- High Protein Content Food. The first thing you need to know about feeding your musk turtles is that they should be fed high protein diets.
- Fruits And Vegetables. Musk turtles are omnivores. That means that they will eat both fruits and vegetables. ...
- Commercial Foods. Some musk turtles like to eat commercial foods. This option is ideal for those who live in areas where it is difficult to find fresh foods.
- Turtle Food Mixes. Another option for feeding your Musk Turtles is to make your mixture of foods. ...
- Algae. Algae is one of the best sources of nutrients for Musk Turtles. You can also buy algae supplements for your Musk Turtles.
- Freshwater. Your musk turtles need clean and fresh water to stay healthy. They may not drink as much as other species, but they still require plenty of water.
What other turtles can live with musk turtles?
Turtles of the same species generally live peacefully together as long as they are all adults or all juveniles. Freshwater turtles such as map turtles, musk and mud turtles, painted turtles, cooters, and sliders can all live together.
What foods do turtles like to eat?
Foods that you should be giving to your turtle:
- Fresh, raw foods: These are great for your turtle because they will be healthier. ...
- Freeze-dried foods: Freeze-dried foods are perfect for turtles because they don’t get sick as easily as most other types of food.
- Dry food: This food is also great for turtles because it doesn’t cause them to get sick as quickly as other types of food.
What are some fruits that turtles can eat?
- Spinach
- Rhubarb
- Beet Greens
- Cranberries
- Oranges
- Sweet potatoes
What can turtles eat besides turtle food?
What Can You Feed Turtles Besides Turtle Food? Shredded carrots, squash, and zucchini are great foods that turtles can eat, too. You can also go with edible aquatic vegetation such as water lettuce, water hyacinth, and duckweed. “For fruits, consider shredded apples and melons, as well as chopped berries,” recommends Dr. What can turtles ...
How often should you feed a musk turtle?
Musk turtles less than 6 months old should be fed twice daily and turtles over 6 months old should be fed once every other day.
Can musk turtles eat fruit?
Musk turtles can and will eat fruits and vegetables.
What do baby common musk turtles eat?
Young musk and mud turtles will feed on a variety of food. They love guppies and mosquito larvae and will feed on blackworms and small redworms and will soon begin taking a variety of commercial pelleted food. Most remain small, with Common Musk Turtles (Stinkpots) reaching only 4 inches.
What does a musk turtle need to survive?
Musk Turtle care sheetHousing: a turtle terrarium of at least 60cm in length.Heating: basking temperature of 100oF and intense UVB.Water Maintenance:temperature of 80oF and a strong filter.Diet: carnivorous mix of shrimp, meat and insects.Decoration: basking platform with a ramp.
What foods are poisonous to turtles?
Food Avoid to Feed Box turtlesBread, bakery products, and pasta.Candies, chocolate, and other products containing sugars.Processed meat and canned food.Avocado skin and pits.Tobacco leaves and products.Rhubarb.Tomato and potato leaves.Dairy products.More items...
Can musk turtles eat celery?
The answer is yes, turtles can eat celery. However, it's important to know that celery doesn't provide the essential nutrition turtles need to stay healthy. Let's delve into the turtle's dietary needs, celery's nutritional make-up, and some other foods you can give your turtle that are better choices than celery.
Can musk turtles eat fish food?
Fish food is safe for turtles to eat, but it should not be part of their main diet. Fish food is not toxic to turtles and you do not have to fear if your turtle does end up eating a few bites worth.
Can you hold musk turtle?
All turtles should be handled with care and respect. To ensure you are not at the end of a nasty nip, you should be especially careful if you have to handle the stinkpot. Picking them up towards the rear of their shell can help. There is a risk that aquatic turtles can carry the Salmonella bacteria.
What do musk turtles need in their tank?
A 20-gallon aquarium with a submersible canister water filter—such as a Fluval 2Plus filter—can house one adult common musk turtle. A 40-gallon tank can house a pair (and a Fluval 3Plus underwater filter would be able to handle the filtration). Housing two male common musk turtles in the same tank is not recommended.
Do musk turtles need heated water?
