Chelodina parkeri-  Parker's side necked turtle        Origin: New Zealand

My experience with this species is limited to just one animal and I don't normally say this about aquatic turtles, but this was one of the neatest animals I've ever had the privilege of working with.  But then again, it's not every day that you have to pass a feeding tube over a foot to reach the stomach! 

Once the animal had recovered from it's injuries, I found that it would readily take small pieces of mouse, turtle pellets, and that it's particular favorite was fish. 

Native habitat is thought to be marshy swamp areas with soft bottoms.   This is probably why the owner of the animal told me that the actual scutes covering the plastronal and carapacial bones are the thinnest he has ever seen.  This is also why the species should probably be kept in soft soiled semiaquatic substrates in order to prevent abrasions and subsequent shell lesions.

Links to further information on C. parkeri:

Pictures: http://www.herpafauna.com/pics/turtles/c-parkeri.html

Pictures: http://www.chelodina.de/C.parkeri.htm