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Contains articles and advice on a wide variety of turtle and tortoise species. Answers and addresses questions on species husbandry, captive status, breeding, news and conservation issues concerning turtles and tortoises.

Egg Retention (Dystocia) in Turtles – the Problem and Some Solutions – Part 1

July 14, 2010 3 Comments 11697 Views

One of the most common and serious problems faced by turtle keepers involves female turtles (mated or unmated) that develop eggs but refuse to deposit them in the terrariums or aquariums in which they live.  While this can be the result of any number of health problems (i.e. low calcium levels, tumors), the lack of an appropriate nesting site is more often than not the cause.

Retained Eggs

It’s very difficult to keep turtles, especially semi-aquatic and aquatic species, in an enclosure that allows for year-round access to a nesting site.  Providing a terrestrial nesting site, as well as adequate swimming space, usually involves the use of a pool or pond as opposed to an aquarium.  Read More »

Reptile Intelligence – Red-Footed Tortoises Learn by Imitation

July 9, 2010 10 Comments 14500 Views

Red footed TortoiseReptile enthusiasts have long known that tortoises are highly intelligent, and quickly modify their behaviors to meet new challenges.  Recent work at the University of Vienna (Biology Letters, March, 2010) has broken new ground in this area.  Red-Footed Tortoises (Geochelone carbonaria) have provided us with the first example of “social learning by imitation” in a reptile.

Learning by Doing

In the experiment, a hungry Red-Footed Tortoise was presented with a dilemma – in order to reach its food bowl, the tortoise needed to negotiate a screen barrier. After a great many unsuccessful attempts to reach the food, the tortoise learned to walk out of the maze and go around the barrier to retrieve its reward. Read More »

The Penn Plax Turtle Pier – a Useful New Basking Site for Turtles and Amphibians

June 30, 2010 Comments Off on The Penn Plax Turtle Pier – a Useful New Basking Site for Turtles and Amphibians 6176 Views

Late Stage TadpoleAfter decades of struggling to create makeshift land areas for semi-aquatic reptiles and amphibians, I was very happy when pre-formed Turtle Docks, Turtle Logs  and Turtle Banks became available.  Today I’d like to review the recently-introduced Penn Plax Turtle Pier, which eliminates certain drawbacks associated with the previously mentioned products.

Drawbacks and Advantages of Various Platforms

Since their introduction, I’ve put the first line of basking docks and platforms to good use in my collection and in several of the aquarium and museum exhibits I’ve designed (please see article below).  Their only limitations are that large turtles tend to sink them below the surface (which keeps the plastron from drying out completely) and robust individuals sometimes dislodge the platforms from the aquarium’s sides. Read More »

The Conservation and Captive Care of the Diamondback Terrapin

June 25, 2010 6 Comments 7078 Views

Diamondback TerrapinTurtle enthusiasts find the Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) very difficult to resist. Sporting a beautiful carapace that is deeply etched with concentric rings, and clad in a bewildering array of gray, silver and black markings, this estuary specialist does, however, present a few challenges to prospective keepers.

A Unique Natural Habitat

The Diamondback Terrapin is the only North American turtle completely restricted to estuaries, tidal flats, lagoons and salt marshes. Neither a fresh water nor marine species, it is uniquely adapted to brackish habitats. Read More »

The Keeled Box Turtle – a Hardy Species in Need of Captive Breeding – Part 2

June 7, 2010 6 Comments 8999 Views

Keeled box turtleIn Part 1 of this article we looked at the natural history of the interesting but little-studied Keeled Box Turtle (also known as the Jagged-shelled or Indian Thorn Turtle, Pyxidea mouhotii).  Like many other turtles native to South and Southeast Asia, it is severely threatened by habitat loss and collection for the food trade, and would benefit from increased attention to captive reproduction. 

Keeping Keeled Box Turtles

Although little is known of their natural history, Keeled Box Turtles adjust well to captivity and soon lose their innate shyness.  A pair I received as adults 20 years ago are still alive and well today at the Staten Island Zoo. Read More »

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