Caring for Green Soft-Shelled Turtles

Soft-shelled turtles belong to the family Trionychidae, which comprises around 25 species. Coloration varies widely among soft-shell turtles; besides green, you can find brown, gray, white and even black. They are mostly aquatic creatures; their natural habitats include ponds, rivers, streams and lakes. They like to spend most of their time buried in the sand or mud at the bottom, but they will occasionally pop to the surface to bask for a while. They tend to be shy around humans, and they may get aggressive at times, which is why it is best to keep them alone or in pairs. Soft-shelled turtles, green or otherwise, are commonly kept as pets, but they can be difficult to care for because they can get quite large.

  1. Habitat

    • Provide a small tank for your green soft-shelled turtle to live in. Do not put him in a large tank unless you want him to get large. Green soft-shelled turtles can get up to 4 feet in diameter in large tanks or ponds. Fill the tank with a few inches of water and place lots of driftwood in it for your turtle to rest on. Keep the water temperature around 72 to 75 F and the pH around 6.5 to 7.0.

    Diet

    • Feed your soft-shelled turtle a healthy diet. Give the turtle catfish food or trout food, both of which contain minerals similar to those in what turtles would eat in their natural habitats. Give your younger turtle around five to eight pellets every other day and feed adult turtles around 10 pellets twice a week.

    Delicate Care

    • Always handle your green soft-shelled turtle with great care. Their shells are very soft and flexible, and they can be cracked or broken easily. Never drop your turtle or let your turtle fall off a raised surface, because the impact could kill your pet. Closely supervise children when handling your pet turtle.

    Clean Environment

    • Clean the tank water at least two times a week. Turtles are messy eaters that use the bathroom in their water. Empty the dirty water in the sink and replace it with clean water. Keep your green soft-shelled turtle in a low-traffic area in your home and out of direct sunlight, which can kill him.