When raising tortoises, pet owners often need to disinfect and clean the turtle pond, so quicklime is needed. In turtle farming, quicklime is easily soluble in water because its main component is calcium oxide, and quicklime reacts with water to form calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2, which is commonly known as slaked lime, which can effectively improve water quality and prevent diseases. . However, large doses of quicklime can also cause turtle poisoning, so caution should be used when using it. For turtles purchased in the market, it is generally not necessary to add quicklime, as long as the water quality is changed from time to time. The addition of quicklime is only necessary for a large amount of feeding turtle species in the river pond to add a little quicklime to improve the water quality. Moreover, quicklime is a very active chemical, and it will instantly generate a lot of heat when it comes into contact with water, so it is recommended to dilute it with some water before adding it to the water quality.

What is the function of quicklime in turtle feeding?

1. Clean the water. Quicklime is dissolved in acidic substances in water, and the suspended colloidal organic substances are adsorbed and settled to the bottom, thereby clarifying the pool water.

2. Oxygenation. After slaked lime, it absorbs carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate, which decomposes the pond mud and releases nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other substances, which play a role in loosening to a certain extent and improve the circulation of pool water and the ventilation conditions of soil. Through acid-base neutralization and base exchange, the utilization rate of colloidal soil, nutrient salts and phosphate fertilizer is increased, so that the pool water can maintain a certain degree of fertility, which is conducive to the reproduction and growth of phytoplankton and increases the dissolved oxygen in the water.

3. Detoxify and kill insects. Quicklime dissolves in water to inhibit the reproduction of bacteria, viruses and insecticides, and cut off the infection and invasion routes of pathogens to turtles.

4. Promote growth. Quicklime dissolves in water, making the water weakly alkaline, and the acid produced by humus is converted into fertilizer, which is conducive to the reproduction of phytoplankton, improves water quality, and enhances the appetite of turtles.

How to use quicklime?

If the turtle pond is not dry for many years and there is a lot of silt, it should be applied more appropriately; the newly dug turtle pond should be less applied because there is less silt; the soil of the turtle pond is Acidic should be applied more, turtle pond soil should be alkaline less applied; turtle ponds with more animal manure should be applied more to accelerate their decay and decomposition; in spring and winter, when the water temperature is low, it should be mixed with animal manure or green manure and applied to turtles In order to increase the water temperature; it should not be mixed with bleaching powder, otherwise the disinfection effect will be reduced.

What should I do about turtle quicklime poisoning?

The main symptoms of turtle quicklime poisoning: turtles drill out of sand and mud, and some climb to the sun deck; Fall into the water to a certain extent; some swim horizontally with their heads above the surface of the water. At this time, the turtle's response to the outside world is quite slow. The neck, abdomen and limbs of the turtle poisoned by quicklime are severely dehydrated, the skin is wrinkled, and the eyes are tightly closed. If put into clean water immediately, those with open eyes can survive, otherwise they cannot be saved.

Prevention and control measures for turtle quicklime poisoning:

①Use quicklime to clear the pond, and the time to release the turtle should be mastered. Generally, the turtle can be released after 7 days.

②The amount of quicklime should not be too large, and the concentration should not exceed 500PPM.

③For the ponds that are disinfected with quicklime, observe them for one day after the seedlings are thrown.

④Take a medicated bath with 5~10% salt water for a day to prevent bacterial re-infection.