How much does a Chinese pond turtle cost? A complete guide to keeping them

Among ornamental turtles, the Chinese pond turtle, which symbolizes “good fortune” and “longevity”, sells very well thanks to its sturdy body and handsome knife-carved markings. So what is the current market price of the Chinese pond turtle per turtle? How should it be kept properly?

1. What is the market price of the Chinese pond turtle per turtle?

The Chinese pond turtle is one of the most common turtles in our country, so its price is still fairly affordable, generally around 20-50 yuan each, but it also depends on the quality of the specimen. Ones with slightly better quality cost several dozen to a hundred yuan, and particularly good wild Chinese pond turtles can sell for more than 1000 yuan each!

However, there are now also ones sold online for just a few yuan with free shipping. It all depends on the purpose of keeping them and the quality you are after, since after all, a thousand pieces of gold cannot buy the love in your heart!

2. How do you keep a Chinese pond turtle?

1. Choose a suitable turtle tank

Suitable here mainly refers to size. Generally, the most suitable ratio between the tank for keeping a Chinese pond turtle and the size of the turtle is 5:1. If you do not want to buy a tank, you can also replace it with a relatively safe plastic storage box.

2. Choose a healthy pond turtle

If you want to keep a Chinese pond turtle well, then when buying one you need to pay attention to whether it is healthy. Choose a Chinese pond turtle that is willing to go into the water and swims fairly steadily, has no obvious parasites or skin erosion in the armpits of its limbs, and has the urge to eat.

3. Make sure the water quality is safe

It is not recommended to use directly tapped tap water to keep a Chinese pond turtle. First leave the tap water in the sun for 2 days to remove chlorine, then put the pond turtle into the tank. Of course, you can also buy a filter, which is more convenient.

4. Provide reasonable food

Like other turtles, the Chinese pond turtle is an omnivore and can be fed both meat and vegetables and fruits. Specifically, you can refer to:

(1) Animal feed: small fish, small shrimp, snails, mussels, earthworms, maggots, pork, beef, the livers of poultry and fish, etc.

(2) Plant feed: stems and leaves of green vegetables, aquatic plants, small pieces of fruit, etc.

Note that foods containing salt and foods with a high starch content should not be fed to pond turtles, as they can cause liver and kidney damage.

5. Disease prevention and control

The best prevention and control method is to regularly disinfect the tank and add an appropriate amount of oxytetracycline to the food you feed.

Warm reminder: It is now winter, exactly the period when pond turtles hibernate. Their hibernation period is relatively long, generally lasting from mid-November to early April of the following year. During this period the pond turtle is in a state of fasting, so keepers just should not disturb them too much.

In addition, if there is a pregnant woman or a very young infant in the home, it is recommended not to keep pond turtles, or to have these people avoid contact with Chinese pond turtles as much as possible to prevent infection with bacteria.