How to Take Care of a Soft Shell Turtle Hatchling

Soft shell turtles are aquatic turtles that have soft, fleshy skin rather than outer shells. There are many different subspecies of soft shell turtles, and they can be found in North America, Asia and Africa. They live in cold, brackish water in river and lake bottoms. The various subspecies range in length from 12 to 36 inches, and are olive, tan or brown in color. Soft shell turtles are uncommon in the pet trade because they do best as display animals rather than as companionship animals and because they require a great deal of care. Hatchlings are even more difficult to raise and care for than adults.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium
  • River sand
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Driftwood
  • Filter
  • Aquarium heater
  • Heat lamp
  • Live plants
  • Guppies, earthworms, red worms
  • Crickets, pink mice, chicken
  • Commerical aquatic turtle food
  • Reptomin floating sticks
  • Silvadene cream
  • Acriflavine cream
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide each soft shell turtle hatchling with a 20-gallon aquarium. Place a few inches of very finely ground river sand in the bottom of the aquarium, deep enough that the turtle will be able to bury itself. Top the sand with a few inches of very clean water, just enough that a turtle that has buried itself in the sand will be able to extend its nose above the surface of the water to breathe. Add between 1 tsp. and 1 tbsp. of salt for every gallon of water in the aquarium. Build up a bank of sand in one portion of the aquarium so that the hatchling can climb out of the water to rest. Stock the enclosure with driftwood to give the turtle hiding places and places to rest.

    • 2

      Keep the aquarium properly cleaned, heated and oxygenated. Constantly filter the water in the aquarium, because dirty water is devastating to the health of softshell turtles. Keep the water at a pH level of between 6.5 and 7.0. Use an aquarium heater to keep the water at a constant temperature between 72 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a heat lamp to provide the turtles with a basking spot on the sand bank heated to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant live plants in the aquarium to add oxygen to the environment and to give the turtles places to hide.

    • 3

      Place small fish like guppies and mosquito fish in the aquarium for the soft shell turtle hatchling to feed on. Also provide the batchling with live earthworms, redworms and black worms once or twice every week. Once the hatchling is acclimated to its environment, start to feed it dead prey such as crickets, pink mice and cooked chicken pieces. Mix in commercial aquatic turtle food with the rest of its diet. Provide the hatchling with Reptomin floating sticks, which many young turtles love to eat.

    • 4

      Keep the soft shell turtle healthy. Because soft shell turtles do not have hard shells, they are very susceptible to getting nicked from things in their enclosure. Injuries can easily lead to infection, especially in water that is not perfectly clean. Use only very fine sand so that it does not abrade the turtle's skin. Do not place rocks or rough-edged driftwood in the exhibit.

      Keep Silvadene cream on hand at all times. Use the cream to treat any sores or nicks that the soft shell turtle acquires. Use Acriflavine if Silvadene is not available. Do not raise the temperature of the water when using Acriflavine cream.