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Common Musk Turtle Care Sheet Archived Comments

"In response to lydia256 on December 8, 2019 I hope your turtle is doing better by now! If not, this seems like a serious problem, and the best thi

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“In response to lydia256 on December 8, 2019

I hope your turtle is doing better by now! If not, this seems like a serious problem, and the best thing you can do to maintain your turtle’s health is to take her to an exotic animal vet in your area. In addition, make sure the floating dock does not sink when she gets on, as some can only hold a very limited amount of weight.
Posted by hopc4, Mar 25, 2020 03:40 PM

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“I wondering if anyone could help my my female musk turtles is about a year old and she isn’t using her back legs at all and when I took her out to look at them there were all scabs and her nails weren’t there just scabs and I really don’t know hat to do shes
In a 90 l tank and has a uvb light and a floating dock
Please help
Posted by Lydia256, Dec 8, 2019 04:49 PM


“Hello,
I’m researching nesting areas for my potential two female musk stinkpot turtles, any suggestions for keeping this permanently in the tank??, photos would be great too. What material did you use please as trying to find out if width of turtle is same as length??
many thanks
Posted by dharding64, Sep 8, 2019 12:05 PM


“In response to the posting on July 24th 2019 about water level. I feel I MUST respond because the water depth—again confuses people.

It is important for me to note that the turtle forum you recommend also states within that forum that for water depth for musk turtles under the habitat tab of the site—take their adult size and times it by 2.5. A 5 in musk adult that’s only 12.5 in. water depth.

According to the forum of your post…15in is max for a turtle even at the high end of 6in. Not sure why yours is 24 in? That seems almost full to the top tank level? Not sure how that could be sloped without taking so much of the bottom surface away….or how much surface is dedicated to air/rest.

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Now I’m not saying you are endangering your musk. I do not know how your tank is set up. It’s also not to say that as a musk ages over many years it may become stronger, more confident swimmers.

I will be honest and say I do think 2ft of water is way too high..most certainly for new owners or younger turtles to start with for sure. .Not only because I feel so much of the bottom surface area would be used up for a means to make a sufficient ramp air/rest area. As you stated….your turtle is happy on the bottom….well yes, because that’s mainly where they stay.

But also because 2ft of water tells me that a musk will always need to swim up from the bottom to get air access. While they can do that….I’m not sure that it’s the best habitat for them. In the article to this comment forum states that even in the wild, musks stick to the shallow end areas of those lakes/ponds/swamps.

However since they are mainly bottom walkers…the TRUE idea is to have more bottom surface area to navigate and explore…..not necessarily water depth. While you may say more water equals healthier water quality—a proper filtration does the same even for 7in of water depth. My 55 gal holds an actual 20 gal of water…and my external canister is for true 60 gal water….so my filtration is 3x’s the gal rate not to mention the internal filter I have as well. My tank water is aways crystal clear….even with 2 musk in overall 20 gallons of actual water.

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My original post….and why I addressed water level in my prev posting is because on YouTube there are some videos that are dumping these turtles in high water levels and you see them struggle to swim….desperate to attach to plants…even filters to get to the top. The struggle is clear and daresay even frightening to see. One video showed a musk hanging onto part of a filter but wouldn’t leave it (can we guess why?) .In another video—one uninterrupted video titled that was 4 min long— It tried several times to swim directly upward and could not make it….it eventually and clumsily swam to the other side of the tank and latched onto a plant and rested a bit. From there it swam onto a higher plant to even reach the top….so its only rest air spot was a flimsy tall plastic plant….that could eventually fold over with the weight of the turtle. ….and it’s stressful to watch something like that. Now imagine them having to do that every single time they need air?? DO NOT DO THAT. PERIOD. The more they swim and struggle…the more air they use up in their bodies. They will become exhausted and likely drown.

Considering that my musk sticks their head out of the water several times an hour—-what I saw in those videos was outrageous. Just don’t do that folks….sure turtles are cute when they swim….i get it….but this is about their safety and comfort NOT your entertainment!

I can’t even imagine making my musks taking 4 min of their time for each one of those breaths.

People…if you want a true swimming turtle musks are NOT it. They are mainly bottom walkers. Deeper water levels only force them to swim to what they need….but reality is….they should not be forced to swim for every breath they need.

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There simply must be several aspects of your enclosure that allows EASY air and rest access in multiple areas of the tank–ideally along the length of the enclosure. 7 in of water for a 3 in juvi musk is plenty deep and 0 stress..even for swimming. .just elevate the tank corners with polished river rock.. But use good judgment for adults as well.

Would I love to see them swim around like a red ear does in higher more attractive water depth? Sure….but then….they are not the same species or exhibit the same swim behaviors. Plain speak: Red ears LOVE to swim….Musks LOVE to walk. Having more open bottom surface area outweighs water depth.

And my water level recommendations in my prev post were the same as the forum’s recommendation as well. So I strongly disagree with higher water depths—esp 2ft of water unless you are absolutely sure the Musks are not stressed or panicky/erratic behaving swimming in those levels….just to simply get to air or even rest.. So just use that as the golden rule and common sense. Musks have a strong natural survival instinct—-doesn’t mean they should be forced to use it….and if it clearly looks more like survival than enjoyment……lower the water.
Posted by Anonymous, Jul 31, 2019 09:28 AM

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“I would strongly advise anyone serious about keeping turtles joins a turtle forum, Austin Turtle Page has some lifelong turtle keepers and researchers, other enthusiast sites are likely just as good as people love their pets and share their experiences, talk to them.

