South Yorkshire Terrapin & Tortoise Rescue THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS:
You will see the following species on this cam
- Musk turtles
- Razor-backed musk turtles
- African Sideneck Turtle
| Musk Pond | Temp |
|---|---|
| Water temp | 23°C |
| Basking temp | 32°C |
Musk turtle facts
Musk turtles are nocturnal creatures and do most of their hunting at night. During the day, they are generally inactive and remain buried in the mud at the bottom of the pond.
The barbell’s on this turtle’s chin and throat are sensory organs which allow the turtle to feel for
prey resting on the bottom of the water body.
Musk turtles don’t leave the water very often. Their tiny little tongues are covered in nipple like
structures called papillae, which allow them to breathe underwater. They enjoy shallow, slow moving,
heavily vegetated
- Musk turtles are often found walking along the bottom of a water body rather than swimming.
- They camouflage themselves by burrowing slightly into the muck.
- The algae frequently found growing on their shells help the animals blend in among the plants
and similar‐looking algae‐covered stones. - Several characteristics can be used to distinguish males from females: 1) males have patches of
rough scales on the inside of the hind legs that are used to grasp the female’s carapace during
mating; 2) more skin is in between the seams of the scutes on the male’s plastron; 3) the tails of
males are longer, thicker, and equipped with a spike at the tip; and 4) males have larger heads
than females. - The musk turtle’s feet are heavily webbed and clawed
What do we feed our Musk turtles?
- Little gem Lettice
- Fresh prawns
- Snails
- Our own Turtle & Terrapin food (Mix) BUY NOW
- Cuttlebone/Cuttlefish (For Calcium)
