Soft Shell Turtle
- Thread starter guineapigqueen
- Start date
BOO!!!
Hello everyone, I see a few of you need a bit of education. Thanks for the prompt RESGuy.
I myself have owned turtles for 8 years, and own a Chinese Softshell myself. Lets go throught a few key points:
1.Turtles do not grow to the size of the tank. This is a myth created by petstores to get you to buy. Softshells grow 13"+, some species capable of reaching lengths of more than 4ft.
2.Softshells are not beginners. Cute noses eh? They also have a not-so-cute bite, mine is 2" and can nearly draw blood. You also cannot hold them easily, because the snake like neck can reach your fingers practically anywhere. They are also prone to fungal infections.
3. Softshells are not very active. They spend a lot of their time hiding, and are VERY shy turtles. They need a fine sand substrate to reduce stress, but will spend all day hiding in it.
4. They need 10G per inch. They are mainly aquatic, so need plently of room to move about, even if it is just to hide elsewhere.
5. They do bask. You still need to provide a basking area with heat and UVB lighting.
6. They do not grow slowly. THey are highly carnivorous and live on a high protein diet, they will grow like weeds.
If you want any more info on them, just ask your questions here and I will answer, or PM me.
and RESGuy...Pancake is grand
Paul
Hello everyone, I see a few of you need a bit of education. Thanks for the prompt RESGuy.
I myself have owned turtles for 8 years, and own a Chinese Softshell myself. Lets go throught a few key points:
1.Turtles do not grow to the size of the tank. This is a myth created by petstores to get you to buy. Softshells grow 13"+, some species capable of reaching lengths of more than 4ft.
2.Softshells are not beginners. Cute noses eh? They also have a not-so-cute bite, mine is 2" and can nearly draw blood. You also cannot hold them easily, because the snake like neck can reach your fingers practically anywhere. They are also prone to fungal infections.
3. Softshells are not very active. They spend a lot of their time hiding, and are VERY shy turtles. They need a fine sand substrate to reduce stress, but will spend all day hiding in it.
4. They need 10G per inch. They are mainly aquatic, so need plently of room to move about, even if it is just to hide elsewhere.
5. They do bask. You still need to provide a basking area with heat and UVB lighting.
6. They do not grow slowly. THey are highly carnivorous and live on a high protein diet, they will grow like weeds.
If you want any more info on them, just ask your questions here and I will answer, or PM me.
and RESGuy...Pancake is grand
Paul
RESGuy
Fishaholic
That is why I recommended youBOO!!!
Hello everyone, I see a few of you need a bit of education. Thanks for the prompt RESGuy.
I myself have owned turtles for 8 years, and own a Chinese Softshell myself. Lets go throught a few key points:
1.Turtles do not grow to the size of the tank. This is a myth created by petstores to get you to buy. Softshells grow 13"+, some species capable of reaching lengths of more than 4ft.
2.Softshells are not beginners. Cute noses eh? They also have a not-so-cute bite, mine is 2" and can nearly draw blood. You also cannot hold them easily, because the snake like neck can reach your fingers practically anywhere. They are also prone to fungal infections.
3. Softshells are not very active. They spend a lot of their time hiding, and are VERY shy turtles. They need a fine sand substrate to reduce stress, but will spend all day hiding in it.
4. They need 10G per inch. They are mainly aquatic, so need plently of room to move about, even if it is just to hide elsewhere.
5. They do bask. You still need to provide a basking area with heat and UVB lighting.
6. They do not grow slowly. THey are highly carnivorous and live on a high protein diet, they will grow like weeds.
If you want any more info on them, just ask your questions here and I will answer, or PM me.
and RESGuy...Pancake is grand
Paul
Thanks for educating some members on here, listen to Paul guys! 
P.S. Don't trust everything you read in a book, they are not always right and often give misleading information.
guineapigqueen
Fish Crazy
Thank you for the information.
Soft shell not for me?
My tank is only 28l - 30W x 33D x 38H cm
I like something a little unusal, I like frogs but I prefer this little cute turtle!
Emma x
Soft shell not for me?
My tank is only 28l - 30W x 33D x 38H cm
I like something a little unusal, I like frogs but I prefer this little cute turtle!
Emma x
RESGuy
Fishaholic
Yeah that tank sounds far too small to house a soft shell, sorry. They are "cute little" turtles when you buy them and turn into "cute big" and vicious turtles over time.Thank you for the information.
Soft shell not for me?
My tank is only 28l - 30W x 33D x 38H cm
I like something a little unusal, I like frogs but I prefer this little cute turtle!
Emma x
[quote name='RESGuy' date='Feb 28 2007, 11:12 PM' post=
P.S. Don't trust everything you read in a book, they are not always right and often give misleading information. thanks resguy i shell bear his in mined ,, this gut (gerhard mueller) says in his preface to his book that he has been keepin turtles for well over 20 years
i want my £15.95 back 
[/quote]
P.S. Don't trust everything you read in a book, they are not always right and often give misleading information. thanks resguy i shell bear his in mined ,, this gut (gerhard mueller) says in his preface to his book that he has been keepin turtles for well over 20 years
i want my £15.95 back [/quote]
No, softshells are not for you. That tank is not even big enough for a hatchling, and you would probably need atleast a 100L just to keep a hatchling for a small amount because they grow so fast, and anything smaller would require you to upgrade in a matter of weeks. Add all the other equipment, and we are talking $$$s.
Paul
Paul
RESGuy
Fishaholic
Don't feel bad, you not knowing much about turtles innocently bought a book to do research on them, good jobthanks resguy i shell bear his in mined ,, this gut (gerhard mueller) says in his preface to his book that he has been keepin turtles for well over 20 years
It is not your fault that the guy doesn't know what he is writing about, and you obviously presumed he did. If you go to www.turtletimes.com I think they have a turtle book list with good books to buy Yup, it would be a waste of money to have to buy a new tank and new filter, heater etc. after 2 months of having your tank setup
care sheets for picking a species of turtle and learning about it:
http
/www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheets.htm
turtle housing:
http/www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/housing.htm
hope this helps
http
/www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheets.htmturtle housing:
http
/www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/housing.htmhope this helps
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