Musk Turtles tend to be solitary creatures, and do not enjoy the company of other turtles. In fact, they have gained a notoriety for their brutal behaviour when tankmates take a disliking to one another, especially when both inhabitants are of the same species. Even opposite sex pairs intended for breeding may exhibit poor behaviours to one another, and may need to be kept separately for the majority of their lives. Males of this species tend to be particularly intolerant of tankmates.
Although some grouping behaviours are exhibited in the wild, this is likely due to resource location. As reptiles, they have fairly low feeding requirements and no migratory tendencies compared to some other vertebrates, so forming relationships and friendships with others of their species would not be beneficial in a wild situation. This is transferred to the captive environment and it is likely that what we, as humans, see as companionship, will serve only as a constant stressor to turtles kept with others in regard to food scarcity.
For those who do try to maintain a community environment with multiple Common Musk Turtles sharing one aquarium, constant vigilance and preparation to be able to separate the inhabitants at a moment's notice is imperative for their safety, should aggressive behaviour be exhibited.
As a primarily nocturnal species and a bottom dweller, the Common Musk Turtle will not make as much use of a basking area as some other species. However, a suitable area for basking must still be provided at all times, either in the form of a Turtle Dock or as a piece of cork bark wedged sharply at one edge of the tank to avoid movement and potential injury to the inhabitant. A steeper incline will give the turtle a great chance to show off their incredible climbing skills but ensure that it is accessible to your turtle as their size increases.
The most fascinating behaviour exhibited by this small turtle species is that which gives them their nickname - the Stinkpot. When disturbed, these turtles can quickly release a foul-smelling liquid from its musk glands, in the form of phenolalkalinic acid that creates a pungent musky odour. The Common Musk Turtle will also often be observed walking along the bottom of their enclosure, foraging for food, rather than swimming along as is more often seen in other species.
All aquatic turtles should be handled with care and respect, and serve better as an observational pet rather than one to be handled regularly, although it is important that you are able to handle your Common Musk Turtle in case of injury or illness.
To ensure you are not at the end of a nasty nip, you should be especially careful if you have to handle the Stinkpot.
Picking them up towards the rear of their shell can help, although their necks are designed to be long and bendy in order to be able to grab a quickly moving target, so don't be shocked if your turtle catches you on occasion with their sharp beak! Aquatic turtles are well known for carrying Salmonella bacteria in their gut, which can be transferred to humans via handling and contact with the turtle's environment.
Turtles with Salmonella living in their intestines rarely show symptoms, and sometimes even when tested for the bacteria, infected turtles will not test positive because the bacteria is released at such low rates.
There is evidence that suggests turtles release more Salmonella in their faeces when they are stressed and this, combined with the relatively small volumes of water in their enclosures, explains why captive turtles exhibit higher rates of Salmonella in comparison to their wild counterparts.
It is important to keep in mind that proper precautions can prevent a pet turtle from spreading harmful bacteria to humans that handle them. Washing your hands after touching a turtle, or anything that has come in contact with its enclosure will keep you safe while interacting with your pet. If you have children, you will need to supervise interactions to ensure they are not tempted to put their hands in their mouth before washing.
The Ciano Tartarium. Substrate should be too large to be accidentally swallowed. The creation of a reasonably shallow watercourse by way of an aquarium, tartarium or terrarium with a powerful water filter at one end, is the key to a comfortable environment for this species of terrapin. Enclosure size will depend on the age and size of your pet, and of course whether you choose to have more than one turtle. A 60cm long Tartarium tends to be sufficient for one Common Musk Turtle, although a particularly large specimen may require a size upgrade to provide comfortable swimming space as an adult.
For those who wish to attempt to keep multiple Common Musk Turtles in one enclosure, a minimum tank size of litres is required. As a ground walking species rather than a particularly strong swimmer, a water depth of around 10cm is ideal for young turtles, extending to a depth of 15cm as the turtle nears its adult size.
A dry basking area should be provided in the form of a Turtle Dock onto which the Common Musk Turtle will clumsily scramble to bask beneath their heating provision.
Strong and reliable filtration is the key to successfully keeping such a pet without odour or harm to the turtle from excessive toxins building up in their environment. Choose a filter which is designed to filter at least 4 times the amount of water in your tartarium per hour, and that can safely be used horizontally to allow for the lower water level required in a turtle tank, such as the Fluval U-Series Internal Filter.
