CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Can alligator snapping turtles be kept together with scavenger turtles?

Can alligator snapping turtles be kept together with scavenger turtles?

It is recommended not to raise them together. The snapping turtle has a strong bite force and the scavenger will be bitten to death by the snapping turtle. If you really want to raise them together, you can put the snapping turtle on the upper layer and the scavenger on the lower layer, with a wire mesh in the middle. Or you can feed the snapping turtle, then put the scavenger in, and then take the scavenger out later, because the scavenger can help the turtle eat the old skin on its body.

The alligator snapping turtle is the most ferocious of alligator species. Adult alligator snapping turtles are aggressive and can actively attack people, while juveniles weighing 20 to 40 grams are more docile and will not actively hurt people. They are very easy to raise, have strong adaptability, and are not prone to illness.

The scavenger fish gets its name because it likes to eat leftover bait and dirt in the aquarium and thus purifies the water. It is also known as the sucker fish and the sucking catfish. Its scientific name is the armored catfish. It is native to the rivers of South America and can often be seen in Central America.

Additional information:

Alligator snapping turtle diet recommendations

The alligator snapping turtle has no special requirements for food, but it is a very dangerous turtle. Do not try to hold the food in your hand and let it bite, because this is an extremely dangerous action. When choosing the food for the alligator snapping turtle, try to make it suit its appetite.

In natural conditions, feed once a day in early spring and early winter, and feed at noon when the temperature is high. The period from late spring to late autumn is the peak feeding season for turtles. Feed twice a day, preferably at 9-10 a.m. and 4-5 p.m., 40% of the total feed in the morning and 60% in the afternoon. Feed on the slope or in the corner of the pond, or set a wooden board under the water on the slope to place the feed.

Once you feed in a fixed place, do not change it frequently. Feed should be eaten within 90 to 150 minutes. If it cannot finish eating, feed less next time. Feed larger turtles more and smaller turtles less. Generally, the amount of feed should account for 3 to 5% of the turtle's body weight. They eat less in spring and autumn and more in summer.

There are many types of feeds, and compound feeds are also acceptable. But be careful, large ones should be cut into small pieces, and hard ones should be softened with water. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Young turtles should be fed more nutritious feeds, and cut as finely as possible to facilitate digestion. Do not feed spoiled feeds. You can also mix them with some plant feeds, such as fruits, etc.

It is recommended to use green feed for alligator snapping turtles (protein content of more than 48%). When preparing, weigh the ingredients on site, add 5% to 10% of the total weight of photosynthetic bacteria and about 45% of clean water, and make long particles with a particle size of 2 mm to 3 mm. If conditions permit, make floating expanded granular feed for better results.

The amount of compound feed fed is 1.5%~2.5% of the total body weight of the snapping turtle, and 5%~10% of fresh feed. Feed three times a day, at 6~7 am, 12~13 pm, and 17~18 pm. Feed more and evenly, and try to make the feed make a sound when entering the water. Avoid concentrating the feed in one place, causing the feed to pile up. The number of feed tables per pool should be determined according to the size of the pool, generally 3~4 per square meter.

Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia - Alligator snapping turtle

How did the history of the true jawed turtle evolve?

At present, the price of adult alligator snapping turtles has gradually declined. Some turtle breeding companies believe that the development prospects of the alligator snapping turtle breeding industry are not optimistic. Is this really the case?

Alligator turtles belong to the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae of the order Testudinata of the class Testudinata. It is one of the more primitive and specialized species of turtles in the world, also known as flatback turtle, meat turtle, snake snapping turtle and alligator turtle. Its carapace is brown, and each scutellum has a thorn-like protrusion, and the rear edge is serrated. The plastron is small, cross-shaped, yellow, and the bridge is short and wide. The head is triangular, brown, with a hooked upper beak, and the head cannot be completely retracted into the shell. There are thorns on the neck. The limbs are gray-brown, with well-developed webbed fingers and toes. The tail is long, with a row of thorn-like hard spines in the center. It is found in the vast area of ​​Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, the United States and the five Great Lakes in southern Canada, with more in the United States. The main species are large alligator turtles and small alligator turtles, and the small alligator turtle is divided into 4 subspecies.

