How to care for a musk turtle, and how big can it grow when it reaches adulthood?

When it comes to musk, is the first thing you think of perfume? Actually, there is another animal also associated with musk, and yes, that is the musk turtle. The musk turtle is an omnivorous animal, and it also belongs to the nocturnal turtle category. It usually forages by the mud underwater, and it is mostly distributed in southern Canada and from the northeastern to the southeastern United States.

How to care for a musk turtle

1. Water depth requirements

The water depth of the pool or tank where you keep your little musk turtle absolutely must not be too deep. Generally, it is enough that the musk turtle can stretch its head above the water surface to breathe air. Otherwise, the little musk turtle may feel afraid (this is not acquired later, it may be an innate fear of deep water during the juvenile period), and by maturity it no longer matters.

2. Water quality requirements

Because keeping a musk turtle at home is different from large-scale farming, you must ensure the water quality is clean (ordinary water quality is fine, which is not to say there are no requirements for water quality). It is best to have a complete biochemical filtration system suitable for the musk turtle's life, as this can reduce your labor.

3. Temperature requirements

The musk turtle is native to the Americas, and it can be said to be quite adapted to temperate climates, though of course saying this is a bit of a stretch. The water temperature must be guaranteed, and it absolutely must not vary too greatly. Generally, maintain it above 20°C, and at most do not exceed 28°C. Such a water temperature can ensure the normal growth of the musk turtle.

4. Prepare a basking platform

After all, the musk turtle is a water turtle, and water turtles, inevitably, want to enjoy the wonderful feeling of beach and sunlight. Even if it is kept by humans in a small aquarium, you still need to prepare a suitable "basking platform" to complete the "sunbathing the shell" operation. It can be said to be a relatively large cobblestone, or something else that can serve as a basking platform.

5. Feeding food:

The musk turtle can be said to have rather picky tastes. Generally, the food is mainly soft-bodied animals, and various nutrients also need to be supplemented. Normally, commercial brand turtle food on the market can still meet this requirement.

6. Mixed keeping issues:

The musk turtle can be kept together with some other turtles (preferably of the same genus and species). The common razor-backed musk turtle and Chinese pond turtle can both accept mixed keeping conditions. Of course, if you can get a suitable opposite-sex musk turtle, that would be even better, and the happiness involved goes without saying.

How big can a musk turtle grow

The musk turtle can only grow to a maximum of 8-10cm, and it is found from southern Canada to the border of Florida and the west of the Rocky Mountains. Compared with most turtles that eat natural foods, this turtle is mostly carnivorous and relies heavily on fish, snails, crustaceans and insects. Although the razor-backed musk turtle can grow to 15cm (6inches), most common stinkpots can only grow to a maximum of 8-10cm (3-4inches). As long as the keeper is willing to provide some basic conditions, knowledge and technique will make the musk turtle a very easy animal to keep. Because keepers of this turtle can buy many hatchlings captured from wild populations, and some varieties are already threatened or at risk of extinction in nature, please do not capture this animal from the wild.

What to pay attention to when feeding a musk turtle

1. It is recommended to feed adult turtles only 2 to 3 times a week, and to feed juvenile turtles in rapid growth once a day or once every two days. The musk turtle is highly carnivorous: crayfish, snails, insects and worms make up most of their food. They also eat some plants, such as duckweed. Many commercially specially made turtle foods on the market are very good food for musk turtles. Because they search for food at the bottom, and most specially made foods float on the water, it takes some time for them to recognize these as food. Due to this adaptation process of searching for food, before cleaning, the food should be allowed to sink and remain at the bottom for a period of time.

2. Additional calcium supplementation is important. Calcium powder can be sprinkled on all foods. It is recommended that indoor-kept ones be supplemented with calcium and vitamin D3, and outdoor-kept ones be supplemented with calcium without vitamin D3. It is also recommended to prepare a cuttlebone for it to gnaw on when needed. If you do not feed commercially specially made turtle food or live fish, then the addition of various vitamins is important, so that it can carry out normal fat metabolism. Frozen-treated fish destroys vitamin E, and vitamin E is a very important component for a healthy musk turtle.

Precautions for disease prevention and treatment of musk turtles

1. The relative cleanliness of the water used for keeping must be ensured. Every day, add some clean water to the keeping tank and remove some dirty water. A small amount of non-iodized fine salt can be added to the water. Do not directly use tap water for keeping, as fresh tap water can easily cause skin rot and rotten claws. After the turtle finishes eating, the remaining residue and dirt must be disposed of.

2. In winter, do not always take heated turtles out of the water to inspect or play with them. The alternation of cold and heat can very easily cause colds and induce respiratory diseases (this item is mainly aimed at juvenile turtles). Once sick, regret will be too late, and even Bian Que alive would be in vain!

3. Turtles should not be kept in groups. If the keeping density is too high, the friction and collision of the shells can easily cause wear to the turtle shell, and then trigger shell rot.

4. If a turtle develops skin rot, rotten claws, or white eye disease, turtle care liquid can be used. There is a kind of Turtle Care Treasure produced by the American company Wardley Aquarium on the market, and after use it feels quite effective.

5. If saprolegniasis occurs, in addition to keeping the water quality clean and using medication in the water, you should also increase lighting or use a heating rod to moderately heat the water temperature, which can also play a sterilizing and therapeutic role.

Therefore, male musk turtles are also extremely aggressive animals. When they are attacked from the outside, the musk in their bodies emits a pungent fragrance, using this to resist enemies, which is also out of the need for survival. Because they usually move underwater, their shells are also covered with algae, so when the temperature is below 10°C they will begin hibernation.