Key Points and Methods of Golden-Headed Turtle Breeding Technology Explained in Detail

The golden-headed turtle (yellow-margined box turtle) has delicious, savory meat that surpasses that of the golden coin turtle; it is a premium tonic, and its plastron can be processed into many kinds of Chinese patent medicines. The golden-headed turtle has an antique, classic look and high ornamental value, and is a high-grade animal for export. Golden-headed turtles are simple to raise, have a high reproduction rate, grow quickly, require little investment, and yield good economic returns. For this reason, an introduction to the characteristics and breeding technology of the golden-headed turtle is provided here.

Biological Characteristics

The golden-headed turtle, commonly known as the yellow-margined box turtle, originated in the region south of the Yangtze River basin. Its head is smooth and scaleless, with a broad golden-yellow arc-shaped stripe behind the eye, hence the name golden-headed turtle. Interestingly, the plastron and the carapace are not connected at either end; like a hinge, they close and open up and down. When encountering enemies or when startled, the head, tail, and four limbs all retract into the shell, not exposing a bit of skin or flesh. The golden-headed turtle is semi-aquatic, fond of dwelling in water, and dives to the bottom when startled, but it can also survive away from water for long periods. This turtle has a habit of living in groups, at least two dwelling together in a burrow, and sometimes seven or eight. From November each year to March of the following year is hibernation; it begins to come out and move about in April. In changing-temperature seasons it moves little during the day. Individuals of the same species do not fight each other and do not bite people. When the temperature is below 20°C, it basically does not eat; it begins to eat at 24°C. From June to October is the peak feeding period; in November the temperature drops, eating gradually decreases, until

it stops eating and enters hibernation. Feeding generally occurs from evening to the next morning. It has a wide diet; in the wild it mainly feeds on insects, snails, and tender plants. Under artificial breeding conditions, it mainly feeds on animal-based feed such as small fish and shrimp, snails, earthworms, and maggots, supplemented with plant-based feed. It can gain 250 grams in weight per year.

The golden-headed turtle has the ability to kill snakes; it uses its upper and lower closing shell plates to clamp a snake to death, then bites it apart and eats it, hence it is also called the snake-eating turtle. This turtle is extremely intelligent; even after decades, it will still crawl back to its old home. Artificially tamed golden-headed turtles will not run away even when placed in a courtyard, and when strangers come they will make a tapping sound to alert their owner.

Construction of the Breeding Site

Golden-headed turtles can be raised dry or semi-dry. For dry raising, a circle can be enclosed with wooden boards indoors, in a corner of a courtyard, or on a balcony. A low wall 50 cm high can also be built with cement or brick and stone, with the wall surface smoothed flat to prevent the turtles from escaping. If raised in a pond, build a water pool along one side or in the middle within the enclosure wall, able to hold water 25 cm or more deep. There is a drainage hole in the pool, normally closed. For dry raising, set up several water basins. The turtle enclosure should be spread with 10-20 cm of thick sand to facilitate egg-laying by female turtles. The turtle enclosure should be built in a place sheltered from the wind and facing the sun, with ample water, not easily polluted, and secluded with shade. Even for dry raising, the turtle site should be rinsed with water frequently to keep it clean. The size of the enclosure can be determined according to the scale of breeding.

Feeding and Management

1. Breeding density: Indoor and outdoor breeding densities are the same. Generally, per square meter of site and water surface, stock 3-4 groups of adult turtles (200-250 grams and above) (each group 1 male and 2 females); 10-20 small turtles; 15-30 juvenile turtles; 30-50 hatchling turtles.

2. Feed

① Feed varieties: Mainly small fish and shrimp, shellfish, earthworms, silkworm pupae, moths, insects, frogs, and all kinds of animal meat and organs, supplemented with five grains and miscellaneous cereals, fruits and vegetables, and duckweed, raw or cooked. Large pieces should be chopped up, and dirty matter should be washed clean. When feeding five grains and miscellaneous cereals raw, they should first be soaked until soft.

② Feeding amount: Feed once a day, each feeding about 7%-10% of the turtle's body weight, appropriately increased in summer.

③ Feeding time: In spring and autumn, when temperatures are lower, feed at noon. In summer, feed before 9 a.m. and after 7 p.m. The feed placement point should be fixed for a long time.

④ Feed nutrition: Feed more feed rich in protein and easy to digest, as well as various vitamins. Every 10 days, add an appropriate amount of livestock and poultry growth promoter to the feed 1-2 times, to increase egg production and fertilization rate.

3. Overwintering management: Below 13°C it enters hibernation. In one corner of the turtle enclosure, cover with warm-keeping materials or wet sand, straw, rags, and old clothes and quilts, then cover on top with materials to protect against rain and snow, keeping the temperature above 0°C. For outdoor breeding, cover with plastic film to prevent freezing. It can also be transferred indoors into jars, basins, buckets, and other containers for temporary overwintering. But these containers should also be covered with warm-keeping materials, and checked once every 7 days. If too dry and the turtle's body turns white, sprinkle with water. The water temperature should be the same as the overwintering site temperature, with no more than 3°C difference up or down.

4. Reproduction and Incubation

① Reproduction: Turtles with a body weight of 200-250 grams and above have reproductive capacity. To increase the reproduction rate, it is best to use 1 male and 1 female as a breeding group. Male turtles are slightly longer in body shape, with a slightly lower and narrower back; female turtles are slightly rounder in body shape, with a higher and wider back. Mating begins in mid-April, and the egg-laying period is from May to September. Female turtles lay 3-7 eggs each time, 3-4 times a year. The eggs are white and oval-shaped, with the largest egg weighing 36 grams.

② Incubation: Use a wooden box with several small holes drilled in the bottom to facilitate water drainage. Spread 3 cm of thick wet sand in the box, arrange the turtle eggs in order on the sand, tilted at a 45-degree angle, with the large end up and the small end down, with eggs about 3 cm apart. Cover the eggs with 3 cm of wet sand, then place a second layer of eggs, likewise covering with wet sand and covering with a lid to retain moisture. Check once every 2-3 days. If dry, sprinkle a small amount of clean water to retain moisture. At temperatures of 22°C-38°C, they generally hatch in about 60 days. After hatching, the hatchlings will push themselves out of the sand and crawl to the top. After the umbilical cord falls off, place them in a 5000-fold potassium permanganate solution for disinfection for 5 minutes, then place them in a shallow water basin for temporary rearing for half a month. Feed cooked egg yolk or chopped earthworms, change the water once every two days, keep the water quality fresh, then transfer to dry or semi-dry raising.

5. Disease prevention and control: Golden-headed turtles generally do not fall ill. But feeding non-fresh feed or neglecting hygiene in summer can cause gastroenteritis, which can be treated by injecting chloramphenicol, with a dosage of 0.2 grams for a turtle weighing 500 grams, or by feeding 1/4 tablet of norfloxacin mixed with chopped pig lung. If a turtle catches a cold in winter or spring, add cefalexin, moroxydine, or SMZ to the feed, using 1/3 tablet per 500 grams of turtle; or inject 15,000 units of micronomicin.

When raising young turtles, care must be taken to prevent enemies such as rats, dogs, and cats, and to prevent toxic substances from contaminating the food. Toxic drugs must not be applied within the breeding site, and contact of strong acids and strong alkalis with the turtle's body must be prevented.