A detailed guide to soft-shelled turtle overwintering methods: teach you how to get your soft-shelled turtles safely through winter

The soft-shelled turtle is also called tuanyu, bie, shuiyu, and so on. It is not only a delicious dish but also a kind of Chinese herbal medicine. So, what overwintering methods are there for soft-shelled turtles? Let's take a look together!

1. Temperature management

In most parts of our country, winter temperatures are relatively low, while the temperature suitable for soft-shelled turtle growth generally needs to be 25 to 30 degrees; the lowest temperature cannot be below 10 degrees, and the highest temperature cannot be above 32 degrees. Yet the general winter temperature is around 5 to 8 degrees, which is a great challenge for the survival of soft-shelled turtles. So the only option is to use artificial methods to maintain the temperature in the breeding site, such as injecting spring water, building windbreak walls, and putting up greenhouses.

2. Water quality management

In winter, soft-shelled turtles have stricter water quality requirements than at other times. One of the main reasons is that winter temperatures are low, the water's activity is relatively low, and ammonia nitrogen is very easily produced, which has a huge impact on water quality. Ammonia nitrogen poses a great threat to the growth of soft-shelled turtles, as it can cause gastrointestinal discomfort and rot all over the body. In winter, water cannot be changed frequently because it will affect the water temperature. First, we can plant some plants in the water, as they have a certain effect of purifying water quality. Second, control the pH of the water; an appropriate amount of quicklime can be sprinkled in, which is more conducive to the growth of soft-shelled turtles.

3. Light management

When breeding soft-shelled turtles in winter, many breeders easily overlook the light factor. They think that winter naturally has little light and that wild soft-shelled turtles still live very well, so they also believe that light has no effect on the growth of soft-shelled turtles. In fact, reasonable light can improve the survival rate of soft-shelled turtle breeding in winter, which many people do not know. Generally, at least 6 to 8 hours of light per day is needed, and we can do this by supplementing light in greenhouses.

4. Feeding management

Many people say that in winter soft-shelled turtles hibernate, that is, they enter a dormant state, so there is no need to feed them. In fact, as long as they hibernate, then naturally there is no need to feed them. But this does not mean that once winter comes there is no need to feed them. Usually, soft-shelled turtles enter hibernation only when the water temperature is around 5 degrees. Since we have adjusted the water temperature of the breeding site, then naturally they will not enter hibernation. During this period, they still need to eat and fatten up. But note that in winter soft-shelled turtles eat less than at other times, so feed as much high-nutrient concentrated feed as possible.

5. Disease and pest control

In winter, because water cannot be changed as frequently and thoroughly as usual, it is inevitable that some diseases and pests such as bacteria and parasites will appear. So after each water change, we should sprinkle into the water agents that are harmless to soft-shelled turtles and used to disinfect the water quality. Second, remove the silt from the pond as much as possible, which can reduce pests. Also, feed the feed reasonably to enhance the soft-shelled turtles' own constitution. Finally, add disease-prevention and control agents to the feed for feeding.

The above are the overwintering methods for soft-shelled turtles. I hope they can help all breeders!