Given that musk turtles are so highly aquatic, maintaining water temperature is key to their health. Chilly water is the fastest way to cause sickness in any captive turtle. A submersible heater should maintain water temperatures at 72 to 78 degrees (though some of my colleagues recommend 75 to 84 degrees).
How long can musk turtles stay out of water?
Generally speaking, a turtle can go about 8 hours without water in a warm and dry environment.
Do musk turtles like to be alone?
Musk turtles are just like every other species of animal in the world- they have individual personalities. However, there are common traits that each turtle can be expected to display. Musk turtles generally enjoy being left alone, whether that means they are in the wild or a tank at home.
1. High Protein Content Food
The first thing you need to know about feeding your musk turtles is that they should be fed high protein diets. It means turtles’ diet should contain more than 15% protein. The best sources of proteins are:
2. Fruits And Vegetables
Musk turtles are omnivores. That means that they will eat both fruits and vegetables.
3. Commercial Foods
Some musk turtles like to eat commercial foods. This option is ideal for those who live in areas where it is difficult to find fresh foods.
4. Turtle Food Mixes
Another option for feeding your Musk Turtles is to make your mixture of foods. This way, you can control what goes into the mix and ensure that it contains all the nutrients your turtle needs.
5. Algae
Algae is one of the best sources of nutrients for Musk Turtles. You can also buy algae supplements for your Musk Turtles. Algae is an excellent source of minerals and vitamins.
6. Freshwater
Your musk turtles need clean and fresh water to stay healthy. They may not drink as much as other species, but they still require plenty of water.
How to feed a musk turtle?
Placing food onto dry land very rarely elicits a feeding response in musk turtles. Instead, drop the food into the water infront of your turtle. If your turtle is hungry then it should start feeding rapidly. Note that some musk turtles can be quite shy.
What do musk turtles eat?
While musk turtles may eat the odd piece of pond weed in the wild , their diet is almost exclusively made up of meat. In captivity, this carnivorous diet can be supplemented with a number of specially-made turtle foods, which can make feeding your musk turtle much easier. Here are some of the best foods for your musk turtle:
How long does it take for musk turtles to eat roaches?
A better alternative here is known as “gut loading”. A mineral-rich supplement is fed to feeder insects like crickets or roaches for 24-48 hours, before the insects themselves are fed to your musk turtles. When your turtle eats the insect, they also benefit from all the nutrients inside the gut. Sale.
What kind of worms do turtles have?
Also available from aquarium shops are live bloodworms. These small, red aquatic worms are typically bought in a sealed plastic bag. Just snip the corner off and pour the bloodworms into your turtle tank.
How long should I wait to remove food from my turtle tank?
To keep your turtle tank hygienic, and minimize your water changes, it is a good idea to remove any uneaten food when your pet has finished eating – normally just 10-15 minutes. To ease this process some turtle keepers opt not to use gravel on the bottom of the cage.
Do musk turtles eat in water?
Observations in the wild have found that musk turtles do almost all their eating in the water – not on land. Furthermore, studies have shown that when the water temperature drops below 18’C musk turtles simply stop eating. The first step in feeding musk turtles is therefore ensuring that their water is warm enough.
Can musk turtles eat mussels?
Some keepers have found that bivalves like cockles and mussels are also readily accepted by musk turtles. Once again, however, be sure to limit the intake to avoid increasing sodium levels too rapidly.
What do musk turtles eat?
What do must turtles eat? Musk turtles are omnivores and eat both plants (vegetation) and animals (insects, worms) as well as various types of fruit. They will eat just about anything they can get!
How long can a musk turtle stay out of water?
All things considered, if the temperature, climate, humidity, and shade are all right, a musk turtle could stay out of the water for months or years .
How big can a musk turtle get?
Musk turtles can get up to 12 inches long! The largest recorded musks turtle was about 19 inches long. But that’s rather uncommon – most stay around nine or ten inches in length which is a good size as most people don’t want super large pet turtles.
What fish are good for turtles?
Fish that are very active and move a lot offer fewer attacking opportunities for your turtle to sink its beak into. Some fish that meet these stringent requirements are: Pictus Catfish.
Can musk turtles eat fish?
