How to Raise Softshell Turtles? A Detailed Guide to Scientific Farming Techniques

The softshell turtle is what we commonly call "wangba"; "wangba" is a derogatory term, but the softshell turtle has high nutritional value, so the softshell turtle farming industry is quite good and has excellent prospects. There are many methods for farming softshell turtles, which can roughly be divided into factory farming and pond farming. Follow along with the editor below to learn more.

How to Raise Softshell Turtles

1. Softshell turtles are naturally fierce and combative, and bullying among groups is very common; when food is scarce, they will even eat their own kind. Therefore, during the rearing process, you must feed them enough food and pay close attention to their behavior.

2. Softshell turtles are ectothermic animals, amphibious between water and land, and breathe with their lungs, so there must be a sufficient area of land and sandy beach around or in the center of the softshell turtle pond for them to carry out land activities. Softshell turtles are sensitive to sounds in their surroundings; as long as there is the slightest noise around, they can quickly dive into the mud at the bottom of the water, so the rearing environment must be kept quiet. If softshell turtles are frequently startled, it is very unfavorable for their growth and reproduction.

3. Softshell turtles like to stay in environments with good water quality, so the owner must change the water frequently, about once every 2—3 days.

4. Softshell turtles are aquatic omnivores and prefer animal-based bait. Young softshell turtles feed on aquatic insects, aquatic earthworms, tadpoles, small shrimp, and so on. Adult softshell turtles feed on mollusks such as field snails and clams, fish, shrimp, and animal carcasses, and also eat plant-based feed such as vegetables, fruits, and coarse grains. For small softshell turtles, you can cut meat into small minced pieces and slowly feed them, and that will be fine.

5. When using fresh feed for feeding, it must be disinfected and washed, and used as soon as it is prepared to avoid spoilage and deterioration. When feeding, it should be placed in the form of a feeding portion, and the bait only needs to be 2—3 cm from the water surface. Softshell turtles are timid, so disturbance to them should be minimized when feeding.

6. Softshell turtles need more sun exposure, because the ultraviolet rays in sunlight kill pathogenic bacteria on the body surface, promote the healing of injured body surfaces, and by basking their backs they raise their body temperature and promote food digestion.

7. In the south, softshell turtles hibernate at the end of November, and in the north probably about a month earlier. For hibernation, there is no need to prepare a separate place; just spread half of the basin with sand exceeding the water surface. It may crawl out of the water onto the sand and sleep motionless for dozens of days, then unknowingly enter the water and sleep for dozens more days.

8. In summer, watch out for mosquitoes; softshell turtles are very afraid of mosquitoes.

Scientific Softshell Turtle Farming Techniques

1. Construction of softshell turtle ponds:

According to the living habits of softshell turtles, softshell turtles like quiet and fear noise, like sun and fear wind, and like cleanliness and fear dirt. The pond-building environment should be chosen according to these characteristics. If it is a softshell turtle farm that self-breeds, self-nurtures, and self-raises, then it is necessary to consider the supporting construction of 5 types of ponds: new softshell turtle ponds, hatchling softshell turtle ponds, juvenile softshell turtle ponds, 3-year-old softshell turtle ponds, and adult softshell turtle ponds. Their proportions are 4:1:2:4:9 respectively. In this way, natural resources such as land and water areas can be utilized to the maximum extent, allowing softshell turtle farming to develop in a coordinated way and form its own series, which is more conducive to reducing costs and improving economic benefits.

If the pond bottom lacks sandy soil, part of it should be mixed with sandy soil. A basking platform and a feeding platform should be built at the pond edge and pool edge respectively, for softshell turtles to bask their backs and feed. Anti-escape walls should be built well around the perimeter; brick masonry or vertically installed asbestos tiles are both acceptable, with a height of about 1 m.

2. Selecting softshell turtle fry.

At present, the sources of softshell turtle fry are mainly two aspects: one is factory-based seedling rearing and batch production by specialized households; the other is wild softshell turtles of various sizes on the market. But no matter which kind of softshell turtle fry, when entering the pond, they must first be graded and temporarily raised for about 15 days, and only after adapting to the environment should they be put into the farming pond. For small softshell turtles and adult turtles with wounds (some are caught with hooks), they should be raised separately, and after the wounds heal, they should be put into ponds separately according to size. For diseased fry that respond slowly and have difficulty moving, they should be put into the pond only after the disease has been treated and fully recovered.

3. Stocking density.

Generally speaking, per mu, stock 10 kg—150 kg of 2-year-old—3-year-old juvenile turtles. The maximum must not exceed 200 kg.

