Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All,
Does anyone have information on which turtles can thrive when mixed with other turtle species? Or are they like tortoises, which should be kept separated? I ask because I am interested in setting up a turtle tank and would like to have both Pearl River maps & Concentric Diamondback Terrapins. I understand that CB DBs are raised in fresh water so that should not be an issue. I would appreciate any starter-level information that can be provided.

Thanks,
Davey

If you need beginner information, then consider starting with only one of those two species. Niether will make the most forgiving captive. Are they found together in the wild? Well, maybe hurricanes backwash some diamondbacks up into the Pearl/Pascagoula rivers and vice versa, but typically, no.

When you mix species in captivity, you mix all the species IN those species. Daimondback guts might not harbor the same stuff (bacteria, nematodes, etc.) as map guts, even in captive-bred animals. Stuff that works in one species' gut might cause harm in another species' gut. You're gambling. That's a big reason why many tortoise keepers make a stink over mixing tortoise species. Only, with tortoises housed together, you MIGHT get a mixing of gut contents. In turtles which live in and drink the same tank water, you WILL get that mixing.

Ultimately, you have the right to buy whichever species you wish to make live together. So the question is, are you willing to gamble on a beginner's hand?

Okay, so that answers that part of the equation. I wouldn't mix my Leopard tortoise with any other species for the very reason you stated, so the same rules apply here- good to know.
So, on to the next part of the investigation; between the two species (Pearl River Maps or Diamondbacks), which is more fragile or are they about the same?
Any good source of reference information that you would recommend? It took me about six months of researching tortoises before getting one. I'd rather do something right the first time around & know as much as I can rather than write off the first few animals as "experiments."

Thanks for your help.

Davey,

Here are my 4 favorite sites on Map Turtles and Diamondback terrapins I would like you to check out and thoroughly read to gain more information on any and all species. Kudos to the authors.

www.diamondbackterrapin.com/index2.html

www.austinsturtlepage.com/care/1caresheets.htm
(click on the Map Turtle and Diamondback Terrapin Care Sheets)

http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/reptiles/detail.aspx?aid=27728&cid=3702&search=

www.graptemys.com

Also because you listed the Pascagoula Map Turtle (aka Pearl River) Map Turtle, Graptemys gibbonsi, as a species of interest I highly recommend you read this extremely current article by Chris Lechowicz.

www.graptemys.com/exploitation.htm

On another note, I have several years of experience with Diamondback Terrapins and highly recommend captive bred individuals, as they are wonderful turtles. The website listed above, Diamondback Terrapin World, by Jonathan Helms is very informative.

As for both Map and Diamondback Terrapins, if you are new to the genus, I more highly recommend males of both Genus' as they exhibit sexual dimorphism and in most species are roughly only half (many times less than half)the size of the females, and as in many of the Map Turtles, especially the broad-headed species (of which the Pascagoula's(Pearl River)are) to a greater degree retain the beautiful markings and coloration.

Because both Map and Diamondbacks' sexes are temperature dependant during incubation, ask the particular breeder the specifics about the hatchlings you may be purchasing as to the sex the eggs were incubated for and what temperature the eggs were incubated at. I say this because female Maps can get up to about 11.5 inches, while female Diamondbacks up to around 9 inches. Adult females of both Genus' need extremely large, 100 gallon tanks, or large outdoor setups to thrive.

Last but not least, as the previous poster eluded to, choose between one or the other. Making a nice setup for a couple male map turtles (have you looked at the Black-Knobbed Map, Graptemys nigrinoda, which is often offered as captive bred specimens, by the way?) can be an absolutely beautiful and fascinating addition to a home complete with clear, circulating water (a must for maps of the southeast river drainages), well placed driftwood snags, and a gravel bottom. (Just trying to set the scene, haha)

Well good luck, and impressed you are asking your questions and doing your research ahead of time.

-JG

JG,
Thank you for taking the time to share this information with me. Looks like I'll have plenty of reference material to get started with.
You raised some interesting points that I hadn't considered, the first being the discrepancy in size of the adult males vs. the females. Also, the fact that the males will hold onto their colors when mature. I have no intention of breeding these anyway, so it appears that just getting males might be the way to go. If there aren't any females present, will the males still fight? If so, is it to the point of injury?
I have every intention of buying captive bred, small animals from a recommended source. Any ideas on where to go would be appreciated.
For a tank setup, I've got a 135 gallon aquarium. How many adult males of either species (maps or diamondbacks) would you put into this size setup?

Davey