Yes! Certain types of fish can happily cohabitate with your musk turtle. There are some things you should take into account however when choosing which fish you wish to pair inside your turtle’s tank. Although often classified as omnivorous, the musk turtle is more carnivorous and will eat fish with long fins but avoid those with short fins.
Can a turtle eat snails?
Any fish larger than the turtle, be careful the reverse doesn’t happen and the fish eats the turtle tho! Snails can also be added to a turtle tank, as long as they are of the larger variety. Turtles are unlikely to attack and eat snails, although if they get bored they may.
What do musk turtles eat?
What Vegetables Can Musk Turtles Eat? Written by Phyllis Kramer in Care Guides, Turtle Facts. Musk turtles love to eat, usually they will eat everything that you put in front of them, and this includes vegetables. But just because they can eat them, it doesn’t mean that every vegetable is good for them.
Why doesn't my musk turtle eat?
The only reason it doesn’t eat is because it’s used to other types of food, that are not as healthy, but a lot more tasty. After a couple weeks or a month of using this method, your musk turtle will start eating vegetables soon enough, and in the end it will also start to enjoy some of them.
Why do turtles have a lot of phosphorus?
Phosphorus is what gives turtle shells a little flexibility, which is great because this little extra flexibility makes them more resistant to bites and other types of impact. But too much phosphorus can also make the shell too soft, and as a result much weaker when it comes to defending the turtle from predators.
How to stop turtles from eating meat?
Start by reducing the amount of food that you give it and replacing it with vegetables. If it still doesn’t eat, replace more of its food with vegetables. Do this until it starts eating the vegetables.
Can you give musk turtles salad?
For example instead of giving your musk turtle iceberg salad, you could give it greenleaf salad which contains a lot ...
Can you feed musk turtles iceberg salad?
If in the past you used to feed your musk turtle some of those less nutritional vegetables, there is no problem, as I said they won’t harm your tulte.
Do turtles eat vegetables?
In general vegetables are regarded as great food sources that can help any person or animal maintain good health, but turtles don’t benefit in the same way from vegetables as we do. Some of the vitamins and nutrients from vegetables that help people remain healthy have little to no beneficial effect for turtles.
The Diet of a Musk Turtle
Musk turtles are omnivores, which means that they will eat fruits, vegetables, as well as meat, insects, and pellets. A well-balanced diet for a pet musk turtle will be mainly based on pellets, with the occasional fruits, vegetables, and dried insects.
How to Set Up the Tank of a Musk Turtle
The tank is where your musk turtle will spend most of its life so it’s important to make it as comfortable as possible. Luckily for us, musk turtles don’t require too many things in their tank, but the things that they require are completely essential.
Musk Turtle Size and Lifespan
On average most musk turtles live between 40 and 60 years and reach sizes between 2 and 4.5 inches.
How to Determine the Gender of a Musk Turtle
Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to tell the gender of the musk turtle, as most of the distinctive signs only appear when they reach maturity. So if you own a baby musk turtle you could try to figure out the gender, but it’s usually impossible.
Possible Strange Behavior
After a while, you will start to know the normal behavior of your musk turtle. You will get to know how your turtle swims, when and how it will play, and all sorts of different things. And as a result, you will also notice some occasional strange behavior.
Final Thoughts
This article should cover everything that you should know about how to care for a musk turtle. But if you still have questions you can always leave them in the comment section below and I will answer them as soon as possible.
LEGAL INFORMATION
TurtleOwner.com is owned and operated by The Turtle Owner Team. TurtleOwner.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
What do musk turtles eat?
Being carnivorous, your musk turtle will enjoy items such as earthworms, ghost shrimp, crickets or fish. They will also eat turtle pellets and the occasional bit of greenery.
Why are musk turtles not easy to care for?
One of the main reasons is that they can have a bit of an attitude, which makes handling a bit tricky.
How to keep turtles from basking in tank?
Put their basking spot on the warmer side of the tank tank, and leave the other side open. Your turtle will go back and forth between the two areas. As far as a water heater goes, get one that is designed for this type of tank setup, and make sure that the water does not get above the recommended temperature.
How long do musk turtles live?
