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FAQs About Softshell Turtles
Related Articles: Turtles,
Shell Rot in Turtles,
Amphibians, Red
Eared Slider Care,
Related FAQs: Turtles 1,
Turtles 2,
Red Ear Sliders,
Turtle Identification,
Turtle Behavior,
Turtle Compatibility,
Turtle Selection,
Turtle Systems,
Turtle Feeding,
Turtle Disease,
Shell Rot,
Turtle Reproduction,
& by Species: Cooters/Mud Turtles,
Snapping Turtles, Mata Matas,
Tortoises, &
Amphibians, Other
Reptiles,
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Problems/Questions with Florida Soft-Shelled Turtle
10/25/2009
Hello there,
<Hi Abi.>
I found a Florida Soft-Shelled Turtle on my sidewalk the other day, and
since it is a baby (a little less than two inches long), I decided to
keep him for a few days.
<Yep, have a bunch of them around my house as well.>
One of the problems I'm having is that he doesn't eat at all.
<Could be a number of things, stress, illness, or you aren't providing
what it sees as food. These turtles are carnivores.>
I've tried everything. And recently he's developed "hiccups".
<Not a good sign. This usually means a respiratory infection of some
sort.
The turtle will need to be taken to a vet.>
I'm not sure if he's doing that to try and scare me or if its because he
hasn't eaten. Any advice would be appreciated.
<If you want to keep it You can start by reading here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/turtrespart.htm
also here:
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/cs-flsoft.htm
http://www.anapsid.org/softshell.html
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/turtlesysfaq2.htm >
<One thing to keep in mind as well, soft shell turtles can give a nasty
bite>
Thanks.
<MikeV>
Re: Problems/Questions with Florida Soft-Shelled Turtle
10/27/09
Hi again.
<Hiya - Darrel here>
Thank you for responding to my message and for giving me some advice.
<your are welcome!>
I've tried feeding him cooked chicken, ham, bologna, lettuce (I've read
that some do eat vegetation), and turtle pellets. I'm not too interested
in keeping him. I just wanted him to be off the sidewalk for a bit. I
don't
think I'll be able to take him to a vet either. I've come in contact
with a fully grown soft-shell, but it didn't bite me. It bit the woman
carrying it. And yes, the bite seemed terrible. I've held my turtle many
times, and
he doesn't seem aggressive or scared. Obviously he does hide is head in
his shell, but he warms up after a bit. As for the "hiccups", there's no
coughing or sneezing, nothing coming out from his nose, nothing out of
his mouth, he still has balance while swimming, and looks to be
breathing normally.
<Abi - Softshells can be interesting pets, but yes they can and do bite
and they are not for everyone. I commend you for wanting to get him off
the sidewalk and to help him. Unfortunately the one thing we should
never ever do is release an animal that we're kept, even for just a day
or two, into the wild again.>
<What I suggest you do is look on the internet for a turtle and tortoise
club in or near your town. The little guy you have will probably require
more care than you can give him without making a permanent commitment to
him, but your local turtle and tortoise club will probably have someone
that would like to have him and has the facility and experience to care
for him.>
Spiny soft shelled turtle 05/27/09
Dear Crew,
<Hiya Angie... Darrel here>
We found a spiny soft shelled turtle at the creek.
<How big?>
Will straight tap water hurt him?
<Not a bit. In fact the clean, chlorinated water is better for him than
stagnant water.>
Also, what kind of habitat do I need to set up for him?
<Soft shell turtles are one of the most interesting of all the turtles.>
<WATER QUALITY: They're a quite bit more sensitive about water quality
than what a Red Eared Slider will tolerate, so you need to have good
filters and change the water/clean the tank more frequently. The water
should look clean and pure and have ZERO odor of any kind.>
<LIGHTING: Contrary to popular notions, soft shells ( the genus is now
called Apalone but it used to called Trionyx) DO haul out and bask and
DO require heat and UV lighting just like a Red Eared Slider would ..
