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Red-Eared Terrapin
(Trachemys scripta elegans)
by Stuart Dodsworth
Distribution
Terrapins range from Central to South America, through Mexico
right to areas of Brazil. Colonies have also been noticed in Ohio,
West Virginia and Kentucky. Feral populations are appearing in
many countries worldwide as a result of abandoned pets, including
Bilbao, Borneo, Japan, Australia, South Africa and England to
name a few. Although in England they have not bred in the wild
yet.
Size
These creatures start off being the size of a ten pence coin,
eventually reaching 20cm to 25cm (8 to 10 inches) at adulthood.
The maximum size recorded for a female Red Eared Terrapin in the
wild is currently 35.5cm (14.2 inches). 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 terrapins 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. Terrapins do
eat more vegetation as they mature 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 terrapins in a
separate feeding tank in order to reduce the excrement and food
left in their house.
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: - Terrapins 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 terrapins 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 - Terrapins 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 terrapins a 120cm
to 150cm (4-5 feet) tank would be sufficient. Indoor pools are
also suitable for terrapins. Outdoor pools can be used in the
hot summer months but the terrapins should always be brought inside
on chilly nights and during the colder months. For larger numbers
of terrapins 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 Red Eared Terrapins can live
for up to 40 years although their life spans in captivity are
usually around 30 years.
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.
Salmonella
Many reptiles carry the naturally forming bacteria Salmonella.
It must be stated that salmonella bacteria can only be contracted
by ingestion (via the mouth). Good hygiene is therefore very important
when keeping any animal.
NB
- Map taken from http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.asp?SpeciesID=1261
Photograph taken by Stuart Dodsworth.
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:'Trachemys_SP_scripta']
Tortoise Trust - www.tortoisetrust.org
BCG - British Chelonia Group - http://www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/
Exotic Animal Welfare Trust - www.eawt.co.uk
www.reptilekeeper.co.uk
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