The typical common musk turtle lifespan is between 30 and 50 years when given proper care. In some instances these reptiles have surpassed the 50 year mark, but that’s uncommon.
What happens if a musk turtle's shell is soft?
If your musk turtle’s shell looks kind of whitish, and it seems kind of soft, it could have shell rot.
How big is a musk turtle?
The average size of an adult common musk turtle is around three to five inches long . Its small size makes it a good pet choice if you don’t have lots of room for a large enclosure.
What is a common musk turtle?
The common musk turtle is a very popular pet that many herp-lovers have considered at one point or another. They are relatively easy to care for, and quite fun to watch!
How many gallon aquarium for musk turtles?
It is utterly important that the aquarium is to be equipped with a submersible canister water filter. For housing a pair of common musk turtles, a 40-gallon aquarium will work great. Also, a powerful water filter should be utilized based on the aquarium’s size.
Where do musk turtles live?
Common musk turtles are almost completely aquatic, spending a huge amount of their time in slow-moving water, peacefully hidden among heavy vegetation on the shallow bottom of creeks and ponds.
What is the color of a musk turtle?
Common musk turtles are characterized by a carapace colored in blackish-brown, with no markings. The carapace is highly domed, with a vertebral keel. Meanwhile, the plastron is smaller in size. Among common musk turtle hatchlings and juveniles alike, the keel is strongly prominent. However, as these turtles mature, the keel usually flattens.
How many eggs do musk turtles lay?
Common musk turtles are known to breed in the spring. After successfully mating with a male, the female is to lay anything from 2 and up to 9 eggs right under the shoreline debris or in a shallow burrow . The eggs of Sternotherus odoratus are elliptical in shape, and with hard shells.
How high can musk turtles climb?
They do so by using the submerged branches, and tree trunks found underwater, and are capable of climbing as high as 6.6 ft. above the water surface. However, musk turtles are actually poor at swimming. Because of this, they are to walk along the bottom of their aquatic habitats.
What is the family of mud turtles?
Grouped in the same family as mud turtles, Sternotherus odoratus is part of the family Kinosternidae and is a species of a small turtle. Musk turtles are often confused with mud turtles. There are five species/subspecies of musk turtles, and all of them can be found in North America.
What is the habitat of a Sternotherus odoratus turtle?
The preferred type of habitats for these reptiles are aquatic and include the slow-flowing parts of streams, swamps, lakes, marshes, ponds, ephemeral pools, and rivers. As with most turtles, the lifespan of Sternotherus odoratus is quite long.
What do musk turtles eat?
Common Musk Turtle Diet. A common musk turtle living in a wild habitat eats a variety of insects such as crayfish, snails, earthworms, and mollusks. They also feed on aquatic insects like damselfly nymphs, tadpoles, and dragonfly and fish eggs. Although musk turtles are considered carnivores by nature, however, they may also eat algae.
What are the predators of musk turtles?
They have many predators like raccoons, skunks, large wading birds, large fishes, foxes, American Bullfrog, snapping turtles, and Northern Water Snakes.
What are the characteristics of musk turtles?
Their unique features include a deep brown face with yellow lines and a highly arched carapace that tends to become flat as they age. Male musk turtles have a longer tail than females. They have a pointed nose and a rather large head. They are not the prettiest turtles, but other characteristics make them a good pet.
How long do musk turtles live?
Also known as Sternotherus Odoratus or eastern musk turtles, common musk turtles can live up to 50 years or more. Their unique features include a deep brown face with yellow lines and a highly arched carapace that tends to become flat as they age.
Why is the bottom of a musk turtle called a stinkpot?
It spends most of the time walking on swamps or marshes. It gets its name ‘musk’ or ‘stinkpot’ because it releases an orange colored musk that carries a heavily unpleasant scent that scares away its predators.
How many eggs do musk turtles lay?
Common Musk Turtle Breeding. The females lay 1 to 9 eggs of elliptical shape that have a hard shell. This breeding usually takes place during the spring that may last till fall, but the eggs take about 60 to 80 to hatch.
Where are musk turtles found?
Found in a vast geographical array, common musk turtles are commonly found in the Eastern United States and Eastern North America. Their hatchlings are the smallest turtles in North America.