it's just that they are shy and nervous creatures and will retreat to
safety
(the water) almost any time someone is around. Even after they are
accustomed to humans, many still find 'sunbathing' to be a private thing
and will slip into the water even as they swim up to the glass as a
human approaches.>
<FOOD: Again, they are a bit more carnivorous than a Slider, but I've
raised them from hatchlings to breeders on nothing more than high
quality
Koi pellets and the occasional (once a month) night crawler/earthworm.>
<HOUSING: The same basic instructions for Red Eared Sliders apply here
(link enclosed) with just a few reminders (1) Water Quality is critical
to
their long term health. (2) Care must be taken that their bottom,
basking area, etc. be free from sharp or rough objects because their
skin is much
more sensitive to abrasion.>
<HIDING: This is one thing not strictly REQUIRED, but your Spiny Soft
shell (Apalone spinifera) will love you for it: Take a glass or plastic
dish
around 4 inches deep, fill it with very fine aquarium sand and place it
in such a manner as to be now more than an inch below water level in the
tank
or pond. Usually this means placing it on top of rocks or even upside
down garden pots. The soft shell finds security in burying his entire
body in
the sand and sticking only his very long neck up to the surface (very
much like a snorkel). The more security they find in their ability to
hide, the
more secure they will be when they're out and about where you CAN see
them.>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
Turtle question, RES,
Softshell incomp. 4/5/09
Hi, I have a red eared slider and a Softshell turtle together in an
aquarium.
<Mmm, not compatible>
They've peacefully coexisted since I got them both as babies last July,
but for a couple of weeks now the slider has been taking bites out of
the softshell's shell!
<Yes>
A man at the petstore suggested I buy a bigger tank so I upgraded from a
10 gal to a 29 gal,
<Still too small>
but the slider is still doing it! What should I do?
<These two need to be kept in separate systems>
Thanks so much for your help,
Brandi Davis
<Welcome Brandi. Bob Fenner>
Florida Soft Shelled care, and turtle
sys. period 8/30/08
Dear Crew
<Hiya Tina - Darrel here
today>
I am going to do my best and keep this short...
<Let's see how
you do>
A few weeks ago my boyfriend surprised me with two baby turtles
from the reptile show that he had gone to, 1 Florida Soft Shelled
<Trionyx
ferox!! one of my all time favorite turtles>
and a Spiny Soft Shelled
<Trionyx spinifer - virtually identical care & needs in every respect>
We
are reptile people and have had many snakes and lizards over the years, some of
which we bred, so the turtles are a new venture for us!
<Welcome to a
bigger world, Tina. At the risk of hurting the feelings of my 4 iguanas, turtles
and tortoises are my favorite reptiles. While not possessing the intelligence or
personality of the iguanids, chelonians are fun, active, personable and
generally fun to be around ... come to think of it .. that also describes my
last girlfriend. Hmmmm>
They are in a tank together right now and seem to
be getting along just fine.
<Soft shell turtles are not particularly social, Tina. In the wild, they
tend to live singly like the snappers, mud & musk turtles as opposed to the
Emydids (Sliders, cooters, etc). They can be housed together and usually will
get along fine as long as there is enough room for them to get away from each
other when they need to. Make sure you feed them separately as well. Try to
entice them each to a different corner of the tank at feeding time so they don't
even APPEAR to have to compete for food.>
The tank air is at about 80 to 85
degrees normally and the water ranges from 72 in the early morning (before the
lights turn on) and 76 by time the lights turn off for the night. They have been
eating a pellet food that he got from the breeder and occasional frozen brine
shrimp (which the Florida loves!)
<Not bad. I use a high quality Koi
Pellet for all my aquatic turtles and I "treat" them with an occasional
earthworm (night crawlers which your local tropical fish store should carry)
Brine shrimp are OK, but there is very little nutritional value and the uneaten
shrimp foul your water ... which is an important consideration. Pellet food and
one worm per week per turtle is more than enough. The worms will keep in the
fridge for about a week and then you can dump the rest in your garden, which
does wonders for the plants.>
I have a filter and I am attempting to grow
vegetation in the tank presently.
<Item #1 and Item # VERY important, Tina.
Our soft shells require MUCH higher water quality than almost any other kind of
turtle. We're talking almost tropical fish-tank water quality. Crystal clear and
charcoal filtered. Skin/shell infections are serious conditions for the Trionyx
and VERY difficult to treat... so keep it clean>
<**********General Note to
Turtle Keepers Everywhere********>
<Please, abandon ALL hope of having a
mature biological filter system for your turtles the way you do for your fish
tanks. Chelonian dietary needs, combined with a fairly primitive digestive
system (aquatic turtles, at least) provide such a high output of .. um ... raw
materials for the biofilter that it has virtually NO hope of catching up and
keeping pace. Change the water regularly, siphon the bottom every time you
change, add lots of activated charcoal to the filter and change it regularly.
