Detailed Explanation of Soft-Shelled Turtle Farming Techniques: Scientific Farming Brings Higher Returns
First, build a soft-shelled turtle pond, choosing a quiet location close to a water source with no pollution. When the turtle hatchlings enter the pond, they must be graded and held temporarily for about 15 days, and only after they adapt to the environment should they be put into the farming pond. The scientific method of raising soft-shelled turtles is to use natural bait. Regulate water quality, keep the water fresh, with sufficient dissolved oxygen and appropriate fertility.
1. Construction of the Soft-Shelled Turtle Pond
Choose a quiet, noise-free location with convenient transportation, close to a power source, and near a water source with no pollution. A rectangular pond oriented east to west is preferable. Soft-shelled turtles like quiet and fear noise, like sunlight and fear wind, and like cleanliness and fear dirt. For the pond construction site, it is best to choose a pond with a secluded environment, shelter from wind and sun, and convenient drainage and irrigation as the farming base. If it is a turtle farm that breeds, raises, and grows its own stock, then consideration must be given to building a matching set of 5 types of turtle ponds: new turtle ponds, hatchling turtle ponds, juvenile turtle ponds, 3-year-old turtle ponds, and adult turtle ponds. If the pond bottom lacks sandy soil, mix in a portion of sandy soil. Build a basking platform and a feeding platform on the pond edge and pool edge respectively for the turtles to bask their backs and feed. Build an escape-prevention wall around the perimeter; it can be made of brick or vertically placed asbestos tiles, with a height of about 1 m.
2. Stocking of Seedlings and Fry
There are two sources of turtle hatchlings: one is factory-based seedling production and batch production by specialized households, and the other is wild turtles of various sizes from the market. Regardless of which type of turtle hatchling, when entering the pond they must be graded and held temporarily for about 15 days, and only after they adapt to the environment should they be put into the farming pond. The stocking density depends on the pond and other factors. Per mu, stock 100-150 kg of 2-3-year-old juvenile turtles, and it must not exceed 200 kg at most.
3. Feed Placement
In the past, the feed used in the turtle farming industry was mainly fresh live bait (fresh fish, shrimp, etc.), but the price was expensive, and some of the quality did not meet standards, so turtles were prone to enteritis after eating it. The scientific method of raising soft-shelled turtles is to use natural bait. For example, you can collect discarded livestock and poultry internal organs, leftover materials, and scraps from nearby restaurants and canteens; catch snails, mussels, small fish and shrimp, and various water fleas in natural waters; use natural or scattered land to raise loaches and golden apple snails; use ditch banks and pond slopes to raise earthworms; lure flies to breed maggots; and cultivate insects, etc. In the bait that turtles like to eat, add a small amount of plant-based bait, such as bran, corn flour, bean dregs, and a small amount of melons and trace elements, process and stir them together, then feed.
4. Regulating Water Quality
Although soft-shelled turtles breathe with their lungs, they spend most of their time living in water, so the quality of the water is still very important to their growth. For juvenile turtles, it is appropriate to maintain a water depth of 0.3-0.4 m, change the water once every 3 days, with each water change amounting to 1/3; a green water color is best, allowing them to hide from each other and reducing opportunities for mutual injury; a small amount of green plants such as water lettuce and water hyacinth can also be placed in the water to help improve water quality. For adult turtle ponds, change the water once every 4 days, with each water change amounting to 1/4, keeping the water fresh, with sufficient dissolved oxygen and appropriate fertility.