CATDOLL : CATDOLL: How to raise a small alligator turtle?

How to raise a small alligator turtle?

When raising small alligator turtles, special attention should be paid to the breeding equipment, water quality environment, temperature control, and food feeding to ensure the healthy growth of the small alligator turtles.

1. Feeding equipment

Alligator snapping turtles are very hardy and are not afraid of cold or heat. They are safe in water temperatures of -6°C and can grow normally at 42°C.

It does not have high requirements for breeding conditions and can be raised in tanks, buckets, basins, etc., but it is best to raise it in a pond.

Newly built cement pools must be rinsed with clean water and exposed to the sun for 3 to 5 days before use. When in use, 20 cm of mud and sand should be laid on the bottom of the pool, and a 60 cm high wall should be built around the pool to prevent turtles from escaping.

In addition, a layer of fine sand should be laid between the pool and the wall to allow turtles to come ashore and lay eggs.

2. Feeding Management

Newly hatched baby turtles need to be placed in a container with water temperature of 25℃~30℃. The water should be changed twice a day. After 3 days, they should be fed a mixture of boiled eggs, millet, etc.

They are fed with chopped fish meat, snail meat, animal offal and scraps for about 50 days, and can be transferred to cement pools for breeding after 90 days.

The delicious bait for adult alligator turtles is small fish, shrimp, snail meat, animal scraps, etc. They also eat plant feeds such as cereals and vegetables, but usually animal feed should be the main feed, and attention should be paid to adding a variety of vitamins, trace elements and calcium.

Alligator snapping turtles hibernate in November every year. There is no need to feed or change water at this time, but you must pay attention to keeping warm.

3. Water Quality Management

Small alligator turtles eat a lot and excrete a lot of waste, so the water quality is easily deteriorated. The leftover bait should be removed promptly after each feeding, and the pond bottom should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected when changing the water.

When changing water, pay special attention to the difference between the fresh and old water temperatures, which should not exceed 2-3°C. When heating in winter, the temperature of the water surface and the bottom must be measured, and the temperature difference should not exceed 3-5°C. Otherwise, the turtle is very likely to get sick.

4. Winter management of small alligator turtles

Under natural conditions, small alligator turtles hibernate from November to February of the following year. Under artificial breeding conditions, different methods should be adopted according to the different hatching times of young turtles.

If the young turtles are hatched around July or August, they must be intensively nurtured and fed with a nutritionally complete diet so that they can store more energy and weigh more than 10 grams. By late October, the young turtles will be allowed to hibernate naturally.

If the young turtles are hatched in late September or early October, the substances stored in their bodies cannot meet the energy consumption of the turtles during the long hibernation period. Therefore, heating facilities should be installed to keep the water temperature constant at 28~30℃, so that the young alligator turtles will not hibernate but continue to grow.

Alligator snapping turtles are tolerant to rough food and grow fast. As long as there is water and food, they can grow normally, generally growing 300 grams to 800 grams per year. When the breeding conditions are good, the annual growth rate reaches 450 grams to 1100 grams. It is the fastest growing turtle with the highest meat yield among turtles.

How can I raise a 2-4 cm small alligator snapping turtle?

1. Collection of alligator snapping turtle seedlings

When the snapping turtle hatchling crawls out of its shell, it cannot be taken out immediately. It should be allowed to crawl on the sand for 1 to 3 hours. After the yolk sac of the snapping turtle hatchling is completely absorbed, it can be taken out and placed in shallow water for temporary care. Some turtles have not yet absorbed the yolk sac, and these turtles should be taken extra care to prevent the yolk sac from being scratched and infected by bacteria.

The yellow-shelled young turtles are very delicate, with soft carapaces and plastrons. If placed in a cement pool, it is easy to scratch the plastron, limbs and claws. Therefore, they should be placed in an enamel basin or plastic basin with a water depth of 2 to 4 cm. When adding water, pour it in slowly, not too fast. This will prevent the alligator turtle seedlings from choking on water. Spread fine sand in the basin. Before placing the alligator turtle seedlings in the basin, soak them in 5 mg/L potassium permanganate solution for 5 minutes. After 1 to 2 weeks of temporary care, move them into the cement pool.

