That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

Please see Parts 1 and 2 of this article to read about the natural history of the Green Frog (Lithobates/Rana clamitans) and some personal observations on its behavior.

An Agreeable Personality

Green Frogs make wonderful pets…even wild-caught adults settle down and hand-feed in short order (please see video below). This is in sharp contrast to many US natives, such as American Bullfrogs, Leopard Frogs and Pickerel Frogs, which often remain high-strung and difficult to observe, even after years in captivity. In “personality”, the amiable Green Frog is closer to the unflappable American Toad than to its nearer relatives. Read More »

Asia’s Keeled Box Turtle, also known as the Jagged-shelled or Indian Thorn Turtle (Pyxidea mouhotii) is an attractive, interesting species that has somehow never become very popular with turtle keepers.  Wild populations have plummeted in recent years and, as zoos pay little attention to this turtle, I’d like to ask that hobbyists consider working with it.

Description

I was taken in by the Keeled Box Turtle’s subtle beauty and unique shell construction early on.  The extremely flat dorsal surface of the carapace is distinctive, as is the presence of the 3 well-defined keels or ridges that decorate it.  The carapace, which reaches 7 inches in length, is brown, tan or rust in color and is serrated at the posterior.  The limbs are gray to dark brown.  A hinge develops in the plastron (lower shell) of the adults, allowing the head and front limbs to be sealed tightly into the shell.

Range and Habitat

The Keeled Box Turtle ranges widely throughout South and Southeast Asia, occurring from southern China (including Hainan Island) through Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar to eastern India.

It is, however, rarely encountered as it prefers rainforests and heavily wooded areas.  The Keeled Box Turtle may soak in shallow pools but rarely enters deep water.

Status in the Wild

As is true for many Asian turtles, the Keeled Box Turtle is declining throughout its range due to habitat loss and collection for the food trade.  It is designated as “Endangered” by the IUCN and listed on Appendix II of CITES.

Further Reading

Please see the Turtles of the World website for more natural history information.

Keeled Box Turtle image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Torsten Blanck

Like many fellow reptile and amphibian enthusiasts, I’m very interested in dinosaurs.  Happily, there have been many exciting new discoveries as of late…a beast recently christened Texacephale langstoni is a good case in point.

A New Hard-Headed Dinosaur

Years ago, most folks interested in dinosaurs were limited to gawking at fossils in museums. To be sure, these were fantastic, but modern study methods are now providing a glimpse at how these amazing creatures actually behaved.

Writing in the April, 2010 issue of Cretaceous Research, Yale University paleontologists theorize that a newly described Texas native probably rammed skulls with others of its kind, perhaps to establish dominance or mating rights.

The unique creature, related to the Pachycephalosaurs (please see drawing) but classified within its own genus, sported a rock-hard mass of bone atop its head.  This unusual growth, about the size of a softball, is similar to those found on only a dozen other dinosaur species.

More to Follow…

T. langstoni, which roamed the American Southwest 70-80 million years ago, was relatively small as dinosaurs go, weighing perhaps 40-50 pounds – I wonder if its “helmet” might have found use as a weapon of self-defense as well?

Hopefully we’ll learn more soon…until then, keep reading and please write in with any interesting stories you might come by.

Further Reading

Some amazing ancient reptiles inhabited the USA as well – please see my articles on giant, dinosaur–eating snakes and crocodiles.

You can learn more about the new head-ramming dinosaur on the Yale University website.
Pachycephalosaurus image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Keith Schengili-Roberts

Although Slider hatchlings (Trachemys scripta elegans) have been banned from the US pet trade by the Food and Drug Administration since 1975, the tiny green turtles are still regularly offered for sale in certain areas, creating confusion for aspiring turtle owners.

History of the Law

Under the law, turtles less than 4 inches in length may not be sold, regardless of the species.  The sale of larger turtles is regulated by state law (the 4 inch rule is a bit confusing, more on that in a future article).

Traditionally, turtles were considered prime carriers of Salmonella bacteria… the law was enacted in response to over ¼ million annual cases of Salmonellosis among turtle owners in the early 70’s.  Salmonellosis can cause meningitis and miscarriage, and may be fatal to children, the elderly and immune-compromised individuals.

“Safe Sliders” to Force Policy Change?

According to commercial turtle farmers, however, the situation has changed in the 30+ years since the ban went into effect.  Farmers claim they are now able to produce Salmonella-free hatchlings, and that effective pre-treatment before sale could be used as additional insurance.

In 2007 Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu introduced legislation seeking to legalize the sale of Salmonella-free Red Eared Slider hatchlings (Louisiana is home to an estimated 80 turtle farms).  Last month (April, 2010), the Louisiana District Court ruled that the FDA has not adequately addressed the issue, and directed that further consideration be given to legalizing the sale of small turtles.

So, the ban remains in effect for the time being, but the situation may change in the future.

What to Do?

You can contact the FDA (888-463-0332) regarding violations of the turtle sale rule.  If you own a hatchling, ask your local humane society for advice, but do not release it.  The Center for Disease Control provides safety guidelines for turtle owners.

It is important to keep in mind that the irresistible little turtles grow rapidly into large, active animals.  Proper care entails full-spectrum lighting, a heated, filtered aquarium (of 75-100 gallon capacity for adults) and a well-balanced diet.  Do not purchase sick turtles in hope of curing them, as this is a difficult prospect even for a veterinarian.  Rather, report the matter to your local humane society.

Learning More

Red Eared Sliders turn up in the unlikeliest of places…I’ve found them in sites ranging from the Bronx River to temple ponds in Japan; please see Typical and Atypical Slider Habitats for more info and photos.

Please check out this recent Mississippi Newspaper Article for a turtle farmer’s view.

 
Red eared Slider Hatchling image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Jf268
Red eared Slider Laying Egg image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Nephets

In Part I of this article we reviewed some general points to consider when choosing a substrate – moisture retention, suitability for burrowing and so forth.  Today I’ll examine specific types of substrates more closely.

A Note on Substrate Ingestion

We do not fully understand why captive animals sometimes suffer intestinal blockages after swallowing substrates that they likely consume in the wild without incident.  It may be related to the consistency of the foods they eat, hydration levels, health or even micro-nutrient intake (for example, Calcium is essential for proper muscle contraction…a deficiency may affect the passage of food through the digestive tract).  Read More »