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3 Responses to 'How do you take care of chicken turtles?'

1. Pookie - August 3rd, 2009 at 8:09 am

   What the Cluck?!

   a chicken turtle?

2. joeschlobotnic - August 5th, 2009 at 1:02 pm

   The 3 subspecies are distributed over the South-Eastern and South-Central United States from Florida & the low to mid-East Coast westward to East Texas and Southeastern Oklahoma. The Western Chicken Turtle is found mostly west of the Mississippi River. The Eastern Chicken Turtle occurs east of the Mississippi River, doesn’t extend as far north as the Western subspecies, and runs east thought Northern Florida & midway up the East Coast. The Florida subspecies is confined to roughly the lower 2/3’rds of Florida.

   Temperature Range (°F): (All ranges are estimates)

   *

   Air Temperature: Mid. 70’s to 80’s
   *

   Basking Temperature: Roughly 85-90º
   *

   Water Temperature: Roughly mid-70′sº; go with 80º the first few months of life

   CARE DIFFICULTY

   Usually ‘no.’ For a dedicated person, yes. Females in particular don’t stay small like Southern & Midland Painteds or some male map turtles (i.e.: Texas & Cagle’s maps), & are moderately expensive. I strongly recommend choosing a male (for the smaller size). If this turtle will be kept outside & hibernated, I recommend against the Florida subspecies since through much of their natural range hibernation might be minimal or unnecessary. In Keeping and Breeding Freshwater Turtles2 (Page 117), Russ Gurley notes baby chicken turtles are a little more delicate than slider babies.

   CAPTIVE DIET

   In Keeping and Breeding Freshwater Turtles2, Russ Gurley states chicken turtles exhibit a carnivorous feeding pattern & hatchlings & youngsters feed on aquatic insects, tadpoles & crayfish. In Greg’s experience chicken turtles are aggressively carnivorous, much more so than, say, cooters, & given opportunity will kill large numbers of fish in a day. They can expand their throats to ‘vacuum’ assist capture (this may cut down on water resistance during the strike, rather than ******* prey in19). In Turtles of the United States and Canada18 (Page 365), research is cited & a claim made that during the first year they’re at least partially carnivorous11, but adults probably more omnivorous (it’s stated adults take romaine lettuce but juveniles refuse plant material). It’s noted the chicken turtle has a well-developed hyoid apparatus to literally **** in food items (as Greg has seen).

   I am not aware of any stomach content studies providing occurrence by frequency or volume of plant or animal matter, or a breakdown of just what’s eaten. Given their long necks, vacuum-strike technique & carnivorous bent it seems likely they may have greater ability to catch small fish than, say, sliders & painteds. It seems reasonable to figure varied invertebrates (insects, larvae, crayfish, etc…), tadpoles & occasional small fish are dietary fixtures.

   Based on the available information, I recommend proceeding on the assumption chicken turtle hatchlings are carnivores that progress to predominantly carnivorous adults. This is not unlike some map turtles, with the caveat we don’t expect chicken turtles to eat intact shellfish (as some female maps can) & map turtles lack the expected chicken turtle fishing capability. Patrick finds his love catfish nuggets & fillets. These could be a treat. His turtles also eat vegetation (collard greens, water hyacinth, iceberg & romaine lettuce, & they love algae).

   Hatchlings may be offered a moderate protein diet once daily, graduating to every other day after 6 to 12 months. Romaine lettuce, Anacharis, Water Hyacinth & other safe edible aquatic plants should be offered often to encourage low-protein intake (daily romaine lettuce is fine). Choose a good brand name commercial food (i.e.: Mazuri, ReptoMin, etc…) & augment with live food offerings (crayfish, earth worm, cricket, etc…). Some people cut dietary protein by using some commercial tortoise food. As discussed under Hatchling Care, Diet, include small crayfish or shrimp & Hikari vitamin-enriched frozen bloodworms.

3. Peek prays for Isis - August 7th, 2009 at 1:11 pm

   NO cages …tanks,ponds..no cages…they live in the waters in the wild..do some research check out ‘austinsturtlepage.com’ .

   Sliders, all cooters , chicken cooter, painted, map, yellow bellied all are basically the same and require the same basic care.
   I have had my 2 slider girls for 36 yrs. Plus an 8 and 5 yr old and now a 2 yr old adopted from this site..

   The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle. Remember 10 gallons for every inch of turtle. I have used kiddy pools and plastic pond liners from most nurseries and worked great. Start out with a 55 gallon plus size tank.

   Egg laying june thru july , 1 to 2 dozen eggs laid. All turtles require alot of care, always.
   I have had my 2 slider girls for 36 yrs. Plus an 8 and 5 yr old and now a 2 yr old adopted from this site..
   Do you know how long I have carted these guys around, 36 longggg yrs. I have spent so many $$$ I could have bought a small island by now!
   Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA/UVB for up to 8 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. So that means getting a turtle dock also.
   Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always. These turtles in captivity do not hibernate their eating may slow down some but they will not hibernate. These are not cuddly pets and will bite very very hard. Under 4″ they carry a disease called ‘salmonella’. So you must wash after every handling. These guys can become canabalistic and will kill the smallest turtle if there is not enough room and food.
   And my pictures don’t lie. All ages and all sizes get along as long as their is allot for swim room and plenty to eat!
   Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they **** allot. You need a good filter system!
   Total Body length: 5-8″ average for males, up to 12 inches max for females. Life span: 15-25+ years
   Males have the longer front nails and are used in mating. And are considered mature at about 5 yrs old. You can’t start sexing till about 3” across.
   Gravel larger than they can swallow.
   You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium drop 20 or so in the tank and watch them disappear in a few days! When I got these two 36 yrs ago all we had in back then were goldfish to feed , so after 36 yrs and still going strong. They can eat goldfish!
   This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!
   I also feed dried cubed blood worms or tubiflex worms at least 5 times a week.
   They sleep at the bottom of rivers, streams. lakes or ponds or your tank to avoid predators like coyotes, foxes, owls, hawks, possums, raccoons and even some wide mouth bass.
   TOSS in a bird cuttle bone in the water for calcium that will promote better shell growth, it will dissolve real slow and if they eat it that’s fine!!
   They can have garden worms, meal worms, snails, crickets, flies, crayfish small frogs, slugs, tadpoles dragon flies and anything that moves, but only as a treat.
   They need leafy greens Romaine, Butter lettuce. (Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any other leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.
   They love grapes and strawberries and squash..
   You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing, blowing bubbles from their nose. Fungus white cotton patches on their skin?
   **Swollen cloudy eyes which means lacking in Vitamin A. Which we all need for good eyes. Google ‘vegetables with Vitamin A.

   Contact the “www.anapsid.org/societies, for a turtle vet / RESCUE in your city and state.

   I wish you luck.

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