Tortoise trust web a site dedicated to the conservation and captive care of chelonia. Musk terrapins, stinkpot turtle, sternotherus odouratus suitability as an exotic pet. It is advised that you do not put two male musk turtles together in one tank. They are also found in habitats extending to the west, into wisconsin and texas. Are you looking to buy a turtle but you are not sure you can give it the correct care. Musk turtle care certainly isnt complicated, but these beautiful animals do require far more specialist care than the average pet. In the glacial lake at my summer camp in new jersey, musk turtles were. Stinkpot musk turtles are bottom dwellers, and we suggest 23 water depth and some plastic plants for hiding. You can browse through our site to find more information on box turtle care.
Change a third of the water once a week to keep water clean. This manual offers detailed instructions on turtle care, safe handling, feeding, health care. Sternotherus odoratus is a species of small turtle in the family kinosternidae. If youve ever wondered how to take care of a pet turtle, or you already have one but want to brush up on your turtle parenting skills, consider this your turtle tutorial. Musk turtles, the biggest attitude in a little turtle pets4homes. They do well in community tanks so long as they are with slightly larger, more active turtles as they sometimes nip the tails of their cage mates. 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 the common musk turtle is an ideal beginner species due to their adult size and ease of care. The head and feet are usually marked with darker speckling or streaking, and the carapace is similarly marked. Recently, hatchling musk turtles seem to be turning up for sale in pet shops. Your aquarium is where your pet turtle will reside for more than twenty years so. Sternotherus odoratus common musk turtle or stinkpot.
The common musk turtle, also known as the eastern musk turtle or the stinkpot, is a popular choice as a pet because of their size and relative ease of care. The way the book is written provides understanding of different aspects or categories of tortoiseturtle care and it is as if the person is having a conversation with you. 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. Our selection includes baby turtles such as the baby mississippi map turtle, baby yellow belly slider turtles, the baby spiny soft shelled turtle, tiny baby eastern musk turtles, baby golden thread turtles, baby snapping turtles, the lovely baby peacock turtle, baby pink belly side necked turtles, baby. The musk turtle is among the most popular turtles kept as pets. Well, with my complete turtle care guide you can now find out everything you need to know. Tortoise trust web care and breeding of musk turtles. Aquatic turtles for sale live baby turtles for sale my. Make sure to only buy captivebred turtles and do never remove any from the wild. The stinkpot musk turtles for sale are captive bred. They are an aquatic turtle that comes from eastern north america. Musk turtles vary in five different species but the ways in which to care for them are very similar if not the same. Stinkpots or common musk turtles are mostly aquatic and do very well as residentgarbage disposals.
The eastern box turtle is the only truely terrestrial turtle of michigan. Younger children do not have the interest or ability to provide the amount of care and cleaning that an aquatic turtle requires, so parents must realize that the responsibility of caring for the pet ultimately falls on them when their kids lose interest. When threatened, the common musk turtle may bite and scratch fiercely. Personal please note that while the care sheet states that mini musks reach a maximum size of 3 inches, one of ours did end up reaching an adult size of 4 inches, which is still considerably smaller than the more commonly available redeared sliders which can grow to over 12 inches and is challenging to properly house indoors. Musk turtle, genus sternotherus, any of four species of small freshwater turtles belonging to the family kinosternidae. Since this topic is now mainly related to musk turtle care and the situation is not critical i am moving to the murky lair forum where other musk owners will set it and be able to provide their. This species can be differentiated from the similar mud turtles kinosternon sp. They arent brightly colored like other turtles, but they are neat pets. Characteristics, housing, diet, and other information. Stinkpot musk turtles for sale from the turtle source. Musk turtles have a blackishbrown carapace that is highly domed with a vertebral keel.
Common musk turtle sternoptherus ororatus exotic pets. They are found in eastern north america, usually in. There may well be other texts available but three books that i know give good general information about keeping turtles and also reliable information about musk turtles are russ gurleys keeping and breeding freshwater turtles now out of print but available second hand from us online booksellers, richard lunsfords captive care of north. This is because they will need fully submerged sections without risk of warping or leaking. Like tropical fish, musk turtles require warm water to thrive. The keel tends to flatten out in adults, but it is very prominent in hatchlings. At tortoise town, we have the worlds finest selection of healthy, captive bred aquatic turtles for sale.
Common musk turtles are by far one of the most suitable turtle species to keep in the home. The common musk turtle is an ideal beginner species due to their adult size and ease of care. These small babies, however, are great feeders and are very hardy. This turtle is a very hardy species that are quite inexpensive, which makes them that much more popular.