<Thanks for listening>
I noticed today that the Florida has a white tint to
his shell and I am growing concerned, Why would this happen and is it dangerous
to him. I would like to know what to do to fix this problem now so that I can
keep him for a long time to come. Please let me know if you have a clue as to
what it may be. It doesn't appear to be filmy, just white-ish.
<Difficult
to say Tina, for a number of reasons. First, fungal infections down IN the skin
(as opposed to on the surface) will appear whitish yet not slimy. Second,. as T.
ferox matures and loses that dark shell with the beautiful orange band, one of
the first things that happens is that the shell starts to "fade" by looking
slightly whitish. My suggestion for the moment is that you attend to the water
quality issues and then make sure that the tank lighting provides UVA and UVB
and then see that he (both of them actually) get plenty of natural sunlight. 15
to 20 minutes a day of direct sunlight. Now that doesn't mean COOK them of
course. Put them in a box with side high enough that they can't climb and place
that box where sunlight can hit the bottom directly and then cover half the top
so that there is shade. Even if they choose the shade, the unfiltered light that
reflects around the inside on the box is still "direct enough" to be
beneficial.>
<Here are some tips on keeping the Trionyx family: they DO
bask just like the rest of the water turtles and they NEED the UV light, same as
the others. Being somewhat shy about it, they do it carefully and away from eyes
(often in the weeds, reeds or tall grasses) in the wild. As they grow, they
spend much of their time buried in the sand where they only need stick out their
long snorkel-like neck to breathe. Now this is the part that people miss, when
the water is shallow enough that they can be UNDER the sand and still stick
their heads out of the water, a LOT of that hot Florida sunshine is reaching
them.>
<This brings up another tip: In every instance where I keep soft
shelled turtles, I have shallow water with small grained sand as least 3 times
deeper than their shell so that they can engage in this natural behavior.
Sometimes that can be as simple as a small clear plastic shoebox filled with
sand and set inside a bigger "normal" aquarium atop some rocks so that it's 1
inch under the surface.>
Sincerely,
Tina
<Check the water
quality issues, Tina. Provide the daily sunshine and write us back in 14 days --
Darrel>
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Re: Turtles... mixing
species – 4/15/08
thank you for the info, we now have them in different tanks and the
soft shelled turtle is very interesting and likes to bury himself into
the sandy bottom.
<I love it when people don't write to say "thanks" until they want more
information... gives me a nice warm glow knowing that good manners are
still a part of the modern world.>
But recently the red-eared slider stays on the turtle dock and does not
swim and has not eaten in a few days is she sick or what should we do?
thanks
<First tell me about the vivarium and care. How are you supplying UV-B
light? What foods are you using for the 50% plant material portion of
its diet the Red Ear Slider needs? How are you filtering the water? How
much water are you changing per week? What temperature do you keep the
water at? The reason I'm asking these questions is that virtually all
problems with Red Ear Sliders come down to people not providing UV-B,
not feeding them a plant-based diet, not filtering the water, and not
changing the water regularly. If you aren't doing ALL of these things
properly, then your first "thing to do" is fix them. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Turtles, WWM,
manners/normative beh. – 4/15/08
Are you always an ass when people ask you for information? Because
your the one with the website so if you don't like people writing to you
with questions then maybe you shouldn't have one. Oh yeah and by the way
thanks for the info!
Amanda
<Hello Amanda. Good manners cost nothing. Simply because you're getting
a service doesn't mean your manners should be neglected. When you get a
drink at a bar, or pay at the checkout at a grocery store, I'm sure
someone as well mannered as yourself would always use those magic words
"thank you" at the end of each transaction. When you're getting
something for free, such as the expert advice from volunteers like me
trying to help you care for your animals, then being polite is even more
important. I enjoy helping out here at WWM because most of the people
who write are fun to communicate with. Humour, good manners, and a
shared interest in animal welfare are the things that keep me coming
back. Cheers, Neale.> |
Turtles, RES and Soft Shell
incomp. 4/5/08
Would it be ok to stick a red eared slider and a soft shelled turtle in the
same tank?
