Hatchling turtle rearing has its finer points: these eight breeding techniques must be mastered

Turtles hatched from eggs are called hatchlings. When hatchlings emerge from the shell, they generally weigh 3 to 13 grams, with tender bodies and weak mobility, and they do not adapt well to the environment. If not carefully reared, they easily die. Therefore, doing a good job of rearing hatchlings is the most critical part of turtle farming. The following introduces eight points to note in hatchling rearing for reference.

1. Collection: After hatchlings crawl out of the shell, they cannot be taken out immediately. Let them crawl on the sand for 1 to 3 hours, then place them in a wooden basin or plastic basin for 2 to 3 days, so that the umbilical cord dries and retracts, the body changes from curled to straight and flat, and the yolk sac is fully absorbed, preventing the yolk sac from being rubbed open and infected by bacteria. A standard hatchling has a completely shed umbilical cord, a closed umbilical opening, an individual weight greater than 4 grams, is agile in movement, robust in constitution, and free of disease and injury. 2. Disinfection: Before hatchlings enter the pond, soak them in 500 to 800 mg/L vitamin C for 10 minutes. This not only improves the survival rate of hatchlings but also enhances their growth. 3. Entering the pond: The hatchling pond is best an indoor cement pond of 4 to 10 sq m, with a water depth of 10 to 20 cm. The feeding platform is set 2 cm underwater, and a resting and basking platform is set up in a sunny spot. Spread 5 to 10 cm of sand grains on the pond bottom. Do not spread sand grains under the feeding platform, to ensure clear water quality. 4. Density: A reasonable stocking density can raise the survival rate and speed up hatchling growth, so a density of about 100 per sq m is suitable. 5. Feeding: The energy and nutrients needed for the growth and development of newly emerged hatchlings are provided entirely by the yolk. Hatchling feed should be fresh, tender, fine, soft, easy to digest and attractive to eat, and feeding should be done at fixed times, in fixed locations, with fixed quality and fixed quantity. Three days after hatching, feed a small amount of cooked egg yolk to accustom them to eating; after 5 days, feed minced fish, shrimp, snails, mussels, livestock and poultry offal and other bait, supplemented with melons, vegetables and grains, with a ratio of animal to plant bait of 2:1. The feeding amount accounts for 5% to 10% of the total hatchling weight, fed twice a day, at 8 to 9 am and 5 to 6 pm, and it is best if they can finish eating within 2 hours. 6. Water quality management: The water source is best unpolluted river, lake or reservoir water. The water should maintain a certain amount of plankton, with a yellow-green color, a transparency of 25 to 30 cm, and a pH of 7 to 8. Remove leftover bait that sinks to the pond bottom every day, change the water once every 2 days, and when changing the water, thoroughly clean the pond bottom and disinfect it. Keep the water temperature at 25 to 30°C. In the high-temperature summer season, take measures to prevent heatstroke and lower the temperature. When changing the water, pay special attention that the temperature difference between the new and old water must not be too large, generally not exceeding 2 to 3°C, otherwise the turtles are highly prone to disease. 7. Environment: Turtles like quiet, sunlight and cleanliness, and fear cold, wind and dirt, so the environment around the hatchling pond should be sheltered from the wind, facing the sun, quiet, warm, and free of pollution and noise. 8. Predators: During hatchling rearing, attention should be paid to preventing harm from predators such as snakes, rats, birds and cats.