Alligator snapping turtles are aquatic turtles that live in freshwater lakes, rivers, swamps and pools. They can survive normally in water temperatures of 3-45℃, can forage normally above 18℃, are most active in water temperatures of 20-33℃, grow fastest in water temperatures of 28-31℃, rarely move above 34℃, lie on the bottom of the water or in the mud to avoid the heat, and hibernate below 15℃. They are omnivorous and can be fed pork, beef, poultry offal, apples, vegetable leaves and artificial compound feed under artificial breeding conditions. They grow fast. Under natural temperature, it usually takes 3 years to grow into a commercial turtle. The growth rate is twice that of a turtle, and the average annual weight gain is 300-800 grams. However, the growth rate is faster under artificial temperature control, and the average annual weight gain is 1.5-2.0kg. The sexual maturity period is short and the egg-laying rate is high. It usually takes 3 years for wild alligator snapping turtles to mature and lay eggs, while artificially raised alligator snapping turtles begin to mature and lay eggs at 18 months or when they grow to more than 1,000 grams. The natural mating period is from April to May and from September to October each year, and the peak egg-laying period is from April to July. A 5,500-gram alligator turtle can lay 70-80 eggs, and a 3,000-gram alligator turtle can lay 30 eggs (Ye Rongtai, 2007). Since the plastron of the alligator turtle is very small and the exposed part of the armpit is large, it contains more meat and has a high meat content rate (Ye Rongtai, 2007), which is much higher than that of soft-shelled turtles and other turtles. In summary, the alligator turtle has a broader breeding prospect and economic benefits than other turtles.

1. Development history of the alligator snapping turtle market in my country

In 1996 and 1997, a small number of snapping turtles were introduced into China as ornamental pet turtles, mainly snapping turtle seedlings and juveniles. However, due to the single color of snapping turtles, people did not realize that snapping turtles have the advantage of fast growth, so the domestic market price was relatively low, and each snapping turtle seedling was sold for only 30-40 yuan.

In 1998, after more than half a year of breeding, some breeders and turtle enthusiasts discovered that alligator turtles not only grow fast, but also have the characteristics of simple breeding technology and high meat content. In addition, the Chinese soft-shelled turtle market was declining and prices were falling at the time. Some Chinese soft-shelled turtle breeders were looking for suitable similar breeding projects. Alligator turtles and Chinese soft-shelled turtles have similar breeding methods and pond requirements. Therefore, many Chinese soft-shelled turtle breeders turned to breeding alligator turtles, which caused a sudden increase in the market demand for alligator turtles and prices also rose accordingly. The market price of alligator turtle seedlings rose to 70-90 yuan each, and the price of adults reached 400-500 yuan per kilogram.

By 1999, after more than half a year of breeding, the alligator snapping turtle seedlings weighed 900-1000g, and the breeders benefited greatly. In addition, with the help of media publicity, the price of alligator snapping turtles rose again, with each alligator snapping turtle seedling costing as much as 100-120 yuan, and an adult alligator snapping turtle costing 500-560 yuan per kilogram. In addition, the supply was insufficient and demand exceeded supply.

In the spring of 2000, farmers, farms, and even some state-owned aquaculture farms in various places have selected alligator turtles as their investment projects in 2000, resulting in a shortage of alligator turtles in the market, causing the prices of alligator turtle seedlings and breeding alligator turtles to rise again. In July 2000, the price of alligator turtle seedlings was 150-170 yuan per piece, and the price of breeding alligator turtles reached 540-600 yuan per kilogram. The market for alligator turtles in my country has always been ups and downs. In the first few years of introduction, breeding turtles were the main products, and their prices were relatively high. Later, after the alligator turtles were grown, they were tasted in Guangdong, Beijing and other places. They were found to be delicious and high in meat content. They were accepted by high-end restaurants and launched at high prices. After CCTV focused on promoting alligator turtles, a craze for breeding alligator turtles swept across the country. Since then, the Ministry of Agriculture of China has selected alligator turtles as one of the promotional varieties, bringing alligator turtle breeding to a new level.

Under the influence of the macro-economy, the alligator turtle seedlings entered a temporary trough in 2004, and the alligator turtle market rose again in 2005. At this time, with the gradual maturity of alligator turtle breeding technology and the market, the commercial alligator turtles raised were profitable, which stimulated the alligator turtle seedling market to rise again and again in 2006. In the end, each alligator turtle seedling was shipped to the United States for US$13 and sold to Chinese breeders for RMB 130, pushing the alligator turtle market to its historical peak.

In 2007, the price of snapping turtle seedlings dropped slightly, but the decline was not large. The price of each snapping turtle seedling to farmers was 100-110 yuan, and the price of snapping turtle parents rose slightly. The price of snapping turtles that can lay eggs is about 150 yuan/500g. At present, the market price of commercial snapping turtles is basically stable at around 55 yuan for commercial snapping turtles with specifications above 4.5kg, and the price of artificial compound feed used for breeding snapping turtles is 10,000-11,000 yuan per ton. Since the snapping turtle was introduced to China from the United States at the end of the last century, it has taken root in my country through the hard work of breeders and scientific researchers and the correct guidance of government departments at all levels. At present, its breeding technology is becoming more and more mature, and the snapping turtle is very popular in the market for its unique taste.

