Things You'll Need
- 30-gallon or larger tank (glass or acrylic)
- Gravel or sand mixed with medium river rocks
- Water
- Water conditioner
- Driftwood
- Slabs of slate
- Rocks
- Plants (optional)
- Submersible heater
- High quality filter
- UV-B lighting
- Turtle pellets
- Earthworms
- Mealworms
- Bloodworms
- Calcium supplement
- Siphon cleaner/gravel vacuum
Instructions
Habitat Setup
Cover the bottom of the tank completely with the gravel or sand mixture. This will be the substrate.
Add water to the tank to a depth of 10 inches. Add the appropriate amount of water conditioner, as indicated on the water conditioner's bottle.
Decorate the tank with driftwood, slate, rocks, and plants. Create a basking area by building up the slate and driftwood so that they break the surface of the water. Musk and mud turtles like to climb and bask out of the water.
Hook up and install the heater, filter and the UV-B lighting. Keep the water at a temperature from 76 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Feeding
Feed the turtle commercial turtle pellets every other day. Its diet should also include items such as earthworms, bloodworms, mealworms and small fish.
Provide lettuce or other leafy greens in small amounts. Its diet should mainly consist of pellets and meaty foods.
Feeding vitamin D3-enriched foods or a calcium supplement is important, especially if you do not provide UV-B lighting. These foods can be found in most pet stores.
Maintenance
Clean the inside of the tank and the water filter every two to three weeks. This will ensure a clean and healthy environment.
Change 25 percent of the water when you clean the tank and filter. Use the gravel vacuum to clean the substrate.
Add water conditioner to the fresh water every time you change the water. This will ensure that the water is free of chlorine and other harmful chemicals.