Mississippi tortoise | Facts & Information

# Mississippi tortoise | Facts & Information

Mississippi tortoise | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Mississippi tortoise

The Mississippi map turtle is part of the family Emydidae, the genus Graptemys and the species Graptemys pseudogeographica.

Life expectancy: 25-35 years

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Mississippi Tortoise

Mississippi tortoise

The Mississippi Turtle - A Legendary Reptile of the American Rivers

The Mississippi Turtle, also known by its scientific name Trachemys scripta elegans, is one of the most fascinating and popular reptiles on the American continent. This unique reptile is native to the rivers and swamps in the southeastern United States, although it can now be found in various parts of the world due to its popularity as a pet.

One of the most well-known aspects of the Mississippi Turtle is its distinctive shell. The shell, which is the upper part of this creature's body, is thickened and offers protection against attacks and environmental hazards. Throughout its life, the shell develops and becomes more solid. Generally, the color of the shell varies from brown to dark green and is often adorned with yellow, orange, or red spots.

The size of the Mississippi Turtle can vary depending on their age and gender. Adults usually reach a length of about 20-25 cm, but can exceed 30 cm. Mississippi Turtles can live between 30 and 50 years, and older specimens can reach impressive sizes. And although it's hard to believe, there have even been reports of turtles exceeding 40 centimeters in length and weighing 32 kilograms.

The natural habitat of the Mississippi Turtle includes rivers, lakes, ponds, and stagnant marshes. It prefers waters with dense vegetation and can adapt to a variety of aquatic environments. It is also a prevalent species in the Galapagos Islands, where it was successfully introduced in the 20th century. However, the Mississippi Turtle is not resistant to low temperatures and generally prefers warm climates.

These reptiles are omnivorous and feed on both plants and insects, echinoderms, and aquatic invertebrates. In captivity, their diet must be varied and include fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, and also calcium supplements to ensure good bone health.

Another interesting aspect of the Mississippi Turtle is its reproductive behavior. During the mating period, males start chasing females, shaking their claws and moving their snout from side to side. After mating, females lay between 5 and 25 eggs in a well-hidden place, in a previously prepared nest. The incubation period lasts approximately 80-90 days, and the newborn hatchlings are completely independent immediately after birth.

However, Mississippi Turtles face various threats and risks in their natural environment. Habitat loss, pollution, and illegal animal trafficking are just a few of the problems these reptiles are facing. Currently, it is extremely important to fight for their conservation and protection in the wild.

On the other hand, the Mississippi Turtle has also become a popular pet in many countries around the world. However, it is essential to consider the specific requirements of these reptiles in terms of space, diet, and proper temperature. It is recommended to obtain turtles from ethical breeders and provide them with a suitable environment to avoid impacting the wild population through constant imports.

In conclusion, the Mississippi Turtle represents one of the most amazing and interesting reptiles in North America. With its distinctive shell and remarkable lifespan, these aquatic creatures demonstrate the importance of conserving and protecting the environment in which they live. We hope that the wilderness will continue to provide a safe haven for these wonderful reptiles, and people will continue to enjoy their company in a responsible and ethical manner.

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Origin

The map turtle is an aquatic freshwater species that originates in North America ,specifically in the Mississippi Valley of Illinois and Nebraska, but also in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Virginia.

It is now increasingly prevalent in the world ,the most recent statistic is from 2005 which shows that in Europe there are about 82,943 of which only 11.92% are in the wild (9,887 individuals).

The turtle map took its name from the lines and markings on its shell and skin that resemble the contour lines of a map.

Size: males 9-13 cm, females 15-25 cm. Sex determination: sex can be determined by examining the tail.The tail of the female is considerably smaller than that of the male. the male has a much longer and thicker tail . Males also have slightly larger toenails.

Feeding the Mississippi Turtle

Map turtles are omnivores . they eat many live foods such as crickets , worms and commercial dry foods. They will also eat some vegetables, such as lettuce.

Feeding is done once a day until about 6 months. At this age is recommended a varied food, just enough to keep them from being hungry, but not to fatten them. After 6 months feeding is done every two days, and vegetables are added to the diet.

Features Mississippi Tortoise

The carapace, one of the distinguishing features in map turtles, is the black crest along the spine, as well as the serrated edge behind the carapace. The color of the carapace is usually olive or brown with an intricate yellow/orange pattern in semi-circles .

In youth, chicks are more brightly colored than adults, whose colors darken over time, in adulthood they have a brownish or black color with black spots outlined with yellow stripes.

The plastron is tan-yellowish in color with brown lines . These become less distinct with age.

The head," boss " of Mississippi Maps has the main identifying feature. On either side of the head there will be a curved line (Crescent ). From the top angle of view there is a single line running down to the center of the head separating the two crescent lines on the sides. ; the Mississippi map turtles have no bar over the pupils (unlike Ouachita and the false map), although there are exceptions.

Life in nature

They inhabit calm waters ,lakes, ponds with abundant vegetation.they love to hide in vegetation. They are very sensitive to the sun ,so they rarely go out on land unless there is bright light.

They are also very sensitive to dirty water , as I said before , because they tend to have eye infections .

Turtles are active at a temperature of 10-27 degrees. Below 10 degrees , they go into hibernation underwater, hidden in the mud.

In captivity

They need a good dry area (Islet) on which to get out of the water completely and dry completely (including plastron, the islet must also dry, not remain wet). In this area you will not only need a heat source (heater), you should also have a source of UVB (UV-B is a light bulb/neon that contains UV-B , recommended for the assimilation of vitamin D3 , which strengthens the shell).

Map turtles are reputed to be more prone to high-quality health problems if water is not kept clear, free of impurities. They should be disturbed as little as possible.

A single adult male would need an aquarium of 283-340 litres, but a 25cm female will need at least a 400l to ensure adequate space . Strong filtration is recommended to maintain the best water quality. A submersible heater to ensure a constant temperature.

Breeding Mississippi Tortoise

The female can lay up to 22 eggs with a diameter of 30 mm each and hatching can take between 52 and 85 days. Males are generally produced at 25 gr – 28 gr C, and females at 31 gr – 35 gr C, and mixed genera at 28 gr-31 gr C. eggs are deposited in water-covered nisp.

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Mississippi tortoise | Facts & InformationMississippi Tortoise | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Mississippi Tortoise