TURTLE PSEUDEMYS NELSONI

States of origin

Central-Eastern America, quadrilateral of states with apexes Illinois, Maryland, Florida and east-Texas / Oklahoma

Places of origin

ponds and rivers but mainly slow-flowing watercourses with clayey bottoms or wet swamps

Maximum length

from 30 cm to 40 cm

Carapace coloring

from baby green with concentric streaks to almost form yellow / orange circles.

As an adult it tends to darken to brown or even black, with increasingly faded streaks

Plastron coloring

yellow / orange background with black spots distributed mainly in the center with branching especially in the upper part

Head and limbs coloring

the head from dark olive green to black, with almost parallel yellow or light orange streaks starting from the eyes.

Under the neck they are more double with the central line splitting like a "Y".

The limbs are also the same color as the head with various yellow / orange streaks

Gender recognition

the male has a long and thick tail and very long front nails, while the female has short tail and nails.

Also the males remain smaller in size

Sexual maturity

males from 4 years and females from 6 years

Captive breeding in the home

given the size it reaches as an adult, breeding at home is not recommended, unless it is done in huge aquaterrariums.

For a baby it is possible to start breeding with a small tank of about 20 liters, taking into account the rapid growth and the proportional increase in the volume.

The water must be at least twice the length of the carapace high, with the preferable presence of various holds (eg trunks) especially as a baby.

A dry emerged area is needed on which to focus two lamps: a spot of at least 40W on for 6/8 hours a day, in order to have 30/31 ° C on the irradiated area, and a 5% uvb (or better 10% ) switched on 10/12 hours a day at a maximum distance of 25 cm from the irradiated surface.

Water always filtered at a temp. between 23 ° C and 25 ° C.

Bottom unnecessary, max fine sand 0.3-0.5 mm

Breeding in captivity in a pond

possible all year round if you have at least one part with a minimum water depth of 80 cm plus a layer of very fine sand on the bottom for a further 20/30 cm, to prevent them from dying during the winter.

It is recommended to provide a small lake with non-steep sides, with holds and with an emerged area where you can bask

Diet

plant-based omnivorous species.

In nature they feed on aquatic plants, snails, crustaceans, molluscs, insects, annelids, larvae and dead or dying fish.

In captivity, therefore, it is necessary to provide them with a similar diet, with the use of vegetables (endive, radicchio, etc.) and excellent brand pellets.

As they grow it is necessary to increase more and more the vegetable part and decrease the protein one, reaching at least a ratio of 4: 1.

They should be fed once a day, preferably in the morning; from baby 6 times a week and as they grow up you need to increase the fasting days until you get to feed them as adults three times a week

Lethargy

they carry out it at temp. between 4 ° C and 8 ° C.

At home it is impossible, so in the autumn / winter period they need a heater set at 24/25 ° C, without it they make a very harmful semi-lethargy.

Outside you need to have a pond as described above.

They can also hibernate indoors, as long as compliance with the temps is guaranteed. above-mentioned for correct hibernation

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