Golden-headed Turtle

The golden-headed turtle's scientific name is the yellow-margined box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata), and it also has other common names such as yellow-board turtle, snake-clamping turtle, and broken-board turtle. In China it is mainly distributed in Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangxi, Guangdong and other places. Abroad, it is mainly distributed in Japan.

1. Morphological characteristics

The golden-headed turtle's carapace is dark red, with a high raised center and pale yellow ridge ridges; each scute has fine concentric circular lines. The carapace margin, scutes and plastron are all yellow, hence the name "yellow-margined box turtle." The plastron is black with no spots. The top of the head is pale olive, and above the eye socket there is a golden-yellow stripe that extends from thin to thick toward the neck; the left and right stripes meet at the top of the head and connect to form a U-shaped stripe, with the sides pale yellow. The limbs are yellowish brown with relatively large scales. The tail is brown and short. Because the yellow color on its head is quite conspicuous, most people call it the "golden-headed turtle."

2. Distinguishing male from female

The golden-headed turtle can only be sexed once an individual weighs 150 grams. The plastrons of both males and females are flat. The female's back is less raised, the rear edge of the plastron is slightly semicircular, and the tail is short. The male's carapace is more highly and elongatedly raised, the base of the tail is thicker, and the cloacal opening is farther from the rear edge of the carapace. In addition, among golden-headed turtles of the same age, females are larger than males.

3. Key points for raising

Because the golden-headed turtle is a semi-aquatic turtle, it cannot live in deep water. The rearing pond should be set up in a way that provides both water and land, and the water depth must not exceed 2/3 of the height of its carapace, so that the turtle does not float in the water. A single rearing pond should not be too large; about 25 sq m is sufficient. The pond should have a feeding platform and a resting area, and a breeding pond should also have an egg-laying area. A 50 cm high escape-proof wall should be built around the rearing pond. The golden-headed turtle likes to eat animal-based foods such as fish and shrimp, @#@254@#@, yellow mealworms, snails and mussels, as well as plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, barley, corn and sorghum. According to the manager of a turtle and soft-shelled turtle farm in Lunjiao, Shunde, in addition to feeding frozen fresh food, farms in Shunde District should also choose relatively economical plant-based feed according to the seasonal availability of fruits and vegetables, such as plantains and apples, and feed 1 to 2 times a day; in spring and autumn, feeding can be done around noon, while in summer it can be done before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. The daily feeding amount should be determined according to factors such as season, weather, feed quality and turtle size, and is generally 5%-10% of the turtle's body weight. In addition, the feeding situation of the golden-headed turtle should be carefully observed every day, and if too much leftover feed is found, the feeding amount should be adjusted in time. Compound vitamins and disease-prevention drugs should also be added to the feed regularly.

4. Key points for management

First, keep the rearing environment clean. The golden-headed turtle prefers a clean living environment, so the sanitation of the rearing pond should be checked regularly every day, and water should be changed and rinsed to keep the environment clean.

Second, insulation measures can be taken in winter. In early November each year, if some insulation measures are not taken, the golden-headed turtle will gradually enter hibernation. Fluorescent lamps can be used to heat the rearing pond, shortening the golden-headed turtle's hibernation period and thereby extending its growth period. In addition, by the end of October, a black shade net can be used to enclose the rearing pond to prevent cold air from entering and to keep the temperature difference between morning and evening from becoming too large. The shade net is generally gradually removed in April or May of the following year.

Third, do a good job of disease prevention and control. According to the manager, the golden-headed turtle fears both heat and cold and may show symptoms similar to colds and fever, so management of the golden-headed turtle should be strengthened during periods of extreme heat and severe cold. In addition, during the rearing process, attention should be paid to preventing and treating infectious diseases of the golden-headed turtle. Once they are found stretching out their heads and gasping for air, they should be examined in time and treated with the right medicine.

5. Market conditions

At present, the price of golden-headed turtle hatchlings is fairly good. A golden-headed turtle hatchling of about 10 grams can sell for 300 yuan each, and commercial turtles sell for about 500 yuan per jin. However, it takes more than 5 years for a golden-headed turtle to grow to a size of over 1 jin, which shows that its rearing time is relatively long, but the older the golden-headed turtle, the higher the price.

The manager told this author that the quality of the golden-headed turtle mainly depends on its appearance: the pattern on the carapace should be relatively clear and neat, and the shell margin should be intact with no damage. Second is their activity level: when placed on the ground to crawl, they should be agile and have a good posture. In addition, among turtles of the same age, those with a relatively larger body size tend to have better growth quality. Generally, golden-headed turtles raised for ornamental purposes should be selected for relatively good appearance, while if they are intended for cooking, the requirements for their appearance are relatively less strict, so the price is also slightly lower.