Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone, I have an aquatic turtle that I have a basic question about. A lot of people have been telling me to feed my turtle seperately in a different container for feeding because they defecate before and after they eat. What I don't understand about that is this; why would you seperate a turtle in a different container for feeding, if the main problem and concern here is the turtle poop? I mean my turtle practically eats right out of my hand and immediately gobbles up any food as soon as I put it in the tank. So there really isn't a reason for me to seperate him for "feeding," because there isn't any food left over to make the water dirty. Does anyone understand that? I mean if the real problem is the turtle poop making the water dirty, then wouldn't you actually want to seperate the turtle in a different tank for it to defecate in? If this is so, my main question is, how in the heck do you potty train a turtle?! Can anyone give me any pointers on that? Do you like get it high so it will get the munchies, and then wait around for it to take a dump like cheech and chong did to dog in one of their movies? And also, why is seperating your turtle for feeding, pooping, etc, such a big issue if you regularly change water in your tank anyway? Seems a bit like overkill if you asked me.
~Mark

1 Razerback musk (dilberte)

Give us your opinions on keeping the water clean when you own a normal sized turtle. Musks are the shrimps of the aquatic turtle world. That's why I have 2 of them.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

I had two but one of them died :*( It actually died like three days after I got it from the pet shop, it wouldn't eat and I think it might have had some kind of parasitic infection on its neck, because there was a big lump on it. Not sure if that was the cause of death or not, but I guess I should have looked for that before I bought it. The other turtle I have is doing really well though and eats like a pig. It may be a shrimp as far as turtles go, but it has the attitude of a snapping turtle!
~Mark

I call my musks mini-snappers because I read somewhere that musks are the closest relatives of snapping turtles. I also own a giant musk, which is much like a common musk but twice the length and three times the volume (also with a larger head in proportion to the body and a reduced plastron for increased mobility). I'd handfeed him but I'm afraid I'd run out of hands...
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

Yeah I've read that too. It almost seems like muds and musks would be grouped together in the same genus as snapping turtles. They both have big heads, powerful snapping jaws, and the ability to emit that musky odor. So you've got a giant musk? That's pretty cool, that would be even more like a snapping turtle. Just wondering, do you have a photo album, where I can see pictures of it? And also wondering, what do you house him in and where did you get it? I heard those are kinda hard to get.
~Mark

I think they're still different enough to be in different genuses... I mean, not all musks are even in the same genus anyway, I put a link to a picture of Blueberry. He's a CB Starotypus salvinii. However, I wouldn't recommend getting one from where I got one from, 'cause I had some problems. Right now he's in a 50 gallon tub. He enjoys eating turtle pellets and has the ability to strike backwards 1/2 the length of his shell. We generally avoid handling him now since he's only 5 inches across (half grown) and has a beak the size of a small parrot's. But he is CUTE.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

Here's the pic, I forgot it on purpose.
Blueberry (click here)

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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!

Yeah, that could definitely snap a finger! I dig the big webbed feet, kinda reminds me of baby alligator feet. Cool pic
~Mark

Keeping larger aquatics makes this practice more necessary. The reason you feed separately is BECAUSE feeding and defecating seem to go hand in hand. They eat and then shortly after are likely to defecate material that has been digested from a previous feeding. If they eliminate in the the feeding tub then the tank is spared the mess. (and if you have a large slider that likes to eat alot of plant material you can have quite a HUGE mess on your hands everytime she lets one go!!)

If you maintain your little guy with adequate water changes you needn't concern yourself with this practice. Musks are great little turtles with a pretty strict preference for meat so they have small and more solid droppings.

Steve

Thanks, that sorta clarifies things more. I can understand that having a larger aquatic turtle, such as a slider or map turtle would present different issues. I wanted to get a slider, because they are cute and when they are small, but I know how big they get, especially the females. Personally I could never see keeping a full grown slider or softshell in anything but a small indoor or outdoor pond. Something with a little bit more space and more natural than an aquarium. However for a Musk, the small aquarium setup seems almost ideal. Plus you can even put some little fishies in there too. This is the first time I've bought and kept a pet turtle, and a lot of people have been telling me to get a musk, and so far I'm pretty pleased with this little guy. And I've noticed that his droppings are pretty solid like you said, so that makes it easier to scoop up and such.
Thanks for the help,
Mark