Mata Mata turtle growth thread

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Chefken

Chefken

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Sep 17, 2010
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Harwinton CT
I received my Mata Mata on June 12. The first pics show the little bugger just out of the box. the second pic is from today. I would say it has doubled in mass. His head is least twice as big.....Name is Morphius. Feeding frozen silversides and small feeders as he can catch them. I hope to end feeders eventually when his tankmates wise up to frozen. I tong feed him although he gets plenty of feeders ambush style. I will post more pics in a few months as he grows!!IMG_0996.JPG new turtle.jpg IMG_1138.JPG turtle now.jpg
 
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Wow, you weren't kidding when you said his head doubled in size.
 
His neck is about a good 2 inches thick, impressive. I'd be scared to see him full grown :p.
 
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I want one someday,are they pretty active?
 
krichardson said:
I want one someday,are they pretty active?
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They dont swim much....ambush predator. I enjoy just watching him stretch his crazy neck to breath. I like having a tank full of fish for more visual appeal which you can easily do. They do get pretty big. 40lbs and a shell close to a manhole cover. Even at that size a 48"x48" enclosure is adequate.
 
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Chefken said:
They dont swim much....ambush predator. I enjoy just watching him stretch his crazy neck to breath. I like having a tank full of fish for more visual appeal which you can easily do. They do get pretty big. 40lbs and a shell close to a manhole cover. Even at that size a 48"x48" enclosure is adequate.
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I saw a pretty big one at a reptile show some years ago.It looked to be very close to manhole cover size.
 
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krichardson said:
I saw a pretty big one at a reptile show some years ago.It looked to be very close to manhole cover size.
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An active turtle that size would need 1000 gallons easy. A custom 240 would house a Mata for life. I am hoping to get 6-10 years in my 120 adapting the tank as he grows with lower rock formation and less fish.
 
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My mata was tame as baby, but now he becomes somewhat defensive. When I try to pull him out for tank maintanence he tries to bite, swing his neck, use his shell to block my head. Now he is about 6 inch long by shell, and I have him for a year. Anyway, mata is an interesting turtle.
 
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Chefken said:
They dont swim much....ambush predator. I enjoy just watching him stretch his crazy neck to breath. I like having a tank full of fish for more visual appeal which you can easily do. They do get pretty big. 40lbs and a shell close to a manhole cover. Even at that size a 48"x48" enclosure is adequate.
Click to expand...


I have three my largest are fresh imports a 20" female and a 17" male. I also have a 12" male I raised from a hatchling that size, he grew to 12" in 5 years. I can tell you with confidence a 48"x48" will not cut it at all. They are measured by their straight shell length, their neck and head is just as long. They are sedentary during the day, they are busy at night. I'm not saying they are like a Red eared slider activity wise but they do move around a lot more than one might think. Mine are kept in a 8'x4'x2' pond because my 300g stock tank was too small

To give an accurate measure to compare, think about a 32 gallon brute trash can. The base of the trash can is about 20".
 
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