False Map Turtle care

[StudentoftheReptile]

Just picked up a male False Map Turtle yesterday as a craigslist free-to-good-home. I've kept aquatic turtles before, so I pretty much know the basics.

Anything specific I should know about maps?

I know, I know...pics will come soon!

 

[lori12386]

They are pretty much the same as any aquatic turtles. Mine both love to bask.

 

[theTurtleRoom]

They are pretty much the same as any aquatic turtles. Mine both love to bask.

Frankly, I'd hardly say any aquatic turtles are "pretty much the same" care-wise. They all have different temperature preferences, requirements, and even pH levels which they handle better or worse. I think its quite clear that maps, muds, musks, cooters, south american turtles, african turtles, etc all have different needs to be met.

Maps are significantly more carnivorous in the wild than sliders, painteds, or cooters are. So, you may not get them to eat greens much, and that doesn't matter. Snails, Clams, and Shrimp are good treats for maps, which they'd find in their native habitat, as well. Maps tend to prefer pH a little higher than some other aquatics. That said, the only time I've seen a negative impact on Maps is when it gets severely low. Even so, I try to keep mine between 7.5-8.

Maps typically prefer hotter basking temperatures to other turtles. False Maps have a large native range, so depending on where the genetics of this guy hail from, you may have to play with water and basking temperatures to find where he really likes them.

In general, maps also prefer cleaner water than Painteds, Sliders, and Cooters. Shell rot can be something to watch for, but higher pH typically helps with that. Anyway, good filtration is a must for maps.

I feed my maps a mixture of Mazuri Aquatic Turtle, Wheatgerm, and Hikari Massivore Diet; with Mazuri being the one used most frequently.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Thanks for the info. Good to know, since the pH from my tap is naturally high! Usually around 7.5-8.

He's still adjusting a little. I was given the whole set-up, a 20-high "typical" pet store aquatic set-up: gravel, floating dock thing, those cheap internal filters. I removed the gravel to make things a little cleaner, and replaced the floating dock with a nice piece of driftwood I had. I plan to replace the two bobo filters with a Fluval of some sort.

 

[theTurtleRoom]

I'd suggest using some substrate. Map turtles naturally spend a lot of time at the bottom of their habitat searching the substrate for all sorts of things (mainly food sources). I use a blend of 2/3 playsand 1/3 crushed coral #5 in my Map tanks. The crushed coral keeps the pH up and also acts a calcium source. With sand, its something they can dig through, but won't risk impaction like gravel. Additionally, the dirt lays on top of the sand, making it easier for the filter to handle.

I would consider upgrading from the 20 to a 40Breeder and a either a RENA XP3 (now XP-L) or a Fluval 30# (The newest version is the 306). If you place the filter intake about 3-4" above the sand, you should have no problem with it getting in the filter.

 

[jtrux]

How big is he?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Yeah, I was planning to upgrade him to a larger tank (or maybe a stock tank) soon. I just got him 2 days ago and was just given everything so just let him stick in the 20 for now. The previous owners did initially say it was a 30, but I wasn't hoping.

Jtrux, he's a male, and mostly grown at about 5" shell length. I'm guessing he might grow another inch or two.

 

[theTurtleRoom]

Yeah, I was planning to upgrade him to a larger tank (or maybe a stock tank) soon. I just got him 2 days ago and was just given everything so just let him stick in the 20 for now. The previous owners did initially say it was a 30, but I wasn't hoping.

Jtrux, he's a male, and mostly grown at about 5" shell length. I'm guessing he might grow another inch or two.

Highly unusual if he grows past 5". That's pretty much on the upper end of size for a False Map male. Biggest he prolly gets is 5.5". But males don't get 6-7".