How to Select, Choose and Release Softshell Turtle Hatchlings for Breeding? A Detailed Guide to the Methods

The softshell turtle, also known as the Chinese softshell turtle, is what people often call "wangba." Because its meat is delicious and nutritious, it is one of people's favorite nourishing aquatic delicacies. Many times the softshell turtle is regarded as a close relative of the tortoise, but in fact the two are completely different species. Nowadays, however, the softshell turtle, like the tortoise, has many artificial breeding areas, and the varieties are not all the same. Softshell turtle farming starts with the hatchlings, so how do you select and choose softshell turtle hatchlings? How should softshell turtle hatchlings be released and raised? Let's find out together.

Selecting and Choosing Softshell Turtle Hatchlings

China currently has 3 native softshell turtle varieties, namely the Chinese softshell turtle, the mountain softshell turtle and the Yangtze giant softshell turtle, among which the purebred Chinese softshell turtle is the first choice. The softshell turtle hatchlings required for farming should be of good quality: disease-free and injury-free, uniform in size, strong in vitality and bright in body color. Never raise foreign softshell turtles that have not passed customs quarantine or whose origin is unknown.

In addition, when choosing softshell turtle hatchlings, you can analyze the area where the breeding turtle farmer is located and roughly understand the farming model of that region, so as to judge the quality of the breeding turtles there. A healthy breeding turtle can lay eggs 3-7 times a year, with 3-22 eggs each time. By analyzing and judging this data, you can roughly understand the health and output of the breeding turtles. Note that it is generally not recommended for farmers to buy turtle hatchlings that hatched that same day, nor to choose seedlings from inbreeding, as this can effectively improve the survival rate of softshell turtle hatchlings.

Releasing and Raising Softshell Turtle Hatchlings

1. Preparation before stocking

① Pond preparation: The pond area is generally about 5 mu, the pond slope ratio is 1:2, the pond bottom is flat, the silt thickness is about 25 cm, and the water depth is 1.8-2.5 m.

② Water source preparation: The pond water source must be sufficient, the water quality must be good and pollution-free, meeting the water standards for fish farming, with the pH value maintained between 7 and 8.5.

③ Facility preparation: Build anti-escape walls around the pond; for every 200 sq m of pond, use cement boards or wooden boards to build feeding platforms in the pond where the softshell turtles can rest and bask their backs.

Note: Before stocking, it is also necessary to do a good job of pond clearing and disinfection and disinfection of the softshell turtles' bodies.

2. Stocking softshell turtle hatchlings

When stocking, if they are breeding softshell turtles, you can place them against the water surface and let them swim away on their own; if they are hatchlings that have not yet started feeding, you can directly scoop them up with your hands and scatter them into the pond. The stocking density is preferably about 250-300 softshell turtle hatchlings per mu. After the hatchlings are put into the pond, feeding should be stopped for 1-2 days, and appropriate juvenile softshell turtle feed should be prepared.

3. Feed feeding

When putting in the feed, feed at a place 2 cm-3 cm from the water surface to reduce interference with the softshell turtle hatchlings. The feed put in should be controlled so that it is eaten within an hour and a half; in high-temperature seasons, the feed should be given before sunrise and at sunset.

4. Breeding management

The most suitable temperature for softshell turtle growth is 30°C-32°C, and the softshell turtle's food intake is directly proportional to temperature, but the temperature must not exceed 32°C, and the temperature should be kept as stable as possible; inspect every morning and evening to check the anti-escape walls and the situation of predators, and at the same time understand the softshell turtles' feeding and water quality conditions; change the water once every 8-10 days, and each time you change the water, drain 20 cm-25 cm of the water level in the breeding pond, then fill it up again. The water transparency in the breeding pond should be controlled at 30 cm-35 cm.

In summary, raising softshell turtle hatchlings well is not an easy task. The most important thing is to provide them with a quiet, sunny, clean and comfortable growing environment, while mastering the breeding and release techniques well and combining them with later-stage management, so as to achieve a double harvest in both the yield and quality of softshell turtle hatchlings.

For wonderful pictures and texts and popular comments about selecting and breeding softshell turtle hatchlings, you may be interested in the following content recommended by Nongxun Network. Welcome to read.

You may be interested in the following agricultural products: Nationwide high-quality softshell turtle hatchling supply