Muscovy keeled turtle
The musk keeled reptile belongs to the silt family and the musk genus. The length of an adult individual can reach up to 12.5 centimeters. They have a brown-olive color - a keel runs through the center of the reptile, thanks to which the turtle got its name. The plastron of the reptile is made in a yellow-brown eye-catching color. There are dark spots on the head, while it is brown itself. Warty growths are present on the lower part of the jaw of this species. Males are distinguished by a long tail, something resembling a claw. The females have a much shorter tail.
Turtles live in the USA. They prefer swampy areas with rivers, lakes, in which there will be a slow current and a uniform bottom. Such turtles are able not to rise up for a long time, while consuming the oxygen dissolved in the liquid, which they consume through the oral cavity. The main delicacies of the reptile are aquatic plants, mollusks and crustaceans.
reproduction
The animal becomes an adult when it is two years old. Mating time begins in mid-March and ends in June. Pregnancy in a female usually lasts about two months, after which the female does not dig a hole, as many reptiles do, but lays her offspring on the surface of the substrate. Up to 6 eggs can be present in one clutch, the further incubation of which is from 3 to 4 months.
The turtle is able to bite a person quite painfully, which is facilitated by sharp teeth and a large neck length. This neck allows the turtle to reach its hind legs. In addition, the animal is able to emit a pungent odor thanks to a pair of musk glands. The advantage of these turtles is that they can be kept in groups without any problems. Between them, conflicts will arise only during feeding. The dimensions of the aquarium required for keeping this type of reptile are 50x70x50 cm. The liquid should occupy up to 90 percent of the bottom area, while the rest of it should remain above the water.
The water level should be kept at around 40-45 cm. You will rarely see turtles come up, as they will spend most of their time walking along its bottom. You should consider a quality water renewal system, because it will get dirty quite often. Experts advise replacing the water every 2-3 days. Preference should be given to small aquarium filters, as large ones can cause some discomfort for reptiles during operation. A couple of times a week, new water should be added to the aquarium to replace the one that has evaporated. The ambient temperature should be in the range of 22-25 degrees, while the air temperature in the room should be kept at 25 degrees.
Nutrition
You can feed the turtle at home with special foods: frozen bloodworm, shrimp and balanced dry food.
We can offer you Bloodworm "Marlin Aquarium"(http://marlin-shop.ru/product/zamorozhennye-korma-dlya-ryb/5860), special dry food for turtles "AQUAV Turtle stick"(http://marlin-shop.ru/product/zamorozhennye-korma-dlya-ryb1/5667).
Buy Wisely
If you like the musk keeled turtle, you can buy it from our online store. Do not forget that before making a purchase, you need to prepare an aquarium and all the conditions for the existence of a reptile.
"Stinky" or "Smelly Jim" - these unflattering names belong to one of the smallest turtles living on the North American continent. When threatened, the musk turtle shoots a viscous secretion with a pungent odor.
Description of the musk turtle
The reptile belongs to the genus Musk (Sternotherus / Kinosternon) and represents the family Mud turtles (Kinosternidae). The latter, with differing morphology, have one common feature - a powerful large head with "steel" jaws, easily crushing the shells of medium-sized mollusks.
Important! Musk turtles are distinguished from the rest of the planet by a characteristic detail of the exterior - chains of growths on the skin (along the throat and neck), resembling papillomas. Other types of warts are absent.
In addition, the reptile is included in the suborder Hidden-necked turtles, the name of which is given by the way the head is pulled into the carapace: the musk turtle folds its neck in the shape of the Latin letter “S”.
Appearance
An extremely long neck is another nuance that distinguishes the musk turtle from the rest. Thanks to the neck, the reptile gets its hind legs without difficulty and any damage to the body. These are miniature turtles the size of a palm, rarely growing to 16 cm. Adults (depending on the variety) reach an average length of 10-14 cm. The genus of musk turtles is divided into 4 species (some biologists say three), each of which fits into own dimensions:
- common musk turtle - 7.5–12.5 cm;
- keeled musk turtle - 7.5–15 cm;
- small musk turtle - 7.5–12.5 cm;
- Sternotherus depressus - 7.5–11 cm.
