Mississippi map turtles as pets ?? >_<?

Question

i am thinking of getting two small mississippi map turtles but i dunno much about them and i wanna no things like :

.what do they eat?

.what do they like to do?

.are they good pets?

and so on ...

Answer 1

caresheet http://www.reptilekeeper.co.uk/falsemapt...

Answer 2

they like swimming in water

Answer 3

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/ca...

&quot;TEMPERATURE RANGE (°F)

Air Temperature:  Low to mid 80&#039;s

Basking Temperature:  High 80&#039;s to low 90&#039;s (the basking platform should be large enough to allow a range of temp.s).

Water Temperature:  Low to mid 70&#039;s for adults. Around 80º for hatchlings.

Male Mississippi Maps are decent beginner turtles. They may be among the more skittish turtles to keep (individuals vary; map turtles as a class have a reputation for being skittish) but overall care is the same as sliders &amp; painted turtles (albeit high water quality may be even more important with some map species). Females do get larger, up to 10&quot;, and can be a strain on housing, so consider an intermediate turtle

CAPTIVE DIET

Mississippi Map turtles are omnivores (but as adults more carnivorous than sliders). They’re easily over-fed protein resulting in an unhealthy growth rate and pyramiding of the shell. They readily eat live foods such as crickets, earth worms, and meal worms, &amp; commercial dry foods such as Mazuri and ReptoMin. They will also eat some vegetables such as Romaine lettuce.

RECOMMENDED FEEDING SCHEDULE

Hatchlings require once daily feeding up to about 6 months. At this age, a diet of pellets and live foods is recommended. Feed just enough to keep them from being hungry, but don’t let them gorge themselves. After 6 months or so cut back on the feedings to every other day and add vegetation into the diet. Adjust amount of food at feeds accordingly with growth rate. Romaine lettuce may be offered ‘all you can eat’ at any age (romaine is mostly water, &amp; not apt to overload them on protein).

CAPTIVE HABITAT

They are avid swimmers and baskers. They need a good basking area where they can get totally out of the water and get completely dry (including the plastron; the basking platform must dry out, not remain wet/damp). This area will not only need a heat source, but ideally should have a source of UVB (UV-B lighting is strongly recommended if you aren’t confident dietary Vitamin D3 is sufficient, particularly for growing hatchings). This is accomplished with lighting (usually either a UV-B fluorescent such as a ReptiSun 5.0 for UV-B &amp; a separate basking lamp for heat; some UV-B mercury vapor bulbs are an option). Being avid swimmers they need plenty of swimming room, both vertical and horizontal. Map turtles as a class have a reputation for being more prone to health problems if high water quality isn’t maintained; it’s unclear how much of an issue this is for Mississippi maps.

RECOMMENDED ENCLOSURE

A single adult male would do fine in a 75-90 gallon enclosure, but a 10 inch female will need at least a 125 gallon enclosure to insure adequate space. A basking area can be made of driftwood, smooth or flat rocks, or anything else non abrasive, non toxic, and capable of supporting the weight of the turtle. The basking area should be large enough for the turtle to get the entire body out of the water and dry. Strong filtration is recommended to maintain high water quality. A submersible heater to ensure water temp.s don’t drop far is recommended, preferably with a heater guard to reduce burn risk. Substrate isn’t critical but a complex landscape to explore could include river rock (but take care the turtle isn’t apt to strike hard objects diving off the basking platform). To add additional Mississippi (or similar-sized) maps to a habitat we recommend you increase the size of the tank accordingly by half (i.e.; 1 male = 75 gallons, 2 males = 110 gallons, etc). Stock tanks also make great alternatives to glass and acrylic aquariums. If your map is one of the skittish ones, consider placing the enclosure to a less traveled area (i.e.: spare bedroom) to reduce stress.

WATER DEPTH

Map turtles are excellent swimmers and will do better in deeper waters. Even as hatchlings they prefer (relatively) deeper setups, albeit with plenty of cover for security.

COMMUNITY HABITAT

Mississippi map turtles are usually good community turtles. Being of a more timid nature they seldom show aggression. As with other turtle species, aggression may occur among males competing over a female to mate, &amp; sexual harassment of females by males by become troublesome enough to warrant separation.&quot;

This is about all you have to know about them!

Answer 4

OK here goes..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29035692@N0...

They grow fast! A 55 plus size tank. Walmart sells a 55 gallon tank with hood, light and decent filter for $153.00. You would need to buy some extra stuff, but that is a cheap tank set up with a good filter. You still need the rep light and large enough gravel they can’t swallow., and a dock…and fish and rep food.

I have used kiddy pools and plastic pond liners from most nurseries..

**The bigger the environment the bigger the healthier the turtle.

Did you know that they need to bask under a reptile light UVA for 8 to 10 hrs a day for the vitamin D that they need to grow. So that means getting a turtle dock also.

Leave the heater on 75 to 78 degrees always.

Their water needs to be clean otherwise they get sick easily from dirty water cause they p**p allot.

You need a good filter system! Gravel larger than they can swallow.

You need to feed them feeder guppies, goldfish or minnows for protein and calcium daily drop 20 or so in the tanks and watch them disappear! This way when they swim for their dinner they get exercise also!

They need leafy greens( Romaine, Butter lettuce. Iceberg and cabbage are bad for them, any leafy greens will do) for vitamin A that they need at least 3 to 4 times a week.

You probably already know that they get sick easily, shell rot, respiratory sickness, lopsided swimming, coughing,blowing bubbles from his nose, swollen eyes..so many illnesses.