# Musk Turtle advice please! I'm new to this...



## Pwinkie03 (Oct 21, 2011)

Hello everyone, this is my first ever post and i just have a few questions about musk turtles. So background first, i took on a muck from a friend of a friend a couple of weeks ago, he is gorgeous but small.. will be 2 at Christmas but is only about 1-1.5 inches and never grew any bigger. He had never had a UV light or heater but i've set him up properly now so hopefully he will live a good life...

However when i feed him (the dry turtle food with a mix of pellets/shrimp/crill and gammarus) he wont touch the pellets and only eats the shrimp type stuff. i've tried giving him some live bits too but he isn't interested. i'm worried he wont get all the nutrition he needs unless he gets the pellets too. What else can i feed him? also over the last few days, he has started sitting with his mouth wide open at the bottom of the tank, and puffs his neck out while he is sitting too. is this normal? haven't found anywhere that mentions them doing that. 

i hope i don't sound stupid for asking this stuff, i just want to be the best turtle owner i can be and give him a good life!

Thanks in advance  Louise


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## zekee (Sep 14, 2011)

When you say he/she is 2 at christmas do you mean years? As this seems very small at 1-1.5 inches for a 2 year old musk. Could you post pictures.


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## Pwinkie03 (Oct 21, 2011)

yes he is going to be 2 years old. i know he is very small, my friend thought maybe he is a true dwarf, but obviously i dont know if the lack of UV and heat in his living conditions affected his growth.. ill get some pics up!


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## Pwinkie03 (Oct 21, 2011)

pics... his name is Stinkpot by the way, because that made me giggle! (and it suits him!)


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## Shellsfeathers&fur (Jan 18, 2009)

This caresheet:

Terrapin Information UK

should help with the diet etc.

As for the sitting on the bottom of the tank with his/her mouth opened I would be concerned. Young Musks cannot cope with deep water and yours does seem very small and particularly thin. When they stand up on the back legs they need to be able to get their heads of the water and also need resting places on the way up to the surface.

I would remove the gravel because s/he may accidentally ingest it. It is not ideal to keep them with fish in my opinion, although a young one needs heated water most adult turtles don't; fish have lids on their tanks and turtle tanks shouldn't; there is nowhere for a basking area and light for him; plus he will eventually eat the fish or nip them!

With the mouth opening - is there any mucus or bubbles visible? May be he's just interested in the fish, but obviously keep an eye on it.

Up until a few weeks ago, I alway said our Musks (who are kept separately from one another) never basked, but just recently both have been seen basking away, paricularly the male.

Welcome to the Forum and the world of turtles - have a look in the main Shelled section you should find lots more info there.


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## RORCOV (Jul 19, 2005)

The 'yawning' under water and inflating the throat is normal

The musk is 'breathing underwater' and passing water over the membrane of the throat to extract oxygen from the water.

However, as Stephen P says, the musk does look quite thin.

Try feeding live earthworms, mussel meat and snails (aquatic or garden - however ensure the garden snails have not come into contact with any pesticides)

Stop feeding the 'mixed' dried food and get a good quality pellet, like zoomed (and I would use the growth formulae) or reptomin. The turtle will accept them eventually.


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## Pwinkie03 (Oct 21, 2011)

thanks for the advice, i will take some of the water out but he can easily get his head out and usually climbs against the bridge or up the float on the other side of his tank (his basking area with a uv light directly on it), this sticks down into the water so he can easily get on it. its just been the last few days i've seen him with his mouth open for a minute or so then he stops, but no mucus or bubbles that i have noticed :/

i have read in lots of places about not using gravel, but he has had it (from his previous owner) since he was a baby and has never put any in his mouth, he loves digging in it too! but once i get his new (much bigger) tank i probably wont use any. since i got the guppy he has been much more active and excitable.. though doesn't seem interested in eating it! 

Turtle Jo - thanks for the food advice, ill go out and get some more stuff today. i have been feeding him twice a day like reccomended for baby musks because i also thought he looked very thin, he seems to love his food so hopefully will accept the new stuff! (i dont think his previous owner ever game him live or fresh food - he gave me a pack of frozen bloodworm but i'd rather go and get fresh stuff.. its hardly expensive!)

pic of his setup at the moment.. its not perfect but its far better than his previous living conditions and he seems happy for now until i get him a bigger and more suitable tank to live in!


















I appreciate all advice given so thank you!!! Louise


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## Shellsfeathers&fur (Jan 18, 2009)

Turtle Jo said:


> The 'yawning' under water and inflating the throat is normal
> 
> The musk is 'breathing underwater' and passing water over the membrane of the throat to extract oxygen from the water.


I have never seen ours do it. But of course I'm not watching them 24/7 (I mean that in the politest way).

Thanks for the clarification Jo!


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## Drakeo1984 (Oct 15, 2011)

Indeed breathing under the water with a special tool that is unique to musks but it was only discovered what it was for in the last so many years.

I got pebbles on my tank which have been since I had them with no issues they love digging in it, just don't use that small cheap stuff that is in your tank atm.

My musks are coming up to two years now  there are the correct size which is the size of a adult palm. It's hard to tell the size from the picture how large is your musk shell?

Btw basking is up to the turtle I have four in my tank, two go up and bask near the end of the day and one never comes out of water and the last one sits on the edge at bed time so he is half in and out. 

Now water depth yes there are not strong swimmers but they are one of the turtles that spends 95% in the water, when they are young ie small yes couple of inchs so they don't get tired, I had 6 inchs after gravel for water with some floating plants, bog wood and turtle platform and never had any issues. Now that they are basically fully grown they have 10-12 inch in depth for swimming in which I have never had a problem with and never seen them struggle to reach the top.

I hope you enjoy your little turtle as they are great to watch and everything  take better care then the last owner.


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## Pwinkie03 (Oct 21, 2011)

his shell is about the size of a teaspoon, he is tiny bless him. gonna get him a nice big tank after pay day  also got him some reptimin food sticks and he has tucked into those providing i snap them into 3 bits first! i've got him some brine shrimp for tomorrow... hopefully he will realize that he needs to chase and eat them.. we shall see! 

how often should i feed him? just in the evening or a bit in the mornings too? don't want to over feed, but being that he is so skinny i feel i should give him a bit more than a normal 2 year old... 

Thank you again for all your friendly advice, i certainly do enjoy him :2thumb:


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## Drakeo1984 (Oct 15, 2011)

If he was grown up I would feed couple a times a week, if he is small maybe every other day should be enough as you don't want him to be over fed. 

Size of a tea spoon is tiny, are you 100% he is coming up to 2 as that size is like 6 months ie the age you buy them at. Is your friend telling the further?


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## Pwinkie03 (Oct 21, 2011)

yes he is definatly nearly 2 years old! he is currently experiencing his first live brine shrimp.. he had no clue what was going on at first with them all swimming around, but one just sat right in front of his face and now he is noshing on lots  

once the new tank arrives and is all set up, i will post up some pictures 
Thanks again, Louise :notworthy:


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## Drakeo1984 (Oct 15, 2011)

Don't overfeed with two many shimps as can cause them wasting at the bottom


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## Pwinkie03 (Oct 21, 2011)

thanks, im only gonna give him them every couple of weeks. thankfully now ive got the reptimin pellets he is eating them and is much more interested than when gave him the mixed food before.


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## turtlesnakeandlizardfreak (Jun 2, 2016)

*hmmmmm*

Instead of using gravel i use playsand from lower and its only 2.35$ for a 50lb bag


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