The dominant background of the oval carapace is dark brown, diluted with olive-colored spots. In a natural reservoir, the carapace is overgrown with algae and noticeably darkens. The tone of the ventral shield is much lighter - beige or light olive. In young turtles, the upper shell is equipped with three ridges, which disappear as they mature. Whitish stripes run along the head/neck of adult reptiles.
The tongue of the musk turtle (naturally small and weak) is quite original - it is practically not involved in swallowing, but is involved in the breathing process. Thanks to the tubercles located on the tongue, reptiles absorb oxygen directly from the water, which allows them to sit in the pond without getting out. In young turtles, sexual dimorphism is smoothed out, which is why male and female individuals are almost indistinguishable. And only with the onset of fertility does the male begin to noticeably stretch the tail, and spiny scales form on the inner surfaces of the hind legs.
It is interesting! These scales, which promote traction with a partner during intercourse, are called "chirp organs." The name is due to chirping sounds (arising from friction), similar to the singing of a cricket or birds.
The limbs of the musk turtle, although long, are thin: they end in clawed paws with wide membranes.
Lifestyle
In a musk turtle, it is associated with the water element - a reptile crawls ashore to lay eggs or during prolonged downpours. - good swimmers, but most of all they like to roam the bottom in search of suitable food. Increased vigor is demonstrated at night, at dusk and at night. Males are distinguished by a quarrelsome disposition, which also manifests itself in relation to their relatives (it is for this reason that they are seated in different aquariums).
In addition, in captivity they quickly panic, especially at first, until they get used to the new environment and people. Just at this moment, musk turtles more often than usual use their striking weapon - an odorous yellowish secret, which is produced by 2 pairs of musk glands hidden under the shell.
It is interesting! Under natural conditions, reptiles like to expose their sides to the sun, for which they not only go to land, but also climb trees, using branches bent over the water surface.
In warm regions with non-freezing water bodies, animals are active all year round, otherwise they go to winter. Muscovy turtles wait out the winter cold in shelters such as:
- crevices;
- space under stones;
- roots of twisted trees;
- driftwood;
- muddy bottom.
Reptiles know how to dig holes and do this when the water temperature drops to 10 ° C. If the pond freezes, the reptiles burrow into the snow. They often winter in groups.
Lifespan
How long the musk turtle lives in the wild is not known for certain, but the lifespan of this species in captivity is approaching about 20–25 years.
Range, habitats
The Muscovy turtle has settled in the eastern and southeastern United States, in the southeastern regions of Canada, and even in the Chihuahua Desert (Mexico). On the North American continent, reptiles are distributed from New England and the southern regions of Ontario to the south of Florida. To the west, the range extends into Central/West Texas and Kansas.
Favorite habitats are stagnant and slowly flowing freshwater reservoirs (with shallow depth and silty bottom). In the southern territories of the range, turtles are active all year round, while in the northern territories they hibernate.
Muscovy turtle diet
Muscovy turtles are omnivorous and will sweep away almost everything that lies on the bottom, which they explore day and night.. Growing reptiles eat, as a rule, aquatic plants and insects, and in rare cases, their comrades.
The diet of adult animals consists of such components as:
- shellfish, especially snails;
- vegetation;
- a fish;
- centipedes;
- water worms;
- carrion.
Due to the fact that reptiles do not disdain carrion, they are called orderlies of reservoirs.
In captivity, the menu of the musk turtle varies somewhat and is usually composed of the following products:
- crustaceans;
- fish fry;
- boiled chicken;
- plants - duckweed, lettuce, clover, dandelions;
- calcium and vitamin supplements.
Muscovy turtle should not be placed in an aquarium with ornamental fish - otherwise it will eat them.
natural enemies
All turtles have strong armor, but, oddly enough, it does not guarantee them complete safety - the threat comes from a considerable number of enemies that live in water and on land. The biggest fault in the extermination of reptiles lies with people who harvest turtles for their eggs, meat, beautiful shell, and sometimes just out of boredom.
