Stinkpot Tank

[Rhyno47]

So my stinkpot is in a 10 gallon tanks. I know its small. It was plenty big enough when he was the size of a nickel. But now he is as big as a kiwi. Ive tried putting him in a 29 gallon tank. It was the perfect size but he was timid and didnt leave his hide or eat. In his 10 gallon tank he is very active and eat readily. He will happily remodel the interior of his tank every day and watch me intently through his little window in his hide all day. Is this bad? He is very healthy and has grown to be a very ornate little common musk. Will this hurt him in any way?

 

[Yvonne G]

Can we see a picture of him in his old set-up? I know that some tortoises really don't like it when you change around their "furniture." But I didn't realize that some water turtles were that way too. When you changed him out, did you put the larger tank in the same spot where the smaller one was standing?

If it were me, I would make the new tank look like the old one (decoration-wise) so that the ramp or dock is in the same place, the substrate is the same, the artificial plants and caves are in the same places. The only difference would be that there is now much more space between each object. Then I would just leave him alone for about a week and see if he doesn't get used to it.

I love those little mud turtle faces! They remind me of snapping turtles. I don't have any of my own, but get them in through the rescue every so often. Cute little turtles!

Yvonne

 

[Rhyno47]

I have done just that. Same stuff from this tank to his new one. Ive done this about 4 times now over the course of his life. He just seems to like this cramped little tank. He is a musk turtle they like to hunker down in dead foliage at the bottom of ponds. Maybe he is just prone to liking small areas.

He likes to watch me through his little window. He is on my desk and will watch me inquisitively for hours. Cute isn't it?

 

[chadk]

Cute little guy. Love the peeping tom pic

Don't know anything about musk turtles really. But I recall living in Texas finding them often wandering around on dry land. More so than the other water turtles. I think they are quite the tree climbers too. Use to catch sliders and musk turtles in the branches of small trees in or near the water.

I'm wondering if covering the sides (at least 3 sides) would help? In the wild they would tend to be in murky muddy water with plenty of weeds\vegitation to hide in. Maybe add some real or fake plants to help him feel more confident out of his little hiding spot?

 

[Rhyno47]

Ive seen some around here too. But this one seems to hate being out of water. He used to have a basking spot and light but never once even went near it; so i just keep his water temperature up. And i have given him vegetation but he ends up digging it up ur ripping it to shreds. But he loves his little plant potter.

 

[Greg T]

He does look like he could use a bigger tank soon. I remember finding these guys when I was little and boy did they put off a stink!!

I love the pic of him looking through the hole!! That would crack me up everytime I saw it!

 

[Rhyno47]

Trust me he can stink if he wants to.

 

[terryo]

That is one of the cutest pictures....I couldn't stop laughing.

 

[Stazz]

Hahaha I also laughed when I saw the pic of him giving the beady eye, just so cute & inquisitive ! You know, even they're called Stinkpot's, I didn't really know until now that they can actually STINK!

 

[Isa]

Sooo cute...
I love the last picture, he looks really curious