2. Several prominent issues restricting the development of alligator snapping turtle breeding industry

Artificial breeding technology for turtles is not mature yet

Fishery research institutes and turtle seedling breeding enterprises have done research on the physiological characteristics and genetic traits of turtles and stone turtles, but have done little research on other species. Although there have been artificial breeding and breeding technology data, they are not in-depth and systematic. The artificial breeding technology of turtles is still immature and the pace of research needs to be accelerated.

The artificial reproduction capacity (fertilization rate, hatching rate, and survival rate) of alligator snapping turtles is low. Specifically, the low reproduction capacity of alligator snapping turtles is manifested in the low productivity of mature female turtles, and usually only 50% of female turtles lay eggs. In addition, the fertilization rate is low, less than 70%. The hatching rate is unstable, often less than 80%, and the winter survival rate of young turtles is low, less than 70%. Alligator snapping turtles have relatively harsh requirements for environmental conditions and have strong regional characteristics. Their reproductive capacity is often seriously affected by the inability to adapt to environmental conditions. Low reproductive capacity has seriously restricted the large-scale production of turtle seedlings and the development of the industrialization of alligator snapping turtle breeding.

Backward breeding technology and equipment

At present, some units are still using earthen ponds to raise turtles, and some are using turtle greenhouses. They have not carried out technical transformation and have not built multifunctional "ecological" greenhouses with automatic environmental monitoring, automatic recording, and automatic control, which are often not suitable for the growth requirements of alligator turtles.

The specialization and scale of snapping turtle farming are not enough

At present, alligator snapping turtle farming has not yet reached the level of specialization and scale. There is no alligator snapping turtle farming enterprise group integrating scientific research, breeding, processing and sales. It is also impossible to rely on scientific and technological progress, modern management, large-scale mass production and fine and deep processing of alligator snapping turtles. There is no reliable market network information.

The comprehensive utilization rate of snapping turtles is low

At present, the main sales targets of snapping turtles are restaurants or hotels, and commercial turtles are sold in scattered and sporadic whole pieces. For medical research institutes, pharmaceutical factories, aquatic product processing plants and other units, it is impossible to collect a large number of fresh and cheap discarded snapping turtles, and the cost of directly purchasing a large number of commercial snapping turtles to replace their discards is too high and unbearable. The purpose of comprehensive utilization has not been achieved, and the value of snapping turtles has not been fully reflected.

3. Development trend of snapping turtle breeding

The economic value of snapping turtles is comparable to that of ostriches. In the United States, ostrich meat costs $100 per kilogram, while snapping turtle meat can reach $150-180 per kilogram. At the same time, it has high yield, high output value, and high fertility. According to statistics, from a young turtle with an average size of 26.1g, after more than 8 months of breeding, the average weight of each turtle is 624g, and the net yield is 12.5kg/O. According to the current market price, the output value is as high as more than 6,000 yuan/O, and the output and output value are far higher than ordinary aquaculture. Foreign countries have begun large-scale breeding in 1998. International markets such as the United States and Canada are already mature.

my country's alligator turtle farming industry has grown from nothing to something, from small to large, in just over a decade. It has only taken a few years for alligator turtle farming to reach its peak and then develop steadily. Its development speed is very fast. At present, the price of adult alligator turtles has gradually declined. Some turtle farming companies believe that the development prospects of alligator turtle farming are not optimistic. In fact, it is not the case. The current price of alligator turtles is normal, and with the increase in the production of alligator turtles, the price of alligator turtles has a trend of gradual decline, which is also normal. In the early stage of alligator turtle farming, due to the small number of alligator turtles, the price is bound to rise. Especially in the "alligator turtle farming fever" stage in the past few years, the price of alligator turtles soared, which is an abnormal phenomenon. From the perspective of the market economy, this phenomenon only exists in the primary stage of the development of alligator turtle farming. This primary stage has ended.

Now the alligator turtle breeding industry has entered the intermediate stage of development. It is urgent to create a platform for the production and supply of fine varieties, the demonstration and promotion of healthy breeding technology, and the processing, circulation and sales of commercial alligator turtles, explore potential, integrate resources, and improve supporting infrastructure.

First, speed up breeding and supply alligator turtle breeding stock; second, expand the production of alligator seedlings, improve the quality of alligator seedlings, and solve the bottleneck problem of large-scale development of alligator turtle breeding. Third, through the "company + base + fishery and farmers" business model, through the demonstration of healthy alligator turtle breeding, provide technical services for alligator turtle farmers, and extend the industrial chain through "seedling supply-technical guidance-product-sales-processing and utilization", increase product added value, gather farmers to promote healthy turtle breeding technology, large-scale turtle breeding production behavior, and create famous brands. Increase farmers' income and strengthen industry competitiveness. Only in this way can we promote the breeding industry to gradually move towards industrialization, standardization, and scale.

The current price of alligator snapping turtles is normal, and with the increase in alligator snapping turtle production, the price has a tendency to gradually decline, which is also normal. The initial profiteering stage of alligator snapping turtles has ended.