How much a soft shell turtle must sleep?
- Thread starter Aira
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Thomas tortoise
Well-Known Member
I've had one a while back. And it slept underwater for a little bit. Although it didn't sleep much at all. It probably slept a few hours in the day and it slept A lot at night. Can I see a picture of him and the enclosure to make sure everything is the way it should be? Also. Are you using sand for bedding?
Ya I can. Actually somebody gifted me this one so i don't know what to do most of the time. Earlier i didn't even knew that he should be in water most of the time so I kept him outside for long hours thinking he is sleeping peacefully and playing, running etc and he developed certain spots on his shell. I don't even know how much to feed (i am feeding him packed food available at the pet store). Somebody said me to look for care sheet. But it's too much to maintain at the same time so i am catching up one by one, so no i don't have sand for him. I just feed him, keep him in water, clean his water every 6th hour leave him in sun for about half hour, sometimes try to rub his back with brush trying to clean him.( He started moving while clicking pictures.
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Thomas tortoise
Well-Known Member
That doesn treally look like a softshell... @DoubleD1996!? @mark1?
Most people here told me that I myself don't know!!
That is definitely a softshell turtle. An Indian Flapshell Turtle Lissemys punctata ssp Native to India.
They are almost totally aquatic, rarely ever coming out of the water. Yours is totally stressed out as they will only frequent areas with soft of sandy bottom and spend most of their resting time buried where only the tip of the nose is sticking out and shallow enough to stretch out their long neck and reach the surface to breathe with uncovering. Keeping it in a bare tub is totally stressing that turtle. They are very active turtles and require a good amount of space. Strong swimmers and excellent at hunting and catching fish.
Fish is a good diet item and natural food for them. They eat most anything they can catch or scavenge. Fish, crayfish, snails, insects, etc. A good pellet food is also best once you can get it to accept it as food.
I’ve had a juvenile softshell for a bit now and when he rests it’s buried in the sand, it’s possible yours isn’t feeling comfortable and safe due to the lack of sand so they don’t sleep as much during the day.
You also shouldn’t be scrubbing him, they get skin infections very easily and this will be causing micro abrasions on his skin.
Are you able to get a more suitable enclosure? If not have you considered rehoming him? These guys need sand, uvb, and warm temps to thrive.
Here’s a link to a handful of softshell care sheets originally posted by the extremely knowledgeable yvonne
You also shouldn’t be scrubbing him, they get skin infections very easily and this will be causing micro abrasions on his skin.
Are you able to get a more suitable enclosure? If not have you considered rehoming him? These guys need sand, uvb, and warm temps to thrive.
Here’s a link to a handful of softshell care sheets originally posted by the extremely knowledgeable yvonne