4. Daily management

1. Water temperature control. A water temperature of 20°C to 30°C is the optimal temperature range for softshell turtle growth. When the water temperature is above 20°C, softshell turtles begin to feed, and feed intake increases as the water temperature rises. When the water temperature is below the optimal temperature, feed conversion rate will decrease; when the water temperature is above the optimal temperature, feed conversion rate will also decrease due to increased activity, so the water temperature should be kept within the optimal temperature range; too high or too low will cause feed waste.

2. Feeding method. Underwater feeding suits the feeding habits of softshell turtles and can make them feed faster. Using soft pellet feed saves more feed than using block feed.

3. Feeding amount control. Softshell turtle feeding is greatly affected by changes in environmental factors. When air temperature, water temperature change, and when medication is used, the impact on softshell turtles should be considered and the feeding amount adjusted. Generally, underwater feeding should be controlled so that they finish eating within 30 minutes. When softshell turtles eat excessively, they grow too fast, which easily leads to increased or excessive physiological load, causing damage to their internal organs and inducing internal organ diseases.

4. Feed selection. Feed cost accounts for about 40% of farming costs. The feeding method and the quality of the selected feed determine the success or failure of farming cost control. Through final benefit analysis, comparing the price of higher-quality feed and lower-quality feed with the comprehensive farming cost, we can move beyond the misunderstanding of choosing feed based only on price.

5. Water quality regulation. Softshell turtles are naturally fond of cleanliness and afraid of dirt. A good water environment is an important condition for stable growth of softshell turtles. How well water quality regulation is done determines the success or failure of farming.

5. Disease control

Before hatchling softshell turtles enter the pond, disinfection work should be done well. Before entering the pond, soak the hatchlings in a 2‰ salt water solution for 30 minutes. Before softshell turtles reach a body weight of 50 g, be careful to prevent mold disease; at this stage, strengthening the hatchlings' physique and avoiding mechanical injury are the focus of prevention work. When softshell turtles weigh 50-150 g, be careful to prevent white spot disease, and daily disinfection should mainly use bromine-chlorine preparations. From 50 g to adult softshell turtles, be careful to prevent furuncle disease.

Are Softshell Turtles the Same as Turtles?

Softshell turtles and turtles are not the same thing. Below, we analyze the differences between softshell turtles and turtles.

1. Head.

Turtle: The head is round and can be freely retracted. If you touch its head with something, it will immediately retract its head.

Softshell turtle: The head is pointed and cannot be freely retracted.

2. Temperament.

Turtle: Gentle in temperament; if you provoke it, it retracts its head.

Softshell turtle: Not very good-tempered; if you touch its head with something, it will immediately bite you back.

3. Shell.

Turtle: The shell is very thick and sturdy, and turtles have patterns on their shells. Because of different breeds, many turtles also differ in shell patterns and colors, and the texture of the shell is rough.

Softshell turtle: The shell is not so thick; the softshell turtle's shell is smooth, with meat among the bones. When stewing a softshell turtle, the shell is put into the pot together. Although there is little meat, it is very delicious.

Living Habits of Softshell Turtles

In the natural environment, wild softshell turtles like to inhabit waters such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds with clean water quality. On calm and windless days, they often lie on sunny shores basking in the sun (commonly known as basking the back), using the ultraviolet rays in sunlight to kill pathogenic bacteria on the body surface, promote the healing of injured body surfaces, and by basking their backs they raise their body temperature and promote food digestion.

During the growth period, they mainly breathe with their lungs. When the water temperature is below 15°C, softshell turtles dive into the mud at the bottom of the pond and begin hibernation, relying on auxiliary respiratory organs such as the gill-like tissues in the throat area for breathing.

Reproduction of Softshell Turtles

Under natural temperature conditions, softshell turtles reach sexual maturity only when they grow to 4-5 years of age; when the water temperature reaches above 20°C, they begin to become sexually active and mate. One mating leads to multiple egg-layings. In the north, they lay eggs 2-3 times a year, and in the south 4-5 times. May to August is the egg-laying period, and June to July is the peak egg-laying period. Egg-laying generally occurs in the latter half of the night (0-6 o'clock), which is related to softshell turtles liking a quiet environment. The egg-laying method of softshell turtles is to dig holes and lay eggs, then cover them with sand and soil after laying, so an egg-laying site with sandy soil should be set up around the pond.

Softshell turtles are loved and sought after by more and more people, and therefore have also become a hot farming industry. Farming softshell turtles is not difficult, but novice farmers still need to pay attention and learn the techniques well in order to avoid their own risks. The state advocates not killing wild animals, so it still very much supports artificial breeding. Therefore, the prospects for artificial softshell turtle farming are excellent, with a broad market.