3. Feeding of Alligator Snapping Turtle Seedlings

The energy and nutrients required for its early growth and development are completely provided by the yolk. Researchers have found that the yolk of snapping turtles consumes 40-56% in the first week, and the yolk disappears on the 15th and 9th days. Based on this result, when raising young turtles, the changes in the size of the yolk can be observed to infer the utilization of the remaining yolk, thereby determining the date and amount of feeding.

Alligator snapping turtles do not require much sun exposure, so there is no need to worry about this. 1. Food issues for aquatic turtles: The appetite of turtles will increase or decrease with the water temperature. They eat and excrete mostly in the water, and sometimes on the shore. A healthy and disease-free turtle with a water temperature of 25-28 and no less than 22 degrees will look for food in the water to eat. The amount of food to be fed is determined by the size of the turtle's head, and it can be fed once every 1-2 days. Aquatic turtles like to eat raw meat. For the turtle fry, cut fish, shrimp (thawed frozen shrimp), meat, etc. into small pieces and feed them. Do not feed cooked food for humans, seasonings, or large amounts of fat. It is best to feed shrimp meat to supplement calcium and prevent soft nail disease. If you feed dried shrimp, soak it in warm water for 10 minutes, it will be too salty.

2. Water level and water quality: The water level should be at the top of the turtle shell (if it is too low, the turtle shell will dry out and crack easily). Use tap water to connect the water and leave it for a day for the turtle to use. (It is also OK to expose it to the sun for a day) Mainly remove bleach and chlorine

3. Breeding environment issues

You can choose a plastic storage box that is not easy to break and easy to clean, or a glass fish tank to raise turtles (the glass tank can be customized with a ladder for the turtle to climb to create a semi-dry and semi-water environment) (grass turtles, red-eared sliders, and pearl turtles) are amphibians. Put stones, bricks, and other platforms above the water in the breeding box for the turtle to bask in the sun and rest. You can also use bricks to build a turtle nest for the turtle to improve its sense of security.

5. Hibernation has a temperature limit, the most ideal hibernation temperature is between 7-10 degrees. When it is below 15 degrees Celsius, the turtle will enter hibernation. If it is less than 6 cm or has not been raised for 2 years, it cannot hibernate. Buy a heating rod or keep it semi-dry for the winter. If it does not hibernate, keep the water temperature constant at 25-28 degrees. If it is below 22 degrees, it is easy to catch a cold.

1. Semi-dry breeding means soaking the turtle in water 2-3 times a day for about half an hour each time. The water temperature should be warm to the touch. The breeding box must be covered. Leave a small gap for ventilation to keep warm. If there is no heating rod, soak it in water for half an hour until the water is almost cold. Pour the water out and put the turtle in the breeding box. Soak it again after a few hours. Pay attention to the water temperature.

2. Water heating: Placing an electric heating rod in the water is a relatively easy method, but this has a disadvantage, the water cannot be too shallow. If the water is too shallow, you can also use the method of a cylinder: a large cylinder is heated, and a small cylinder is placed in the heated large cylinder. The heating rod has a temperature control adjustment and automatically cuts off the power. The best constant temperature is 25-28 degrees

I am very sad to tell you that such a small turtle can hardly be kept alive if it is not in a breeding factory. But it does not mean that there is no hope for it to survive. As long as you are very careful, it can still survive. Alligator snapping turtles eat meat, whether it is raw or cooked. Put it in a fish tank and add water to just cover its back shell. When the water in the tank is dirty, just change it. Don't put it in the sun and keep it warm in winter.

That thing can grow up just by raising it! From: Turtle Friends Home Windows Phone 8 Client