Three-striped mud turtle - Is it normal for these guys to hide all day??

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
Any of you who have read my recent posts know that I have lost a couple of baby 3-striped mud turtles and it has been so devastating since the time that we lost our beloved Phlash ( an adult 3-striped mud turtle). We have had this little guy two weeks today and every day is so stressful, to see that he is still alive and surviving. One thing that is a plus with this little guy (we haven't given him a name and won't until he is here at least a month) is he does seem to have a good appetite. Of course, just like Phlash, he is a picky eater. But what I feel is that I am just happy he is eating and I will give him whatever he likes, which seems to be gourmet seafood like salmon, shrimp, and scallops. I still offer him baby turtle pellets and do supplement his food with some vitamins but he loves his seafood, sometimes Beefheart, and may eat freeze-dried mealworm. I try to give him variety and change up his meals a little but I am happy he is eating (which he does in a separate feeding bowl).

My problem is that he is always hiding and sometimes he does it so well that I cannot find him. When it is time to feed, I want to ensure I can see him before I get him out because I do not want to stress him out and chase him all over the tank. I don't try to physically find him by disturbing him throughout the day but I do like to check up on him to be sure he is ok. (I probably stress out because of the history I had with the last 2 babies that we lost). I really worry when I can't find him. I am always afraid he is going to get himself stuck somewhere. Is he ever going to get more comfortable where he will be seen swimming around his tank? I think he has a pretty safe, comfortable tank.
 

Attachments

  • 20200811_121417.jpg
    20200811_121417.jpg
    625.4 KB · Views: 22
  • 20200812_122227.jpg
    20200812_122227.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 22
  • 20200812_122429(1) top view with turtle.jpg
    20200812_122429(1) top view with turtle.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 21
  • 20200812_122621(1).jpg
    20200812_122621(1).jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 19

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
I also try to talk to the little guy in a calm voice to get him used to me and my voice. Any other tips to get him used to me. I would think he would know by now that I am his loving owner and provider of the food. I know our Phlash loved to come out and "see us" and always came to the front of the tank when we spoke to him. How long does it take before this guy will become that comfortable? I know I am pushing it but it has been such a stressful past few months since we lost Phlash on June 1st!.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
How long does it take before this guy will become that comfortable?
Probably another 1-1.5 inches SCL. ?
That isn't the flippant answer it may seem like at first. Your little one is going to drive you crazy with worry until he's approaching 2.5" SCL. By that point, Bold and Pinstripe stopped looking and acting like fragile little hatchlings and started up their funny antics and begging for food.
 

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
Probably another 1-1.5 inches SCL. ?
That isn't the flippant answer it may seem like at first. Your little one is going to drive you crazy with worry until he's approaching 2.5" SCL. By that point, Bold and Pinstripe stopped looking and acting like fragile little hatchlings and started up their funny antics and begging for food.
If that is the case, I may not live through it! He is only about an inch long right now!!
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
Do you have a gram scale? It may help your sanity somewhat if you weigh him on a regular basis and write it down. Over time, you will have confirmation that he's growing. He may be growing really slowly, but he's eating and growing. That's the important thing.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
If that is the case, I may not live through it! He is only about an inch long right now!!
I know, I feel your pain. I had to get two of them through the fragile hatchling stage, and one of them was growing and putting on weight faster than the other. So of course I worried extra about the smaller one. Two years later, that finicky smaller turtle is now the larger one.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
In some ways, it's difficult to maintain perspective when you're seeing baby tortoises on the Forum that tip the scales at three digits (in grams).

My earliest recorded weights on Pinstripe and Bold are 2 grams and 3 grams, respectively.

You're going to want throw a party when your baby breaks double digits! ?
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
You're going to want throw a party when your baby breaks double digits! ?
If your hatchling grows like my picky, (used to be) tiny Pinstripe, he may hit that milestone in five or six months. Bold probably hit double digits at around four months.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
I realize all hatchlings are fragile, but keepers with baby tortoises can actually SEE what they're working with... With such small turtle species like muds, musks, and spotteds... It takes SO long before you can get a good look at their faces, even!

I remember how excited I was, the day I could finally see those teensy tiny little nares at the tip of the nose. Or just being able to get a good look at their eyes, no magnification required. Oh, and when you see those first tiny little barbels! I think that's when the stress starts letting up a little. :)
 

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
Do you have a gram scale? It may help your sanity somewhat if you weigh him on a regular basis and write it down. Over time, you will have confirmation that he's growing. He may be growing really slowly, but he's eating and growing. That's the important thing.
I guess I do have a gram scale but I weighed him yesterday with ounces (didn't even thing about grams. I don't want to take him out again right now but will weigh him later when it is feeding time. On my postal scale with grams, he doesn't even register but on the ounces scale, he weighed .05 ounces so I am guessing that means 1/2 an ounce? He has a long way to go.
 

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
I realize all hatchlings are fragile, but keepers with baby tortoises can actually SEE what they're working with... With such small turtle species like muds, musks, and spotteds... It takes SO long before you can get a good look at their faces, even!

I remember how excited I was, the day I could finally see those teensy tiny little nares at the tip of the nose. Or just being able to get a good look at their eyes, no magnification required. Oh, and when you see those first tiny little barbels! I think that's when the stress starts letting up a little. :)
Just keeps me terrified because of the history I have with the past two babies that did not make it. The funny thing is, I had Phlash from this young age and I raised him without knowing at all what I was doing other than what I learned on line and he grew up happy and healthy. I don't remember this stress!!
 

