Common (northern) map turtle?

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Conner

Conner

Piranha
MFK Member
Dec 27, 2008
4,461
25
81
Kentucky
Hey, I've got a guy wanting to sell an adult common map turtle for $25. He says its 8" long and 6" wide. I haven't gotten a picture yet to check for sure, but I figure its not a bad price, right?

Anyways, my real question is this: I'm building a big pond, which I've posted in here. It's going to have a large (12" carapace length) eastern spiny softshell turtle, shortnose gars, bluegill/sunfish, and other native fish in it. Will the map turtle and softshell get along in a ~2,500g pond?

I know that some care sheets i've seen recommend hard-shelled turtles as tankmates for softshells, since they can be so aggressive to their own species. Would the sizes be alright?
 
I assume your map is a female. Since the pond its relatively large it could be worth a try under close vigilance. Spinys aint the most agressive of softys either
 
I was assuming the map will be female too, since the males don't get as big as this guy says it is (I don't have it yet). I might pick it up after work tomorrow or friday. I'll take pics once I get it home. It's gonna have to go into a tupperware tub until the pond is ready though, I don't know that it would work out well in any of my tanks, even short term (tanks listed in my sig). I do have an empty 29g Eclipse system I could easily set up temporarily though...
 
It should be OK, I think. Just be careful of water quality while your map is in her temporary home, they're more sensitive than some turtles.
 
Ya, I'll be careful. I think I'll set up the 29g temporarily, just so I can see the turtle easier, and its got built in filtration and lighting already. She should only be in there for a month, two at most (hopefully) before my pond is set up enough to toss her in there.
 
So I've got my 29g tank running already, and I'll be picking up the map turtle tomorrow after work. I'm having to use a concrete block for a basking platform, because I really just don't have anything else that will work.

Does the top of the block need to be completely out of the water, i.e. dry, or can it be covered with say a half inch of water, and still be ok?

I'll post pics if anybody can't visualize what I'm trying to say...

Thanks,
Conner
 
It needs to be dry. If the turtle can't dry off completely she is likely to get skin infections. Maps are very prone to this.
 
Ok, I'll drop the water level a little lower. Do they sell tube UVB lights? The tank has the built in canopy with 2 tube lights. If they do, I'll switch one out for a UVB while the turtles in the tank.

or will it make a difference over the span of a month or so?
 
Shouldn't make much difference. If you take her out in the sunshine for an hour or two every week that should be plenty.
 
Ok, that will work too. I'm picking him/her up after work today, so I'll get pics as soon as I get home.
 
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