Maple leaf turtle is what we often call ground tortoise. It has this name because it looks like a maple leaf. Ground tortoises also exist in the wild in my country, but they are national protected animals, and ground tortoises are notoriously difficult Therefore, it is recommended that novices should not try it lightly.

The tortoise is small, with an adult carapace only 120 mm long and 78 mm wide. The head is light brown, the head is small, the back is smooth, the upper beak is hooked and curved, the eyes are large and protruding, and there are light yellow longitudinal stripes from the rostral side along the eye to the neck side. The carapace is golden-yellow or orange-yellow, with three ridges in the center and 12 teeth on the front and rear edges, so it is called twelve-sided turtle. The plastron is brown and black, with light yellow markings on both sides. The hind limbs are light brown with red or black markings, webbed fingers and toes, and a short tail.

Chinese name: Maple Leaf Turtle

Chinese alias: Earth Turtle, Black-chested Leaf Turtle, Long-tailed Mountain Turtle, Mud Turtle, Twelve-Ring Turtle

English Name: Black-breatsed Leaf Turtle

Binomial: spengleri

Kingdom: Animalia

Door: Chordate

Subphylum : Vertebrate subphylum

Class: Reptiles

Order: Turtles

Suborders: Subterranean Turtles

Family: Turtles

Subfamily: Freshwater Turtles

Genus: Turtles

Species: Maple Leaf Turtles

Distribution: China Yunnan West Yunnan, Guangxi Guilin, Guangdong, Hunan, Hainan, Vietnam, Indonesia and other places

Price: Relatively cheap, but it is more difficult to raise, generally smaller ones are around 100 yuan.

[Maple Leaf Turtle Maintenance Knowledge]

Maple Leaf Turtles are less courageous, so it is usually difficult to raise them. It is easy for tortoises to refuse to eat if they are not careful, but they are familiar with raising them. The maple turtle in the environment is still very interactive with people, so this is a turtle that is not suitable for novices.

Newly bought ground turtles should be placed in a cardboard box or other container, covered with damp sandy soil, and placed in a drinking bowl in a dark corner. Feed a variety of food every day, do not disturb the turtle before feeding, so as not to refuse to eat.

Wild tortoises live by streams in mountain jungles or by mountain streams. It is a semi-aquatic turtle, but its water is not good, and it cannot enter deep water areas, otherwise it may drown to death. It is strange that there is no record or introduction of the diet of wild ground turtles so far. Under artificial feeding conditions, the feeding habits of each tortoise are different. The newly bought ground turtle probably won't eat, you can try to catch some crickets or earthworms that it likes to eat. Try lean pork, cucumber, tomatoes, etc. when you are full. Do not feed when the temperature is lower than 20°C, so as not to cause stomach discomfort.

The ground turtle is a semi-aquatic turtle and has poor water quality, so it cannot be raised as a water turtle. The container should be covered with about 5 cm of moist sand, or dead leaves, sawdust, etc., and replaced once a month. And place a water basin for the turtles to drink and bathe. The turtle house can also be arranged as half of shallow water and half of land. It likes dark corners, so give it a place to hide. We usually use half a flower pot to buckle there, and it will burrow under it by itself.

Healthy ground turtles hibernate naturally. Put the tortoise on the sandy soil, the tortoise burrows deep into the sandy soil by itself, covers the surface of the sand with warm materials and keeps it moist, and checks it once a week. The next spring, when the temperature reaches about 15 degrees, the tortoise will burrow out on its own. The newly recovered turtle is weak and should not be fed in large quantities. Changes in temperature should be paid attention to in seasons with changeable weather. Weak and thin turtles can be raised in winter by heating, the ambient temperature is controlled at about 25°C, and feeding management is normal.

【Maple Leaf Turtle Living Environment】

For Maple Leaf Turtles, whether the environmental arrangement is reasonable is the key to successful breeding. Wild tortoises have higher requirements on the environment, and need quiet and well-concealed corners to adapt to the environment. That is to say, try not to disturb the new turtles for a period of time when they arrive home.

The ground turtle has a small body and weak adaptability. Under artificial feeding conditions, it is difficult to raise and the survival rate is low. Newly introduced ground turtles should be placed in a dry carton or container with sand and a drinking bowl. Feed a variety of food every day, do not disturb the turtle before feeding, so as not to refuse to eat.

1. Use of sandy soil

Ground turtles are semi-aquatic turtles. When artificially raised, they should be raised on sandy soil. The sandy soil is 3-5 cm thick and should be replaced once a month. . The turtle house can also be arranged in a pattern of half shallow water and half sand, but in winter, all sand must be topped (except for heating and feeding). In summer, the sand can be wet, and in early spring and late autumn, the sand should be dry.

2. Daily environmental management

Ground turtles like to be warm and afraid of cold. During the breeding process, the terrain should be high. Establish a diary and record various situations every day, especially the temperature and eating conditions, these are the keys to raising a good ground turtle. Only by mastering the living environment temperature and eating conditions of the tortoise, can some preventive measures be taken correctly for the tortoise. For example, when the temperature is low, it should be heated in time; if the tortoise stops eating, it is necessary to consider whether the tortoise is sick and the turtle house is moved to the ground. , food replacement and other factors.

3. Attention should be paid to feeding in winter

Healthy ground turtles can hibernate naturally. Put the ground turtles on the sandy soil, and the turtles burrow into the depths of the sandy soil by themselves, and cover the surface of the sand with cotton Insulation such as quilt or straw should be checked once a week. In the following year, the quality of the turtle's recovery will directly affect the turtle's health. The newly recovered turtle is weak and should not be fed in large quantities, but should be fed in small amounts, while paying attention to changes in temperature. Weak and thin turtles can be raised by heating, raising the ambient temperature to about 25°C, and feeding and managing them normally.