You will also note that the carapace of the loggerhead musk turtle is a bit serrated. The razor back musk turtle reaches an adult size of 1215cm 56 inches. In this guide ill be breaking down every step in turn so your musk turtles remain happy and healthy for life. The carapace is smooth and domed, and may have green algae growing on its surface.
While the common name usually refers to the common musk turtle, it can also be refer to all musk turtle species such as the razorback musk turtle, and the loggerhead musk. The skin is dark, and the heads have two light colored lines on each side. Musk turtle definition is any of various small american freshwater turtles especially genus sternotherus that have musk glands. They are also known as stinkpot turtles due to a smelly liquid they produce from musk glands when threatened. Musk turtles are named for the strong, musky odour they emit when disturbed. General most mud and musk turtles are small, hardy, and inquisitive, making them some of the best turtles to keep indoors.
Dec 07, 2010 i recently purchased two baby mississippi map turtles 6 months old i have had them for approx 3 weeks. Neither turtle s lower shell is sufficient to provide complete enclosure of the head, legs and tail, as in the box turtle. Neither turtles lower shell is sufficient to provide complete enclosure of the head, legs and tail, as in the box turtle. Razorbacks are much lighter in color than most muds and musks. Musk turtles vary in five different species but the ways in which to care for them are very similar if not the same. These are a very fascinating animal to own as a pet, the best way to raise these turtles i have found is to offer them live foods such as they are use to eating in the wild as soon as your new pet arrives, in the wild they are use to beginning their feeding with slugs, small fish, frogs, and many small insects, in captivity this diet is best supplemented with. Pdf sternotherus minor minor loggerhead musk turtle. The pectoral scute the parts of the lower shell immediately adjacent to the front hinge is triangular in shape on the mud turtle and roughly rectangular on the musk turtle. The loggerhead musk turtle was once cons idered to be a. This interesting turtle is endemic to north america and is considered a terrapin.
Contents1 musk turtles as pets2 musk turtle tanks3 electrical equipment3. Knight and loraine 1986 incubated three eastern musk turtle eggs after they had been eaten and defecated by an eastern kingsnake lampropeltis getula in south carolina. For this reason we suggest a tank with at least 600mm in width. Along with this odor comes an orange colored liquid. It likes to feed on carrion, tadpoles, clams of fresh water, crayfish, aquatic larvae and insects and invertebrates. Musk turtle care certainly isnt complicated, but these beautiful animals do require far more specialist care than the average pet. Musk turtle, genus sternotherus, any of four species of small freshwater turtles belonging to the family kinosternidae. Common musk turtles or stinkpots have small plastrons bottom of shell with a single hinge that provides little to no protection for their legs, distinguishing them from the similar mud turtles. Two key identifying features on the relatively small. I have 2 sliders and 2 box turtles currently and i understand the musk is a wader which i have never dealt with before. The common musk turtle has an olivebrown to black carapace, sometimes marked with dark spots or streaks.
Most pets will eat pelleted turtle foods, as well, including reptomin and mazuri freshwater turtle diet. The diet of the eastern musk turtle sternotherus odoratus biotaxa. Musk turtles vary in five different species but the ways in which to care for them are very similar if not the same musk turtles enjoy swimming so that means they require a slightly large tank to accommodate this hobby. Tortoise trust web care and breeding of musk turtles. Common musks are carnivorous animals and there is a wide variety of food on its menu. One juvenile eastern musk turtle was found in a 239mm largemouth bass micropterus salmoides taken from lake anna, louisa county, on 17 march.
I recently purchased two baby mississippi map turtles 6 months old i have had them for approx 3 weeks. Razorbacks are omnivores, taking pellets, fish, crustaceans, insects, meat, worms and aquatic plants. Musk turtles or any turtles are not really touchy feely animals, but they will tolerate light handling without musking their owner and i have never heard of this being an issue at all amongst musk turtle keepers. Musk turtle definition of musk turtle by merriamwebster. Aestivation is when a turtle buries itself in the mud at the bottom of its waterhole, or drinks as much water. Unlike other musk turtles, the loggerhead appears to be diurnal. As mentioned, common musk turtles do not always emerge from the water to bask, but a basking light is still.
