Care Sheet for TurtlesAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 4.91 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 02/29/2004 |
Main Category: | Aquatic/Land |
Sub Category: | Turtles |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Bayou Beasts |
Years Experience: | Over 20 Years |
Species: | NORTH AMERICAN WOOD TURTLE |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | North American Wood Turtle |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Sexing wood turtles is very difficult til sexual maturity at around 4-5 for females and 5-6 for males. The plastron of the male wood turtle has a concave appearance which runs the length of the plastron. The female has a flat or slightly convex appearance. The carapace is textured with the appearance of a piece of wood giving them their name. Wood turtles can be found in shallow slowmoving streams and also in deep fast moving rivers as well as wet lands and ponds/lakes ETC. |
Mostly Active During: | Both |
Substrate and Water Needs: | If at all possible keep the wood turtles outside that will provide the best sustrate. If kept outside year round make sure you dig a pond for the turtles due to the fact that some will hibernate(borenate)in the water. Wood turtles will slow down while the temps are below 50 degrees F but if above 50 it is common for them to come out (if the ground isn’t frozen) and bask for awhile during the warmer part of the day. If kept indoors you should provide an adult with a tank no smaller than that of a 75 gallon(48x18x18) with 10 inches or so of soil. |
Lighting and UVB: | If kept outdoors this is not an issue. If kept in doors you need to provide them with uva/uvb. But the uva/uvb only travels at best 6-7 inches from the light source so you should provide them with an easy/safe way to reach the range in which the light is going to do any good. Also you will need to supplement their food with some product which has vitamins D3 and A which are the ones they will lack from the direct sun light. Sun light traveling through windows during the day time hours are of no use due to the fact that the uva/uvb are filtered by the glass. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Nothern woods due well in most conditions they are semi aquatic so humidity should be of no concern if water is provided. Temps need to stay above the 55 degree F mark to avoid Hibernation, and should not exceed 85-90 for very long periods with out a way for the animal to escape the heat. |
Heating and Equipment: | All that needs to be said about the equipment needed is Full Spec. lighting if kept indoors, a large enough enclosure and a large enough water area. |
Caging Provided: | I personally have been breeding N. Woods and E. boxies and Painters for over26 years. I keep a mixture of them out side all year round they hibernate mate lay eggs and the whole nine yards naturally. My enclosure consists of 2 polyresen pool liners 4 foot x 30 foot. sank 1 foot in the ground to make a 3 foot wall that is oval at 20feet x 40 feet. If you need to move them indoors for hatchling to juvi. I suggest a 20 gallon tank for up to 4-6 hatchlings and up to 2-4 juvi.s under the size if 4 inches. For adults custom built enclosures will due best but a 75 gallon can work for up to one pair. |
Diet: | Omnivorous |
Description of Diet: | Wood turtles will eat their own young or anything that moves that they can catch, as well their diet should consist of:fish, Kale, squash, clover, dandellion greens, collard greens, carrots, spinach, and long leaf lettuces, as well as fruits blue berries, strawberries, tomattos, grapes, kiwi, rassberries, posion berries, black berries, ETC. STAY AWAY from dog food and cat food others will say feed it but think isn’t it made for dogs and cats?? |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | I swear by Miner-all made by sticky tongue farms. |
Maintenance: | Keep the water clean daily and the enclosures as clean as possible. |
Some Words on this Species: | This species is great as a whole they are fun to work with as well as breed. They are very hardy and forgiving just pay attention they know what they need better than you. |
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