How to raise small turtle hatchlings? Breeding methods and precautions

Turtle is the common term for the soft-shelled turtle, and it is also an egg-laying amphibious reptile. Young turtles are also very cute, so how do you raise small turtle hatchlings?

1. Living habits of turtles

As an egg-laying amphibious reptile, the turtle is very common in our country. The main existing species in China are the Chinese softshell turtle, the wattle-necked softshell turtle, the Yangtze giant softshell turtle, and the Asian giant softshell turtle, among which the Chinese softshell turtle is the most common.

The turtle's head resembles that of a tortoise, but its carapace does not have tortoise-like stripes. The edges have soft flaps, and the shell is softer than a tortoise's. It is dark green in color, oval in shape, and flatter than a tortoise. Turtles mainly live in lakes, ponds, reservoirs, deltas, and slow-flowing rivers.

Young turtles feed on aquatic insects, aquatic earthworms, tadpoles, small shrimp, and so on. Adult softshell turtles feed on mollusks such as river snails and clams, fish, shrimp, and animal carcasses (because they cannot catch fish), and they also eat plant-based feed such as vegetables, fruits, and miscellaneous grains.

2. How do you raise small turtle hatchlings?

Prepare a relatively large breeding container. The container also needs shelters. You can spread a layer of fine sand or soft mud on the bottom, then place one or two large stones in it, so that the small turtles can grow normally. The best water for raising turtles is clean river water, stream water, well water, and so on. If using tap water, let it sit for a few days before pouring it into the breeding container. Do not change the water too frequently.

When changing the water for turtles, also pay attention: you need to keep half of the old water and cannot replace it entirely with new water, because using all new water will also damage the turtles' living environment.

If conditions allow, you can also put some aquatic plants in the container during breeding to simulate the wild living environment as much as possible. It is best to raise several small turtles together; raising only one makes survival less likely.

If turtles are raised on a breeding farm, then a softshell turtle breeding site also needs to be built. The scale of the breeding site can be large or small, and can be determined by the breeder's funds and so on. It can be one pond, or a breeding farm composed of dozens of ponds; it can be open-air, or covered with plastic greenhouses or built as a greenhouse.

The softshell turtle pond should be built in a place with plenty of sunlight and a quiet environment, avoiding disturbance, which is beneficial to the growth of the turtles. The soil of the softshell turtle pond should be clay or loam, which helps retain water. If sandy soil that easily leaks is used, effective anti-seepage measures must be taken.

The water source and water quality must be good and clean, not polluted by industrial or farmland pesticide wastewater. Water from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs is best. Well water should be raised in temperature through a sunning pond.