EMERGENCY!!!!! ASAP!
- Thread starter Vitaliy
- Start date
I just Googled for them, and it does look like a Malaclemys terrapin (Diamondback Terrapin), thanks!benzjamin13 said:
He is already swimming around the bathtub in circles, I just emptied it to let him dry out for a bit and he is running around in circles...walls said:
Sorry, came back on line. That is the diamond back terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) state reptile of Maryland. It is protected in a couple states and regulated by season and catch limits in some others due to it being a delicacy. They are found along the coast from Massachusetts to the eastern Gulf of Mexico and are unusual in that they are mainly brackish water though often found in fresh. That one is out early but they are pretty tolerant of low temps. they do need a basking area. They sometimes eat plant shoots and tubers but their main diet is clams, snails, shrimp, crabs, worms, and small fish. the males get a carapace length of 5 1/2" and the females up to 9". They breed in june or july and are pretty common in Chesapeake bay salt marshes. They have lived in captivity at least 40 years. Very cool find. Room temperature is a good temp. for them.
Would it be alright if I keep her in fully fresh water? And it would be impossible that she was in the Ocean and obviously someone threw her out, right?guppy said:
I read that males are usually around 5" and females are usually around 7.5", she is def bigger than 5".
They sometimes live in full freshwater ponds near the coast so that is not a problem.
How has the weather been? It is possible she was washed into the sea from a salt marsh, the current would carry her until she washed up. Just as likely as somebody tossing her if you have had any heavy rains. Either way this early in the year she probably would have not lived long.
How has the weather been? It is possible she was washed into the sea from a salt marsh, the current would carry her until she washed up. Just as likely as somebody tossing her if you have had any heavy rains. Either way this early in the year she probably would have not lived long.
vitaliy,
keep the water very warm as stated before, 84-85 F would be the ideal temp.
also keep the turtle away from any doors, windows or drafty areas, turtles are known to catch "colds" which is a resperitory infection and cause the turtle to "weeze" and have dificulty breathing.
cover the tank with something to keep in humidity and to keep stress low and also to retain the heat from the water.
keep the water very warm as stated before, 84-85 F would be the ideal temp.
also keep the turtle away from any doors, windows or drafty areas, turtles are known to catch "colds" which is a resperitory infection and cause the turtle to "weeze" and have dificulty breathing.
cover the tank with something to keep in humidity and to keep stress low and also to retain the heat from the water.