LOVE AMANDA!!!!!!!
<In a word, No. These turtles have different needs and different temperaments.
Soft-shell Turtles get big (the Florida Soft Shell Turtle for example has a
shell length of 60 cm/24", and the Spiny Soft Shell is only a bit smaller) and
are very bad tempered. They bite at everything, including their keepers and any
animals unfortunate enough to be placed in the same tank. They are not a
suitable species for the home, and if you haven't bought this animal yet, think
very VERY carefully before you do so, because you will likely regret it. Red-ear
Sliders are generally fairly easy going and don't get nearly so big, so provided
you have a heater, UV-B lamp, filter, lots of green foods, and space for the 55
gallon aquarium adults require, are quite easy to keep. If you don't have these
things and don't want to buy them, please don't bother with turtles at all.
Cheers, Neale.>
Pig Nosed River Turtle Questions, sys. 4/16/07
Hello guys, I hope you can bear with me and try to answer my questions, I am
really sorry I have so many questions and taking up your precious time. Really
appreciate your help and time and efforts! Thank you in advance!
My pig nose turtle has been really restless for the past month, swimming from
one end to the other in the tank and flapping water furiously but stopped once I
go over or pat it on its head. Last time it (I am still not sure of its gender,
I know a long tail and long nails at front flippers should indicate a ‘he’ but I
am not sure how long exactly is considered long enough.) used to calm down after
I fed it but food doesn’t work anymore so I really don’t know what my turtle is
asking for now. I have seen similar questions posted in the forum but the
replies did not directly explain this behaviour. I have varied the diet but it
didn’t help. I have kept the turtle for years and this hasn’t happened before.
There’s no hiding place for my turtle and I will try to get one because it’s
difficult to find a cave-like structure big and light enough for the glass tank.
My turtle is about 22cm from head to tail and 17cm in width.. Do you know how
old it is?.
< They grow very slowly and no literature is available on the growth rate of
this turtle.>
When I bought it, I believed it was just a hatchling, no bigger than about 10cm
from head to tail.
And is it also 80F for the water temperature for Pignose turtle?
< That sounds like it is in the range for this species.>
Can you tell me how many Celsius degree is 80F?
<Around 27 C.>
Should the basking area be higher in temperature?
< Generally the basking areas are always higher so the animal can increase its
body temp to fight disease and to aid in digestion.>
And aside from the basking light, do I also need another lamp for the tank?
< You need heat and another lamp to provide the proper lighting spectrum for
vitamin development.>
Are these two kinds of lamps different?
< Usually yes although some lamps can provide both heat and some UV radiation.>
And should I keep the lights on during the day and off at night?
< Yes.>
I also don’t have a basking area for it, because the water level of the tank is
about three quarter full and I have no idea how to build a basking area so high
above the water. If I keep the water level lower, will it deprive my turtle in
terms of swimming space?
< Yes try and build a shelf on which the turtle can get out on. ZooMed makes a
Turtle Dock for just such a situation but it is not big enough for a turtle like
yours.>
If I put it out in a tub for basking, is half an hour enough?
< Only the turtle itself knows how long it needs to bask.>
It doesn’t really get a lot of direct sunlight because I stay in a flat and have
no garden or porches or anything in kind.
Do I need to add a bit of water in the tub?
< This is a very aquatic turtle that in the wild would spend hours swimming
around in a big river. If you are going to confine it to a tube then I would
still and try to provide as much swimming are as possible.>
So sorry I have so many questions. I hope you can answer to them all. So sorry
to take up so much of your time and efforts, really appreciate any help given!..
Thank you soo soo much!