Pdf diet of radiotracked musk turtles, sternotherus odoratus, in a. The common musk turtle sternotherus odoratus is a small turtle species, only reaching 46 inches in shell length when adult. Lethargic floating musk emergency care turtle forum. Common musk turtles may occasionally attempt to bite, so care should be taken in handling them. It readily accepts a diet of commercially available turtle pellets. Musk turtles enjoy swimming so that means they require a slightly large tank to accommodate this hobby. The species is native to southeastern canada and much of the eastern united states. Walks on the bottom of the stream or pond instead of swimming like other turtles.
The turtles body is dark and yellow lines can be seen above and below each eye. Musk terrapins, stinkpot turtle, sternotherus odouratus suitability as an exotic pet. The common musk turtle is a small species reaching an adult length of 7. Dec 17, 2011 i have 2 common musk turtles, 2 weeks ago i noticed one of them floating around at the top of the tank so i tried helping him down to the bottom of the tank but he kept floating to the top. Living in slow moving streams, permanent ponds, and lakes.
The loggerhead musk turtle features a keeled carapace. Stinkpot musk turtles are bottom dwellers, and we suggest 23 water depth and some plastic plants for hiding. Musk turtles require a turtle tank as their enclosure. Razorback musk turtle for sale from the turtle source. Sternotherus odoratus is a species of small turtle in the family kinosternidae. When threatened, the common musk turtle may bite and scratch fiercely. The common musk turtle is also known as the stinkpot turtle because these animals can emit an offensive, foul odor from the glands that are located at the corners of their plastron. However, i have never kept a musk turtle before and would like to make sure i get his habitat set up correctly. Common musk turtle sternotherus odoratus photos by j. Musk turtles have two light stripes on their heads, distinguishing them from stripenecked musk turtles and. In order to defend itself, common musk turtle releases a musky odor to scare away enemies. Aside from those that have been already discussed above, below are other things that can be done to take care of a musk turtle if you are having it as a pet.
It is also known commonly as the common musk turtle, eastern musk turtle, or stinkpot due to its ability to release a foul musky odor from scent glands on the edge of its shell, possibly to deter predation. These are a very fascinating animal to own as a pet, the best way to raise these turtles i have found is to offer them live foods such as they are use to eating in the wild as soon as your new pet arrives, in the wild they are use to beginning. The common musk turtle my choice for perfect pet turtle. The common name musk turtle is given to turtles in the genus sternotherus of the turtle family kinosternidae. Care sheets provide you with essential info on how to best take care of these. Emydidae, mud and musk turtles kinosternidae, and map turtles graptemys spp. This species can be differentiated from the similar mud turtles kinosternon sp. There are two distinct stripes on the head and barbels on both the chin and throat. The water quality of the tank is fine, the filter is really strong, its 200 litres and 25c, there are some fish in there but no diseases etc, also live plants, i added a uvb bulb 10% about 2 days ago, but prior to this i had 2 arcadia bulbs no uvb, heat temp is approx 34c achieved by. Aug 26, 2011 just a simple care video for stinkpotcommon musk turtles enjoy.
From gray to almost silver, or light brown to orange with spotted or streaked darker markings, they are one of the prettiest. Its shell, or carapace, is highly domed and dark brown to black. The musk turtle is among the most popular turtles kept as pets. The lower shell, or plastron, is very small with one hinge. The bottom shell plastron is light colored and much smaller than the upper shell, and has skin showing between the scales. This technically excludes most musk turtles, as most specimens found are smaller than 4 inches. Meet the intermediate musk turtle, alabamas newest turtle. My common musk turtle laid some eggs a few days ago and im still not 100 percent certain on how to care for them.
The common musk turtle has an olivebrown to black carapace, sometimes. With proper care these turtles can live 3040 years in captivity. Meet the intermediate musk turtle, alabamas newest turtle species photo of an intermediate musk turtles stunning carapace by john trent via facebook peter scott, a post doctoral scholar at ucla, who received his phd at the university of alabama was not trying to discover a new species of turtle. Musk turtles have two light stripes on their heads, distinguishing them from stripenecked musk turtles and young snapping turtles. The musk turtles musk turtles, also known as stinkpots, seem to prefer deep, still water in lakes, ponds, and sluggish streams with muddy bottoms and an abundance of plant life. Musk turtles are longlived animals, probably at least 30 years or more in the wild, and with good care, your pet turtle may be with you for many years.
I received a musk turtle for chirstmas and he is the sweetest thing. Pet common musk turtles will eat earthworms, cutup fish and shrimp, crickets and bloodworms. The kinosternidae are a family of mostly small turtles that includes the mud turtles and musk turtles. It is advised that you do not put two male musk turtles together in one tank. Common musk turtles are by far one of the most suitable turtle species to keep in the home. The family contains 25 species within four genera, but taxonomic reclassification is an ongoing process, so many sources vary on the exact numbers of species and subspecies.
