Acclimating WC females

[Todd Stockwell]

I think the suggestions to raise the water temperature will stimulate the appetite. However, some keepers prefer to leave wcs in the cool down mode (which they presumably were in when captured) upon first receipt if they seem fairly heavy and healthy until they start to regain appetite as spring temps rise. I think most all turtles, but especially wcs, do sense when it’s winter and show some degree of slow down. Whether you decide to warm them up and proceed with feeding or leave them relatively cool, I think it can take a good two to three months for adult wcs to acclimate to their new home (at a minimum, sometimes much longer for certain individuals). I would give them time and be patient unless you see a problem with weight decline, respiration, etc. It takes a while for the wcs to decide their basking area is safe. We have been learning through this group that adult dbts spend a lot of time burrowed in mud, even in the winter. The young tend to try to hide in the relatively warmer shallow dark silt further upstream according to some observers I have talked with. So, the exposed basking areas we provide in captivity probably take quite an adjustment for the wcs. I have had one wc take to eating pellets within a week and she has never eaten another type of food despite being fed in a tub with the others eating shrimp, smelt, etc. (Guess she should be the poster child for the pellet companies – he, he). The rest have all eventually taken popcorn shrimp. Individuals will vary in their interest for squid, smelt, etc. I have recently been soaking Ectotherm Turtle Yummie gel cubes with shrimp and offering those before any of the “real” seafood which has worked with my wcs. The other possible “magic” foods for adult wc females may be blue crab (live or buy frozen and thaw thoroughly/microwave) and/or periwinkle snails. Anyone tried the new Can-O-Snails from ZooMed on dbts? I bought a can, but I haven’t tried feeding them yet. I continue to lean towards fresh water as I continue to talk to long-time successful breeders who have had several generations of success with fresh water. I tried salting water for some of my wcs, but I have gone back to fresh water for them and have not had problems once their shell and skin conditions were thoroughly treated with Betadine, Acriflavin and lots of dry dock time. However, wcs seem to remain much more sensitive to water quality changes than cb stock raised in fresh water; so if there is a filter problem, etc., the wcs may redevelop skin and shell problems sooner than the cbs. I have kept all my cb hatched dbts in fresh water and have not had any shell or skin problems. I certainly admire the salt water sets ups some of our members have, but since I have not prior experience with saltwater aquariums, the freshwater set ups have tended to be better for me. If the wcs do develop any respiratory problems or other internal infections, I have seen amazing results from Baytril injections prescribed by my vet. Find an EXPERIENCED turtle (not just reptile) vet ahead of time so you know who to go to when the need arises. Ask any aquatic turtle keeper in your area that you can what vet they recommend. I know from a couple of horrible experiences that the vet’s familiarity with turtles is essential to getting effective treatment. Best of luck with your fish market girls and keep us posted on their progress! ToddDo you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus – Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now

[rob zebeck]

I bought several cans of can o snails. Not one of twenty turtles (even the sliders and softshell which eat everything would go near it) the terps seems afraid of them. -rob Todd Stockwell

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