Soft Shell Turtle

[frognerd101]

Hey everyone,

It's Andrew. I am mainly a tree frog keeper, however I do keep other animals.

I was interested in getting my very first aquatic turtle. I looked online and I decided that the one I wanted was a soft shell turtle. Even though I have never owned an aquatic turtle, I have owned a few box turtles (I currently have one), and I have had friends and relatives that have had aquatic species. I even helped my friend with his common snapping turtle for a few weeks while he was on vacation.

I know the general care for these species. I know that they need a sandy bottom and a very powerful filter, as well as a spot to bask. I would provide a turtle ledge.

I just need to know what size tank you house this species in. I was thinking I would set up a 40 gallon long, which I could fit on my dresser. Also, I need to know any good products that I could use for lighting, filtration and decor. I could use a lot of help.


Thank you all very much!!!

[SkeletalFrog]

It depends on what species you get, and whether it's a male or female (males are significantly smaller). Some, like Florida Softshells, get enormous and basically require a pond, while spiny & smooth softshells require less, but still a lot.

The general rule of thumb is that you need 10 gallons per inch of turtle, and 3x the filtration for that gallonage. Thus, a 7" male softshell would require a 75 gallon tank and 225 gallons worth of filtration to deal with the waste, and a 14" female would need twice that. The costs aren't small - for the 7" male, you'll probably spend around $150 just on the tank, and you'll need two 120 gallon filters that run about $100 each (I recommend Eheim brand filters).

I have a male Cagle's map turtle. He's a total of 3" long and will never get any bigger. He's in a 20 gallon long (slightly smaller than ideal, but workable) with a 165 gallon Eheim filter to cope with the waste of him and the two leopard frogs. The whole setup probably cost me about $400-$500 once you include all the smaller accessories, lamps, bulbs, etc.


The most important thing is the filtration. A good biological filter is essential unless you want to be doing huge water changes every few days, and the bigger the better (turtles are messy). You'll need to set up the tank and let it run for at least a month with a few goldfish in it (they'll provide the waste for the bacteria to eat, and then the turtle can eat them), all while doing water tests for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate every day or two until it cycles. Once they're set up, maintenance is a lot easier, but remember to ALWAYS clean your filter at least every 6-9 months, or it'll get clogged, lose power, and break, and you'll have to start all over again.

If it sounds like a huge pain in the ***, that's because it is. Most turtles in the pet trade will die because their owners can't keep the water clean enough, and many who succeed do so only because they were lucky enough to have the bacteria establish themselves in the gravel bed or somesuch without the owner knowing. Water quality is everything.

[stolenheron]

Florida softshells and Spiny softshells (both indigenous to the south eastern US) are probably going to be the species that you go with. Both get quite large. I catch them in the wild all the time ranging from fresh hatchlings to females the size of my torso (not kidding). They are easy to feed, they do enjoy a sandy bottom (softshells do like to burrow at times and pop their heads up in an attempt to ambush passing fish or other food options), however it isnt a requirement. plain glass or pebbles like a normal fish tank will work.

They do get big and can grow fast. so it may go from being in a ten gallon tank as a little hatchling to requiring a koi pond (for a big adult) lol. just think about that.


If you want a group of turtles that is small, and STAYS small. Look at the family Kinosternidae. the Musk and Mud turtles. They can live their entire lives being under 6" in length. A 30 gallon tank for 1 adult would be fine. there are plenty of species to choose from that are native to the US, or if you want more exotic ones, you can also find them in the pet trade. My GF currently has a sternotherus odoratus and he is a great pet. loves pellets, shrimp (live or dried), and small crayfish. I'd recommend these little guys to anyone. They are very personable and tend to romp around on the bottom like a hippo lol.


I've owned sliders, cooters, mud/musks, and softshells. I have hatched FL cooters and am currently waiting on 6 florida softshell eggs.