Dec 16, 2011 showing you how to care for a musk turtle. There are probably other turtles in the world that are. Kurt buhlmann is an associate research scientist at the university of georgias savannah river ecology laboratory. Originating out of north america this species is found from florida to maine to california. This is probably an adaptation to its habitat, where the water temperatures in the springs maintain a constant temperature in the low 70s year round. They inhabit slowmoving bodies of water, often with soft, muddy bottoms and abundant vegetation. Richard lunsfords captive care of north american water turtles available as a free download or you can buy a paperback copy. Sternotherus odoratus, or the common musk turtle, is a widespread and abundant species that can be found along the coast of the eastern united states from the northeastern states down into florida.
Worse yet, it may spray its musk an odor so vile, it has earned this turtle the nickname stinkpot. It has a dark, domed upper shell and reduced lower shell. Common musk turtles have a dark brown to black upper shell carapace with no markings. Musk turtle care sheet turtle care, musk turtle, pet turtle. The painted turtles the painted turtle must be the most common widespread turtle. Yellow mud turtles do not have yellow markings on the side of.
As their name suggests, they have a very prominent keeled shell, and a hinged bottom. Dec 16, 2017 meet the intermediate musk turtle, alabamas newest turtle species photo of an intermediate musk turtles stunning carapace by john trent via facebook peter scott, a post doctoral scholar at ucla, who received his phd at the university of alabama was not trying to discover a new species of turtle. The stinkpot musk turtles for sale are captive bred. Recommended diet for the adult, omnivorous semiaquatic turtle. They are found in eastern north america, usually in slowmoving waters. Learn how to care for aquatic turtles available at petco. Musk turtle care sheet turtle care, musk turtle, pet. This allows the turtle to partial withdraw inside its shell. Your aquarium is where your pet turtle will reside for more than twenty years so it is an investment. A large aquarium with a pair of musk turtles, good filtration, and plenty of driftwood and aquatic plants makes an ideal turtle display. Common musk turtle sternotherus odoratus reptiles and. When looking at these turtles, you will also notice that they have a fairly large head, and it is the size of their head that contributed to their common name.
They are a hardy, robust species, with bags of character and a curious nature, and their small size makes them easier to accommodate than most other turtle species. Mar 01, 2020 musk turtle definition is any of various small american freshwater turtles especially genus sternotherus that have musk glands. In this study we investigated the diet of the eastern musk turtle sternotherus odoratus in comal springs, a springfed lake. Eastern musk turtle virginia herpetological society. The bog turtles there are small turtles in the world, but the bog turtle is the smallest and is one of the most rare turtles around. Musk turtles, the biggest attitude in a little turtle. They inhabit slow moving and still waters across north america, where they prey on small invertebrates, fish, and a small amount aquatic plant matter. Hatchlings require a water depth that is open to approximately four. It occurs along our mississippi river counties and in the southern twothirds of the state.
The eastern musk turtle is one of the worlds smallest turtles. Cute little faces, an attitude similar to that of a jack russell terrier and barely getting bigger than a tennis ball musk turtles are one of the best turtles for keeping in a tank, or indoor pond belonging to the sternotherus genus, the group of turtles commonly known as north american musks, contains 4 species, all with natural ranges throughout north america, including parts of canada. Stinkpots have the standard north american musk turtle formfactor. The common musk turtle is an ideal beginner species due to their adult size and ease of care. Babies tend to have an overall colouration that is creamtan with brown speckles on the body and shell. This size places them in the worlds smallest turtles category. They inhabit slow moving and still waters across north america, where they feed on small invertebrates, fish, and a small amount aquatic plant matter. Their range extends west to the great lakes region, through illinois, to western kansas and oklahoma and reaches its western most distribution in. The musk turtle can grow to 100mm 44 long and needs a proportional amount of space to live happily. The water quality of the tank is fine, the filter is really strong, its 200 litres and 25c, there are some fish in there but no diseases etc, also live plants, i added a uvb bulb 10% abou. Foraging behaviours, including choice of diet, are affected by a. All our reptiles come with a live arrival guarantee.
327 1252 859 378 1244 1563 1218 511 1275 1006 499 1126 130 127 635 1317 1410 388 356 562 612 1514 97 1416 923 898 889 171 1461 1085 480 1264 138 1368 1368