Datasheet Mississippi Mute Turtle
Latin name:
Graptemys pseudogeographica
Origin:
North America
Size:
up to 30 centimeters long
age expectation:
up to 60 years
Behavior/stocking:
Active during the day, need islands in the water and vegetation
Groups vs. individual housing:
The animals are loners, if they are kept in groups, then this is only possible with females
Lining:
Insects, aquatic plants, algae or lettuce and dandelions
Difficulty level:
medium
Mississippi Mute Turtle – Graptemys kohnii
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Ventus55, Graptemys pseudogeographica-4, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Mississippi Mute Turtle is a medium-sized aquatic turtle that has many fans as a pet. She feels comfortable in a natural environment, is quite active and discovers her little world.
She needs a large, well stocked aquarium and good care, in the wild she can live up to 60 years. It is a loner and feeds on small animals such as snails, but also on plants.
If you want to get a Mississippi map turtle, you should be aware of the responsibility that you are getting an animal that very old becomes.
acquisition and maintenance
The Mississippi Mute Turtle needs a well equipped terrarium with a body of water for swimming. She needs islands to climb on.
Warmth is important for this animal, the water should have a temperature of at least 25 degrees have, the air above should be even warmer.
In order to regulate its own body temperature, the turtle also needs the sun. The best place to get that is on her island, where she can retreat to sunbathe.
The Mississippi map turtle hibernates for about three months, for which animal owners prepare them, but this hibernation is shorter in the first year of life.
requirements for the terrarium
The terrarium for the Mississippi mute turtle should have at least two m² per animal with a size of twelve cm².
The terrarium needs an area with flat stones, earth and pebbles and an area with water, because the animals like to swim. This water should always be clean and about 45 centimeters deep.
An island is needed in the water for the turtle to climb on. The turtle needs hiding places and retreats. The Sun is very important for the Mississippi mute turtle.
If the terrarium is not outdoors, then it needs UV irradiation. The temperature should be at least 20 degrees during the day and at least 15 degrees at night.
Paul van de Velde from Netherlands, Graptemys pseudogeographica (14166907729), CC BY 2.0
gender differences
When the shell is about eight centimeters large, one can distinguish the sexes, with young animals it is as good as impossible. The most striking feature is the size.
The females can grow up to 30 centimeters long, the males are fully grown at about 15 centimeters. The males have a wider and longer tail root, the cloaca is significantly further away from the carapace than in the females.
Experienced eyes can also see the difference between males (straight notch) and females (more pointed notch) on the last plastral shield.
feed and nutrition
In the wild, the Mississippi map turtles feed on both animals and plants, they are omnivore. The diet of the females and the males differs a little from each other.
The males mainly eat insects, snails, mussels and also plants. The females prefer the fresh growth of aquatic plants and algae, but also feed on insects. There is no ready-made complete food for mute turtles as pets.
You can feed the animals dry food, mutt flies, algae and much more. It is important to have a balanced diet that comes close to what they eat in nature.
You can get a feel for how much they eat by observing the animals. The turtles need enough food to be full but not lethargic.
If they are fed well, they remain agile and fit. If the menu is too full, the animals become very slow and lazy.
acclimatization and handling
When a Mississippi map turtle is introduced to a new environment, it needs time to adjust.
They love the sun and therefore need either nice islands outdoors or UV lighting when inhabiting a terrarium. These animals are nice to watch, because they are really on the move, not slow at all, but quite lively.