Is the Chinese pond turtle a protected animal? What farmers need to know

Keeping a turtle at home is no longer anything unusual; anyone who can will keep one at home, borrowing its“good fortune and longevity” meaning, hoping it will bring good luck to the family. Here we introduce our native Chinese turtle——the Chinese pond turtle.

The Chinese pond turtle, also known as the wugui, longevity turtle, bagua turtle and so on, is the most widely distributed of China's turtle species, and on the international market the Chinese pond turtle sells very well. The Chinese pond turtle is an amphibious animal, able to both swim in water and crawl on land. It mainly inhabits rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds and other waters. During the day it mostly stays hidden in the water, and when the summer heat is intense it gathers in groups to seek shady spots. It is mild-tempered. When it encounters enemies or is startled, it retracts its head, limbs and tail into its shell.

In China, the wild Chinese pond turtle is a national second-class protected animal. But because the number of Chinese pond turtles currently kept in China is very large, the artificially bred Chinese pond turtles on the market are not protected animals. In particular, because the Chinese pond turtle has characteristics such as fast growth, strong disease resistance, a high meat yield, delicious taste and high ornamental value, the market price of the Chinese pond turtle remains high, so it is highly favored by farmers.

The Chinese pond turtle has a relatively long lifespan and can live for decades or even over a hundred years, while its growth rate is relatively slow and it is good-natured and a typical omnivorous reptile, so it is very suitable for the general public to keep. With normal care it will generally have a lifespan of over ten years. The sexual maturity age of the pond turtle is about 7 years old, and the average lifespan will also be after 50 years.

The above is some knowledge about the Chinese pond turtle. Are you friends interested in keeping turtles? The Chinese pond turtle has strong adaptability to the environment, relatively low requirements for water quality conditions, and a relatively large tolerance for poor water quality, making it the best choice for keeping at home.