CATDOLL : CATDOLL: How to raise alligator snapping turtles and what should you pay attention to when raising them?

How to raise alligator snapping turtles and what should you pay attention to when raising them?

In some states in the United States where they are not naturally distributed, such as California, it is generally prohibited to keep them. Many people abandon them in pools or rivers because they don't want to keep this ferocious pet anymore. In August 2012, when the National Chung Hsing University in Taichung, Taiwan, was cleaning the silt of Zhongxing Lake, they found two alligator turtles that were released before 2002. Because there was enough food in the lake, the alligator turtles grew to half a meter long and 20 kilograms. These practices will harm the native species in the release area, so they must not be released. First of all, it should be emphasized that the alligator turtle is a very timid animal. Don't be confused by its ferocious appearance. The newly bought alligator turtle should be placed in a quiet and dark place to let it adapt for a period of time and let it get familiar with the surrounding environment. Pay special attention to avoiding vibration as much as possible. The alligator turtle is particularly sensitive to vibration.

It is normal for the alligator snapping turtle not to eat when it is first brought in. Most turtles need to start eating first. The alligator snapping turtle must be fed with live things, such as live small fish and small loaches. When you see it start to open its mouth to fish, it is considered a success. But if you feed it raw meat right away, it seems that no alligator snapping turtle will eat it. I have raised alligator snapping turtles for 11 years, and I have never seen one eat raw meat at the beginning. Although the alligator snapping turtle is a deep-water turtle, it also needs to bask in the sun, which will have a great effect on the absorption of nutrients in the carapace. It is a highly aquatic turtle, which is good, but it cannot swim. The captured alligator snapping turtle will only crawl on the bottom of the water. So the water cannot be too deep, otherwise it will drown. The water depth is generally two to three times the height of its carapace. The water temperature is around 28 degrees, which is the most suitable temperature for its growth.

Also, the alligator snapping turtle itself doesn't like to move, it's just like that, it's normal. If you have ever raised a leaf turtle, you will find that it is even lazier than the alligator snapping turtle. Another thing is that you can't judge its age by the length of its carapace. Its growth rate depends entirely on how much it is fed, and the more it is fed, the faster it grows. So its growth is not completely proportional to time.

1. Space: Alligator snapping turtles are large in size. If they do not have sufficient living space, they will not grow too large when they grow up. If the space is small, they will reduce their activity and are prone to fat accumulation and obesity.

2. Sunbathing: Although alligator snapping turtles are aquatic turtles, it is best to expose them to the sun regularly if they are kept at home. This can not only improve their own immunity, but also kill most bacteria and avoid infection or disease.

3. Water temperature: Alligator snapping turtles have strong adaptability, but prefer a slightly higher water temperature. Keepers need to control the water temperature at around 28°C and pay attention to the temperature difference when changing water. Because a large temperature difference can easily cause them to have cold symptoms, and in severe cases, it can cause pneumonia and other conditions.

Alligator snapping turtles are an introduced species.

It's a very ferocious animal.

It should be easy to raise.

Just give them water and food.

What are the turtles?

The types of turtles can be simply divided into three categories: aquatic turtles, terrestrial turtles and semi-aquatic turtles. Representative species include red-eared sliders, alligator snapping turtles and Chinese tortoises. Some turtles are terrestrial, a few live in the ocean, and the rest live in fresh water. They feed on fresh plants or small animals, or both. They can tolerate fasting for a long time.

In animal taxonomy, it belongs to the class Reptilia, order Testudinata, and family Testudinidae. It is one of the common Testudinata animals and is an ancient reptile that still exists. It is characterized by a very strong shell on its body. When attacked, the turtle can retract its head, tail and limbs into the shell (except for sea turtles and alligator turtles).

Most turtles are carnivorous, feeding on worms, snails, shrimps and small fish, as well as the stems and leaves of plants.

Additional information:

During the hibernation period, the turtle enters a dormant state and stops growing. The carapace scutes also almost stop growing, and the concentric rings formed are narrow and dense. Such sparse and dense concentric rings are similar to the calculation of tree age by tree rings. When a growth ring stops during a winter, a growth ring appears.

In this way, the age of the turtle can be determined by the number of concentric rings on the scutes, and then 1 is added to get the actual age of the turtle. This method can only be used when the concentric rings on the turtle's carapace are clear.

A turtle's annual rings are relatively clear before the age of 10. Shortly after the baby turtle is born, some radial lines can be seen on the hard skin outside the shield in the center of its carapace. There are no circular rings. The number of rings on the carapace indicates the turtle's age. The older it is, the harder it is to identify with the naked eye, and it can only be estimated based on the turtle's weight.

The common types are as follows:

The Brazilian red-eared slider is a subspecies of the painted turtle of the family Testudinidae. It is a semi-aquatic turtle. Because it has two thick red stripes on both sides of the back of its head, it is also called the red-eared slider. It is an excellent variety among turtles. It is native to America and has high edible, medicinal and ornamental value, and is very suitable for artificial breeding. The alligator snapping turtle is the oldest existing reptile, one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, and is known as the king of freshwater animals. It is divided into two major species, commonly known as the big alligator and the small alligator. The big alligator is also known as the true alligator turtle (produced in the southeastern United States of North America), and the small alligator is also known as the pseudo-alligator turtle. There are four subspecies, namely North America, Florida, South America, and Central America. The most common ones are North America and Florida, among which Florida is more expensive due to some human reasons. Because of its large size and strong aggressiveness, it has few natural enemies except for the alligator. It once lost its habitat due to human hunting and was listed as an endangered species by the World Conservation Union. Later, because of its high ornamental value and strong adaptability, it is deeply favored by domestic turtle enthusiasts. Chinese soft-shell turtle is the most widely distributed and most numerous turtle in my country. Its whole body is a treasure, and it is regarded as a top-grade food and medicine in "Shennong's Herbal Classic" and "Compendium of Materia Medica". China has always regarded it as a symbol of health and longevity. In the international market, Chinese soft-shell turtle is very popular. People in Japan, the Philippines, Europe and the United States regard it as a symbol of "good luck and longevity". Yellow-throated turtle Yellow-throated turtle is a reptile of the genus Turtles in the family Testudinidae. It is distributed in Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan Island, and the eastern and southern parts of mainland China, Hainan, and west to Yunnan. It is commonly found in the waters of mountain basins or river valleys in hilly areas and semi-mountainous areas, and often in nearby small bushes or grass.