Razorback Musk Turtle
Care Sheet
I thought I might as well make a Razorback Musk Turtle care sheet, as this is a blog about them so feel free to ask questions in the comments if your unsure of anything!
Scientific Name
Sternotherus Carinatus
Description
Razorbacks are of course known for their razor-like back. However don't get mixed up with other baby Musks, as most Musk turtles start out with a razor-like shell. Razorbacks also have a pale skin with small blackish dots. They will grow to 5.5Inches MAX, so not too big unlike Sliders, which will need an indoor/outdoor pond.
The Setup
It is very important to get the setup right, as most people don't take into account what is essential.
- You will need to get the biggest tank you have room for, all Musk turtles are "bottom walkers", meaning they forage on the riverbed looking for food. So you will need a large surface area.
- I would personally suggest sand for a substrate, not only is it cheap from Argos, Tescos etc, but I feel it is most natural for the turtle. They also like to dig in the sand so it gives them something else to do! Might want to wash it a few times before putting it in the tank.
- Remember to include plenty of live plants AND fake plants. The turtles will destroy the live plants, but they help maintain the water quality. Plastic plants are used, otherwise you will be spending endless amounts of money on live plants, but it is also good to have live plants, obviously because it's natural but turtles can get stuck in plastic plants and drown. So please watch out. Musk turtles are not great swimmers so will require plants and other objects to help them get to the surface to breathe.
- Other objects like cork bark or mopani wood are great for stratching their shells against, anything that gives them somewhere to hide is needed too, like a cave etc, so they feel safe and not like they are on show.
- Turtles are messy creatures, therefore you will need a good powerful filter. A turtle can never have too much filtration. The Ehiem Classic Range is supposed to be the best on the market, Zoo Plus sell it very cheap, with great discounts and free shipping. External are always best as they deal with waste more efficiently. Internal filters also have fast currents, when musk turtles are found in slow moving rivers.
- Heating and Lighting is also very important, you will need a UV light. The Exo Terra, 13w 10.0 is very good for musks. You will also need a heat lamp, which can be a normal household light, that gives off heat.
- Temperatures for a baby turtle in the water should be 24-27 Celcius, you will need a water heater for this. Once they are adults you can remove the water heater and keep the water at room temperature (22-23 Celcius) if you have a cold house then a heater is required again.
- You will also need a basking area. Even though musk turtles dont usually bask it is always important to provide them with a place to get out of the water incase they are ill or tired etc. Razorbacks are known to bask more than any other turtle so dont be suprised if your razorback likes to climb out of the water.
Water Depth
Razorback musk turtles are more competent swimmers, they can withstand deeper water than any other musk turtle. For baby musk turtles I would suggest around 4-5 inches of water, with plenty of plants to climb up. For an adult no deeper than 14 Inches. A shallow water area of about 3 Inches is also a good idea. This can just be another basking platform underwater. I wouldn't put an adult razorback in water deeper than 14 inches.
Feeding
Pellets are the main source of food (reptomin), but they can also eat bloodworms, earthworms, salmon, shrimp, prawns and hikari tropical sinking wafers. Adults should be fed every other day. Imagine the turtle's head is hollow, you need to fill that head with food.
Compatibility With Other Turtles
Most people ask if you can keep musk turtles with another species of turtle. Musk turtles require a completely different setup to other turtles. They are poor swimmers that require shallow water unlike sliders that require deep water. The two species wouldnt work together. On top of that musks are very small compared to other turtles and would get knocked around in the tank or pond by much larger turtles.
Compatibility With Other Turtles
Most people ask if you can keep musk turtles with another species of turtle. Musk turtles require a completely different setup to other turtles. They are poor swimmers that require shallow water unlike sliders that require deep water. The two species wouldnt work together. On top of that musks are very small compared to other turtles and would get knocked around in the tank or pond by much larger turtles.