Predatory beasts
Wild big cats and foxes got the hang of splitting strong carapaces, dropping turtles from a height onto stones. A jaguar, for example, so carefully (according to eyewitnesses) pulls a reptile out of its shell, as if it were using not claws, but a thin sharp blade. At the same time, the predator is rarely content with one turtle, but immediately turns several on its back, choosing a flat (without vegetation) area. On such a cutting board, the reptile cannot cling to something, stand up and crawl away.
Feathered predators
Large birds lift musk turtles into the sky and from there they throw them on stones to peck out the contents from the cracked shell. Even crows prey on small reptiles, which should be taken into account when keeping turtles in the open. It is better to cover the aviary with a net or follow the pet when it crawls out to warm itself.
Turtles
Reptiles are prone to cannibalism and often attack weaker, younger or sick relatives. It is not surprising that musk turtles (with a lack of food or from an excess of aggression) attack their fellow tribesmen, leaving the latter without a tail, paws and ... without a head.
predatory fish
These natural detractors threaten baby turtles after they are born.
Important! If you keep a musk turtle at home, try to keep it away from other four-legged pets, especially rats and dogs. The latter can bite through the shell, and the former gnaw at the turtle's paws and tail.
Weakened and sickly musk turtles turn into easy prey for small beetles and ants, thoroughly biting the soft parts of the turtle's body in a short time. In addition, reptiles are plagued by other scourges, including parasites, fungi, helminths, and viruses.
Muscovy keeled turtle
The musk keeled reptile belongs to the silt family and the musk genus. The length of an adult individual can reach up to 12.5 centimeters. They have a brown-olive color - a keel runs through the center of the reptile, thanks to which the turtle got its name. The plastron of the reptile is made in a yellow-brown eye-catching color. There are dark spots on the head, while it is brown itself. Warty growths are present on the lower part of the jaw of this species. Males are distinguished by a long tail, something resembling a claw. The females have a much shorter tail.
Turtles live in the USA. They prefer swampy areas with rivers, lakes, in which there will be a slow current and a uniform bottom. Such turtles are able not to rise up for a long time, while consuming the oxygen dissolved in the liquid, which they consume through the oral cavity. The main delicacies of the reptile are aquatic plants, mollusks and crustaceans.
reproduction
The animal becomes an adult when it is two years old. Mating time begins in mid-March and ends in June. Pregnancy in a female usually lasts about two months, after which the female does not dig a hole, as many reptiles do, but lays her offspring on the surface of the substrate. Up to 6 eggs can be present in one clutch, the further incubation of which is from 3 to 4 months.
The turtle is able to bite a person quite painfully, which is facilitated by sharp teeth and a large neck length. This neck allows the turtle to reach its hind legs. In addition, the animal is able to emit a pungent odor thanks to a pair of musk glands. The advantage of these turtles is that they can be kept in groups without any problems. Between them, conflicts will arise only during feeding. The dimensions of the aquarium required for keeping this type of reptile are 50x70x50 cm. The liquid should occupy up to 90 percent of the bottom area, while the rest of it should remain above the water.
The water level should be kept at around 40-45 cm. You will rarely see turtles come up, as they will spend most of their time walking along its bottom. You should consider a quality water renewal system, because it will get dirty quite often. Experts advise replacing the water every 2-3 days. Preference should be given to small aquarium filters, as large ones can cause some discomfort for reptiles during operation. A couple of times a week, new water should be added to the aquarium to replace the one that has evaporated. The ambient temperature should be in the range of 22-25 degrees, while the air temperature in the room should be kept at 25 degrees.
Nutrition
You can feed the turtle at home with special foods: frozen bloodworm, shrimp and balanced dry food.
We can offer you Bloodworm "Marlin Aquarium"(http://website/product/zamorozhennye-korma-dlya-ryb/5860), special dry food for turtles "AQUAV Turtle stick"(http://site/product/zamorozhennye-korma-dlya-ryb1/5667).
Buy Wisely
If you like the musk keeled turtle, you can buy it from our online store. Do not forget that before making a purchase, you need to prepare an aquarium and all the conditions for the existence of a reptile.
