended.

Recommended size for a single adult Graptemys cageli would be a 30 gallon aquarium as a minimum (40 or larger preferred) for males, and a 40 gallon aquarium as a minimum (55 or larger preferred) for females. This will provide adequate swimming area, as well as assisting the filtration in maintaining good water quality. For additional Graptemys cageli, I would recommend adding 20 gallons of tank space per additional turtle at a minimum.

Stock Tanks and Rubbermaid containers also work well. The same space recommendations remain the same.

In captivity, they do well on Mazuri and ReptoMin, Reptile/Pond 10, Cichlid Sticks, snails, crickets and assorted worms and insects. I have also witnessed Graptemys cageli taking bites of leafy, green vegetables.

Cagle's Map Turtle is a great turtle for a community habitat with Sliders, Cooters, other Map Turtles and Painted Turtles.

Cagle's Map Turtles are the smallest of the map turtles. Like all map turtles, they are sensitive to water quality, but I have found that Cagle's Map Turtles are less sensitive than most other species of maps, although they are still more sensitive than other species that are commonly kept.

At present, Cagle's Map Turtles are illegal for sale in the state of Texas.