Being a species which spends so much of their lives underwater, provision of correct water temperature is extremely important for the health and wellbeing of a Common Musk Turtle. A submersible heater with a temperature scale and internal thermostat is ideal to maintain this temperature throughout the water in the tartarium, with the Fish r Fun Submersible Heater providing a great product at excellent value for this purpose.
A 12 hour on-off cycle for bulbs will help to mimic natural conditions. Hobbyists who want a more attractive, naturalistic turtle enclosure can use medium-sized gravel. Wild common musk turtles eat a variety of small snails, mollusks, crayfish and aquatic insects such as dragonfly and damselfly nymphs. They will also actively pursue small tadpoles and terrestrial insects that fall into the water.
They will occasionally consume plant matter such as Elodea species or duckweed. Pet common musk turtles will eat earthworms, cut-up fish and shrimp, crickets and bloodworms. Most pets will eat pelleted turtle foods, as well, including Reptomin and Mazuri Freshwater Turtle Diet.
Common musk turtles may occasionally attempt to bite, so care should be taken in handling them. Keep your fingers toward the rear of the carapace to minimize the likelihood of a nip, but common musk turtles have long, flexible necks, so be careful.
And remember the previously mentioned reason why this turtle is also called the stinkpot. He is active in turtle conservation projects, particularly those involving reintroductions and head-starting as conservation tools. Hobbyists with an interest in learning more about turtle husbandry and conservation are encouraged to join the Turtle Survival Alliance www. View Archived Comments. Kurt A. Buhlmann, Ph. December 3, pm. Mata Mata Turtle Care Sheet. Leopard Tortoise Care Sheet. The Common Musk Turtle, due to their small size, is one of the most popular of all the aquatic turtle species.
You should not, however, underestimate the amount of care that they require. Male Stinkpots have longer tails that have visible spikes making it easy to sex this species. They rarely grow to be more than five and a half inches. They come with a brown, grey or black carapace upper shell , which is highly domed in young turtles, but it flattens out as they grow older.
They also have two very distinct yellow stripes that run from the nose to the neck, although, again, these can fade with age. While they do spend most of their time in the water, they tend to stick to the shallows as they are not particularly strong swimmers. They are also naturally nocturnal and could be more active through the night.
They get their name from the fact that, if they feel threatened, they can emit a strong, repellant, foul-smelling odor from their scent glands. They are also known for being rather spunky and can scratch and bite if they feel uncomfortable. They have a long and flexible neck which also makes it easier to grab their target. All turtles should be handled with care and respect.
To ensure you are not at the end of a nasty nip, you should be especially careful if you have to handle the Stinkpot. Picking them up towards the rear of their shell can help.
There is a risk that aquatic turtles can carry the salmonella bacteria. If you have children, you will need to supervise interactions to ensure they are not tempted to put their hands in their mouth before washing. The Stinkpot is an aquatic turtle that is best observed rather than having lots of physical contact. The Stinkpot will need a suitable tank that will allow them to swim with ease.
Unlike some aquatic breeds, they do not need deep water or a substrate like gravel on the base of the tank. This also makes the tank easier to clean. If you do want a more attractive looking tank, it will be okay to use a medium sized-gravel.
The water depth should be shallow so that the turtle can touch the bottom of the tank and still stretch up to reach the surface without always having to paddle. They do not need as big a tank as some of their larger species relatives.
Generally, it is still recommended to have a tank designed to hold a minimum of 30 gallons for one turtle as they are an active species. If you plan to house a male and a female together, you will need to watch out for the male becoming too over-eager and harassing the female. If this is happening, you should be prepared to separate them. Two males should not be housed together. While the Stinkpot spends most of its time in the water, you should still ensure you provide suitable areas to allow them to come out of the water to bask and rest.
They dehydrate quickly, so it is not so common for them to spend lengthy periods basking outside of water. Providing structures for basking and plants for support also gives additional enrichment and exploration opportunities. A water filter compatible with shallow waters is needed to keep the turtle's habitat clean. Without it, you would have to empty the tank to clean it too regularly.
Stinkpots, because of their high-protein diet, can be messier than some other turtle species, so a strong filter system is recommended. Alongside an efficient, continually running filtration system, you should still thoroughly clean out the tank at least every few months, and sometimes sooner.
You can purchase kits to test the water for cleanliness levels to ensure it does not get unsafe for your turtle to be in. Whenever you are putting new water into the tank, you should ensure that this is dechlorinated.
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