Lost and frantic owner, Jaz Singapore
< This is a very rare turtle and I believe on some CITES lists too. Very scarce
and very expensive in the U.S. The cool thing about these turtles is they look
and act like ocean sea turtles but are found in fresh water instead. They get
pretty big for a pet turtle. The shell can get up to almost 20 inches and they
can weigh up to 35 lbs. There is very little known about these turtles and
literature is scarce. Since they get soo big and are very aquatic I would try
and give them as much swimming space as possible. They may come out to bask
occasionally but I don't think they will use a basking spot very often. Some
people in the US that are fortunate enough to have this turtle have told me that
they are totally aquatic and don't require a basking spot. But I would still
provide UVB and UVA over the basking site to cover my bases. The basking site
should still be around 85 to 90 F. The water temp should be around 80 F. The
diet may need to be modified for minerals that it may not be getting. Try adding
a few vitamins to the food to see if that helps settle him down.-Chuck>
Floating Soft Shell Turtle 10/6/06
Hello, My Florida Soft Shell is buoyant. He can't seem to stay down no
matter how hard he tries... He keeps floating up to the top of his tank. Usually
he acts starving when I feed him and is very vigorous and tonight at dinner time
he didn't even budge. Finally I got him to eat 2 brine shrimp cubes (he normally
eats 3), but he is just floating at the top of his tank. Could he be dying?
Also, our power went out the other day and I had to add water to the
filter area to get the pump to stat pumping again.... when I did this, it added
the pump debris in to his water. Could he have gotten sick from this if he ate
it? Please help answer my questions if you can.
< Could be sick from something he ate, but the problem is the water is too cold.
Put a quality water heater in the aquarium and turn it up to 80 F. Soft shells
really don't bask so the water needs to be warm all the time for them.-Chuck>
Re: Burping Turtle 10/5/06
Thanks. Any reason for the big air bubbles (burping)?
<Gas is usually a associated with food being decomposed by microbes as opposed
to being digested by the stomach juices.-Chuck>
Re: Burping Turtle II 10/6/06
I'm assuming that food decomposed by microbes as opposed to being digested
by stomach juices is bad?
< It means that the bacteria are breaking down and digesting the food and not
the turtle.>
She spends a considerable amount of time under her basking lamp, which is at the
correct temperature, so I'm not sure what else to do. Thanks, Matt
< Check the basking spot with a thermometer. It should be at least 85 F. If it
is too cold then increase the wattage of the basking light or move the source
closer to the spot.-Chuck>
Small Soft Shell Turtle 8/30/06
Hi I have a soft shell turtle I have had it for nearly a year now and
its still about 5cm long is this normal?
< Soft shell turtle actually require some warmth. Your turtle should be
close to twice that size. Get a heater for the tank and set at 75 to 80 F.
Feed foods that are high in protein like fish, insects and worms.-Chuck>
Chinese Soft Shell Turtle in a Pond? 6/9/06
Dear WWM Crew,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have a female Chinese soft shell turtle that I love dearly. I am moving into
my boyfriend's house and he doesn't want her. :(
<Guess you love the boyfriend more?>
I don't want to give her up, so I am trying to find a compromise to keep her
with me. I live in the UK, so its pretty warm here at the minute, but as you
know the winters can be bitter. So, my boyfriend has a pond, with nothing in it.
I was wondering if I could build an enclosure that was kept at a constant
temperature to house her in? I'm a designer and he is an electrician - I'm sure
we could come up with something!
Do you think so long as the temperature was controlled and the water filtered
she'd be ok? Are there any other considerations we should take into account?
<Would work but very expensive to heat, IMO. ~PP>
Thanks guys, I look forward to hearing from you
Soft Shell Turtle Throwing Up - 5/11/06
Hi, I'm located in Singapore, and the general attitude here towards reptiles
are that if they are sick, throw them away and get a new one.
Which means that.. there are no vets who can treat my Softshell turtle!
I'm not sure what type it is, but I am pretty sure its a breed that's from
southeast Asia.
I keep it outdoors, in a tank where it can get sunlight from 7am till
12noon.It is roughly 3 years old, and 6 inches long. Problem is, for the past 3
weeks, it have been throwing up. Not immediately after feeding, maybe 5-6 hours
later.
It's eating Tetra ReptoMin, 8 sticks per feeding.
I tried feeding it iceberg lettuce, the only vegetable it will eat.
But that comes out too, after 12 hours.
It used to be very active, but its just lying around these days, don't even try
to bite me anymore. What can the problem be? I really don't want to lose it..
I can't tell if its male or female either.. Thank you for your time,
Tasha
< Too bad you have no access to a vet. Clean the tank and move it to where it
gets some warm afternoon sun. The peak UV period is between 10 and 2. You turtle
may not be getting warm enough to digest its meal and it has begun to rot in its
gut and cannot pass it.-Chuck>
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