Knife-backed musk turtle prefers deep water, but the water depth of the breeding environment should not exceed 50 cm. The pool should be divided into deep water area, shallow water area, land (water sunning platform) and sand pool. Aquatic plants should be placed in the water, and a variety of plants should be set up on land for them to avoid. The sand pool is spread with 20-30 cm thick fine sand (sand diameter is 0.5-0.8 mm), and the humidity is 5%-8%. The top and front of the sand pool can be covered with wooden boards or asbestos tiles, leaving only passages for entry and exit on both sides. The dark and quiet environment that avoids light can increase the turtle's sense of security and is conducive to the turtle's egg laying.

The saber-backed musk turtle has low requirements for water quality. It likes old water and should not be Change the water too often. When changing the water, new water should be replaced according to the water quality and ambient temperature in the rearing pond. Generally, the amount of water in each change is half of the water in the pond. When changing the water, pay attention to the change of water temperature to prevent the water temperature difference from being too large. A small amount of sediment should be spread in the pool, and some aquatic plants should be planted in the pool.