Some people become concerned if they smell a foul odor all of a sudden coming from their mud turtle. This size places them in the worlds smallest turtles category. We have several captivebred musk turtles for sale at truly low prices. The kinosternidae are a family of mostly small turtles that includes the mud turtles and musk turtles. Musks are mostly carnivorous they do well on a good quality pellet food. Luckily, this only happens when the turtle senses danger. The common musk turtle is sometimes called stink pot. Musk turtles require a turtle tank as their enclosure. Walks on the bottom of the stream or pond instead of swimming like other turtles. They inhabit slowmoving bodies of water, often with soft, muddy bottoms and abundant vegetation.
Razor back musk turtle for sale baby razor back musk. Ensure your turtle lives a long and happy life with the complete turtle care guide do you want to learn how to give your turtle all the care it needs to stay happy and healthy. In this guide ill be breaking down every step in turn so your musk turtles remain happy and healthy for life. Worse yet, it may spray its musk an odor so vile, it has earned this turtle the nickname stinkpot. Musk turtles are named for the strong, musky odour they emit when disturbed. There are two distinct stripes on the head and barbels on both the chin and throat. The eastern musk turtle is one of the worlds smallest turtles.
As their name suggests, they have a very prominent keeled shell, and a hinged bottom hence the words razor back musk turtle. When choosing a baby razor back musk turtle for sale it is important that you purchase a healthy animal from an experienced razor back musk turtle breeder. If they feel threatened, they can release a foul, musky odor, which is how they got their alternative name of stinkpot. Musk turtles live for about 15 to 20 years and reach about five to six inches in length as an adult. Common musk turtle care and information reptiles magazine. Stinkpots take their name from small glands on the underside of the carapace that can exude a foulsmelling musk in selfdefense. Our baby turtles for sale here are some of the worlds most beautiful turtles anywhere. As mentioned, common musk turtles do not always emerge from the water to bask, but a basking light is still essential for captive turtle health. Introduction recently, hatchling musk turtles seem to be turning up for sale in pet shops, reptile shops and aquatic centres with increasing regularity. Indeed, when the water drops below around 18c most turtles will stop eating. Turtles may not be cuddly, but they are awfully cute and generally easy to care for if youre well researched and prepared. The species is native to southeastern canada and much of the eastern united states. In a further effort to relieve turtle guilt see the previous turtlethemed tet zoo article, i give you the following article devoted.
Musk turtles go after bait and are often caught accidentally by fishermen. 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. This interesting turtle is endemic to north america and is considered a terrapin. Common musk turtle sternotherus odoratus is a longnecked small turtle. Baby turtles for sale ships fast ups my turtle store. All our reptiles come with a live arrival guarantee. Musk turtle fungus condition sign in to follow this. Best beginner pet turtles and tortoises pethelpful. Care and breeding of musk turtles tortoise trust web. It has a dark, domed upper shell and reduced lower shell.
Our water turtles include baby turtles for sale, juvenile aquatic turtles, and adult aquatic turtle for sale. Musk turtles have two light stripes on their heads, distinguishing them. 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. Remember that mud turtles are closely related to musk turtles and, like their relatives, can secrete an awfulsmelling liquid to scare off predators. A quick video showing the care of the common musk or stinkpot turtle. They are also known as stinkpot turtles due to a smelly liquid. 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. The musk turtle diet includes snails, aquatic insects, carrion, fish eggs, worms, leeches, larvae, algae and water plants. Care sheet for mud and mask turtles the turtle source.
Young turtles tend to be more carnivorous but as they grow older eat more plant matter. 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. They readily eat pellets, even ones that have settled to the bottom, along with any protein matter they are offered. Uniform look of musk, mud turtles belies hyperdiversity. Razorback musk turtle ranges in color from olive green to shades of gray and tan. Turtleguidebook the complete turtle and terrapin care guide. Even though they require great care, especially a threetoed or eastern box turtle can be a very fun and rewarding pet turtle. A guide to caring for common musk turtles as pets the spruce pets. Common musk turtles are found in the eastern parts of north america, all the way from ontario down to florida. If an eastern musk turtle is used to being around or handled by humans, the lack of fear means a distinct lack of stink.
The common musk turtle has a wide geographic range in eastern north america, from florida to ontario, and west to texas and wisconsin. A high, strong ridge or dorsal keel, is an identifying feature of this species. Musk turtle shells have even been found in the nests of bald eagles, thus a wide range of predators target them. General most mud and musk turtles are small, hardy, and inquisitive, making them some of the best turtles to keep indoors. When this animal is frightened, it sometimes emits a musk odor from glands under its shell. Offer them an enclosure with water that is filtered. There are probably other turtles in the world that are. The basking behavior of common musk turtles seems to vary greatly with the habitat in which the population is living. 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. Either a 60w or 100w basking bulb should be sufficient depending on temperatures. A spot light and uv tube can be used over the basking area of the turtle.
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