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
Do you have a gram scale? It may help your sanity somewhat if you weigh him on a regular basis and write it down. Over time, you will have confirmation that he's growing. He may be growing really slowly, but he's eating and growing. That's the important thing.
No, I don't have a gram scale. Mine weighs ounces and
In some ways, it's difficult to maintain perspective when you're seeing baby tortoises on the Forum that tip the scales at three digits (in grams).

My earliest recorded weights on Pinstripe and Bold are 2 grams and 3 grams, respectively.

You're going to want throw a party when your baby breaks double digits! ?
You bet!! I can't wait!!
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
I guess I do have a gram scale but I weighed him yesterday with ounces (didn't even thing about grams. I don't want to take him out again right now but will weigh him later when it is feeding time. On my postal scale with grams, he doesn't even register but on the ounces scale, he weighed .05 ounces so I am guessing that means 1/2 an ounce? He has a long way to go.
Ounces to grams... .05 ounces is 1.4 grams or so. So yes, a long way to go. :)
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
I know its fun to make a tank nice and colorful for you to enjoy, however, I don't think that it is coincidental that the pictures show your turtle hiding in the only green plant it can find. A more natural looking decor to the tank would do well for your turtle. Turtles have great color vision and even see in the UVA spectrum which magnifies colors and contrast. The world looks quite different to them. You would be surprise how your tank looks to a turtle!

A wild mud turtle would never choose any place in your tank as a place it would be. They are not attracted to rocky places nor boldly colorful places. They want to blend in and feel secure. If you ever hunted for wild baby mud turtles, the place you find them is why they are named what they are - mud. The love muddy bottoms and lots of vegetation to hide in. We find mud and musk turtles normally by seeing movement in the plants on a shallow shoreline, not by seeing the turtle. You make a grab and see if a turtle is in the plants you just grabbed!

You don't need the muddy bottom in your tank, but your turtle will act much much differently if you give it pleanty of natural looking plants in which to hide with a relatively smooth, small rock or gravel bottom.
 
Last edited:

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
I know its fun to make a tank nice and colorful for you to enjoy, however, I don't think that it is coincidental that the pictures show your turtle hiding in the only green plant it can find. A more natural looking decor to the tank would do well for your turtle. Turtles have great color vision and even see in the UVA spectrum which magnifies colors and contrast. The world looks quite different to them. You would be surprise how your tank looks to a turtle!

A wild mud turtle would never choose any place in your tank as a place it would be. They are not attracted to rocky places nor boldly colorful places. They want to blend in and feel secure. If you ever hunted for wild baby mud turtles, the place you find them is why they are named what they are - mud. The love muddy bottoms and lots of vegetation to hide in. We find mud and musk turtles normally by seeing movement in the plants on a shallow shoreline, not by seeing the turtle. You make a grab and see if a turtle is in the plants you just grabbed!

You don't need the muddy bottom in your tank, but your turtle will act much much differently if you give it pleanty of natural looking plants in which to hide with a relatively smooth, small rock or gravel bottom.
Thank you so much, Mark, what you are saying is my tank is too "colorful and I should replace the colors, at least for now with some green plants?? I do not have anything on the bottom right now and it makes it easier for cleaning. For my older guy, I had blue and clear glass stones - I am afraid of gravel in case it gets ingested. Should I put down some type of stone or leave it plain? Right now I am going to look into more green plants though. I want him to be comfortable and less stressed - but is he going to get stressed if I change out the plants at this point?? I know they do not like change much.
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
I agree with @Markw84. I think that green plants will help the turtle feel more comfortable and secure. It's worth it to go ahead and make that change.
 

Markw84

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 17, 2012
Messages
5,041
Location (City and/or State)
Sacramento, CA (Central Valley)
Thank you so much, Mark, what you are saying is my tank is too "colorful and I should replace the colors, at least for now with some green plants?? I do not have anything on the bottom right now and it makes it easier for cleaning. For my older guy, I had blue and clear glass stones - I am afraid of gravel in case it gets ingested. Should I put down some type of stone or leave it plain? Right now I am going to look into more green plants though. I want him to be comfortable and less stressed - but is he going to get stressed if I change out the plants at this point?? I know they do not like change much.
I think your turtle would enjoy that change!

Substrate is not as much and issue as the plants in which to hide. That will make the biggest difference. I do like a natural substrate and do use the brown toned aquarium gravel in most of my rearing tanks. I believe the more natural look and feel as well as the exercise and "hunting" behavior is excellent for young turtles. They push the gravel around hunting for food bits in the gravel. I have never had an impacted turtle. Their entire way of dealing with kidney/urinary processes are totally different than tortoises. They don't have to hold or conserve water. The have no buildup of uric acids that could cause precipitation nucleus to start building.
 

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
I think your turtle would enjoy that change!

Substrate is not as much and issue as the plants in which to hide. That will make the biggest difference. I do like a natural substrate and do use the brown toned aquarium gravel in most of my rearing tanks. I believe the more natural look and feel as well as the exercise and "hunting" behavior is excellent for young turtles. They push the gravel around hunting for food bits in the gravel. I have never had an impacted turtle. Their entire way of dealing with kidney/urinary processes are totally different than tortoises. They don't have to hold or conserve water. The have no buildup of uric acids that could cause precipitation nucleus to start building.
Thanks again. I am going out right now to get him some new, green plants.
 

susieq450

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
52
Location (City and/or State)
Kodak
Thanks again. I am going out right now to get him some new, green plants.
Do I also need to remove his mountain/cave? He does like to hide in there now and then. Maybe he is too little for that thing right now??
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
Do I also need to remove his mountain/cave? He does like to hide in there now and then. Maybe he is too little for that thing right now??
You're talking about the one in the back, left of center? I think it's fine, especially if he likes to hide there already. You can bring it forward a couple inches if there's any concern about him getting caught between the mountain/cave and the glass.
 
Top