Peninsula Cooter
(Pseudemys peninsularis)
by Stuart Dodsworth

Distribution
This species of turtle is found on waterways in the Florida Peninsula in the USA. It is commonly imported as a replacement to the Red Eared Terrapins along with Red Bellied Turtles, although the females do grow larger.

Size
These creatures start off being the size of a ten pence coin. The female Peninsula Cooter can reach size of up to 16", with males being smaller. It is best to point out that these reptiles do not grow to the size of their enclosure like some fish do they will carry on growing, so be prepared to house adults of the maximum size rather than small turtles forever.

Diet
When choosing their food try to avoid fatty foods, especially large quantities of red meat as this may cause digestive problems later in life. Recommendations: - earthworms (not blood worms), white bait, sprats, broad leaf watercress, prawns in their shell, snails, raw rabbit, chicken and turkey, crab sticks, cockles, spiders, dead mice and pinkies, kidney and liver. Cooter's are a lot more vegetarian as they age so offer more vegetation as they mature. A large variety is essential so offering a variety of salad plants and the occasional fruit helps to get more vitamins and minerals into their diet. It is advised to feed turtles in a separate feeding tank in order to reduce the excrement and food left in their house. If they are left here for approximately ½ and hour after feeding they usually defecate.

Requirements
· Heat Source: - For the water, a thermostatically controlled water heater will be required. For the basking area, a guarded reflector (spot lamp) will be required. This basking lamp should be turned off at night.
· UV Light Source: - They require a Reptisun 5.0 light. This should be left on for 8 to 12 hours a day and replaced every 6 months unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer. It should be positioned no more than 30cm away from the terrapins basking area to have optimum effect and not be placed behind glass shelves in aquariums. In larger surface mounted ponds/greenhouse style enclosures the new UV power bulbs are an excellent source of UVB and heat.
· Filtration: - This is important to reduce foul smells and to keep the water clean. You would be well advised to buy either a large internal filter or an external filter to help cope with the water quality, an American keeper recently recommended the combined use of an under gravel filter and a normal canister filter. It is up to the keeper in the long term as to which filtration they find works best for them. But the Fluval/Magnum filters seem to be the best at the moment..
· Land areas: - Two land areas should be available to your terrapins. One area should be for basking and have a heat source above it. The other area should be away from the heat source, to allow the terrapin to regulate its body temperature. Underwater hides can be built under the land areas. It should be noted that female turtles are chicken layers and will often produce infertile eggs even without a male being present. Therefore a nest site at least thirty centimeters deep consisting of soil and sand mix should be provided in order to prevent possible egg retention problems.
· Housing - These turtles grow very fast and can outgrow a small fish tank in no time. It is often far cheaper to go for a larger tank in the first place. For two adult turtles a 150cm (5 foot) tank would be sufficient, although the more space you provide them the better. Indoor pools are also suitable for turtles. Outdoor pools can be used in the hot summer months but these turtles are not as hardy as their cousins the Red Eared Terrapin and should always be brought inside on chilly nights and during the colder months. For larger numbers of turtles a converted greenhouse/shed with built in pond can be a useful alternative. Care should be taken with a pond of this size to ensure that a drain is fitted in the pond to save on cleaning time. The last option is one of the better options as it does allow natural behaviours to occur that would otherwise be inhibited.

Temperature
The water temperature should be in the region of 22 - 25°C (72 - 75°F) and should be maintained using a thermostatically controlled water heater. A basking area should be available with the temperature ranging from 28 - 31°C (82 - 86°F).

Longevity
If kept under the proper conditions a Cooter can live for up to 40 years although their life spans in captivity are usually less than this due to poor husbandry conditions.

Gender
Small hatchlings are very difficult to sex with accuracy. However, mature males are often smaller than the females and develop long claws on their front legs in comparison to that of a female. The tail of the male is also a lot wider and longer than that of the female.

NB - Distribution Map and photograph to be added shortly.

Recommended Reading/Useful Contacts

Stuart Dodsworth - stuartandlynette@dodsworth2005.wanadoo.co.uk
The International Herpetological Society - www.international-herp-society.co.uk
The British Herpetological Society - www.thebhs.org
Taxonomy Information - http://srs.embl-heidelberg.de:8000/srs5bin/cgi-bin/wgetz?-e+[REPTILIA-Species:'Pseudemys_SP_peninsularis']
Tortoise Trust - www.tortoisetrust.org
BCG - British Chelonia Group - http://www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/
www.chelonia.org
www.reptilekeeper.co.uk