Also do not misinterpret information stating that Musk’s live in “”shallow”” water, whilst true take caution that when referring to swamps, wetlands, streams, rivers and ponds the term “”shallow”” is relative. Most water bodies are going to be at least a couple of feet deep and Musk’s navigate these just fine.

So 18″” of water in an aquarium is fine, providing you give them a slope to crawl to the surface if and when they need to.

It is critical that your tank has a sloped area or ramp leading up to the surface they can crawl up in case they get tired, just like banks of streams, rivers and ponds. It should be easy to get to without being in high water flow, this is essentially drown proofing. A tired or sick turtle might drown if they can’t reach the surface, so having something for them to easily get to and crawl up is vital.

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That’s it.

More water = better water quality = healthier turtles (for this reason long and wide aquariums are preferable, more water without excessive depth).

I’ve kept Musk’s for decades and they live in 24″” of water, they live on the bottom and are happy and active burying themselves in the substrate. They breath through their tongues underwater and can stay under for extended periods. However; do not mistake that for them not needing to surface, there is a difference between a planned slowing of their metabolism to sleep/rest and an urgent need for air. They are not fish and so if unwell or panicked they will need to surface quickly, hence the slope/ramp.
Posted by Anonymous, Jul 24, 2019 07:59 PM


“I am really dismayed in reading some of these posts. Many own these turtles without appearing to have even done simple research. Let’s get to it.

1) Tank size: Once your turtle becomes a juvenile think bigger is better. For one adult turtle or two juvenile turtles I would go no smaller than a 55 gallon. Some of these posts saying they housed their musk turtle in a 20gal for years is a shame. That’s equivalent to you living in a 9×11 room your whole life. Turtles love to explore and are curious by nature. For the love of God….give them adequate space!

2) Water depth. A confusing topic. Musk Turtles are fairly good side to side swimmers but really struggle swimming upwards. They are mainly bottom walkers. If you want a full swimming type turtle, Musks are not it. Your musk turtle should easily be able to reach the surface from its hind legs. Keep things throughout the tank they can rest or perch on. Make at least 3 corners of your tank. at an incline higher with rock so they can easily get air. At night they like to attach themselves (including plants) to rest but keep their heads slightly out of water…so keep that in mind. Do NOT use regular aquarium gravel. You can buy polished river rocks off Amazon that are turtle safe and smooth with no sharp edges. I keep plenty of river rock in the corners of the tank but leave the middle bare bottom for easier cleaning.

Be of care of the decor you use. Do not put in anything sharp or rough. Be wary of cave enclosures. Make sure the openings do not eventually entrap them by their shells. I have a cave that the openings are no smaller than 6in.

3) Filtration: MOST important. I’ve gone through 3 different kinds. The internal canister which was ineffective and loud due to the low water level. A submerisble pump filter that also was not effective even with that repto waterfall filter which double suits as a basking area. Despite this and constant water changes within days my tank would get so murky you could barely see into it. And it STUNK!

If you have the same issue your tank is NOT being filtered efficiently. I would recommend no other filter except an external canister filter. I bought one off Amazon for 53 dollars and it even came with media. There are ALL kinds of YouTube videos on how to service them and the best media to use. My water has been so crystal clear since I can even see the tank seam in the back and that terrible smell is gone as well.

Canister filters are NOT expensive to maintain. You do NOT need to always replace your media….most bio media is permanent but you can go many months with the mechanical media (the sponges) only replacing them when they disintegrate. It is NOT that difficult to learn.

Do NOT skimp on filtration. That water should be CLEAR. On canister filters the output back into the tank is for high water levels BUT there is a way around that. You can have 0 water noise. You can call the company and ask to send another intake pipe and use that as your output as well. It will go straight under the water and provide a nice flow. I made my own output with PVC piping by attaching it to the output bar that came with the canister…but I think it will just be simpler to buy a second intake pipe as it is too long for me to explain how I made my own.

I will warn though it was difficult to start the filter going. Fill up the canister FIRST with warer after purting in all your media trays…it will NOT prime itself. Plug it in then hit the prime button…there are You tube videos on this as well. After I filled it up it started right up.

I did keep the waterfall filter as it’s very neat and does provide extra filtration although not sufficient on its own. It is pretty tall but I surrounded it with rocks like a ramp for easier access. They hardly bask …you can go with a floating dock but I just love the look of the waterfall and shoot I already bought it anyway. I wouldn’t use it for a smaller tank anyway.

Again do NOT skimp on filtration. All of the 3 I bought had good reviews and stated how crystal clear their turtle tank water was…NOT SO….and I bet those buyers found out the cold truth like I did a few days later. Id you are feeling like you are doing too many water changes or having to completly break down your tank to clean it (which you really shouldn’t be doing as you just destroyed your entire eco system)….you need an external canister filter.

4) Feeding. If you all don’t even know what to feed your turtle…learn. This is just a helpful tip. On Amazon you can purchase food ring feeders for about 5 bucks. It suctions on the inside of the tank and any floating food such as pellets will stay inside the ring. This is great because your turtle can come up to eat and the food isn’t swirling all around the tank getting lost in plants and the like. I put in a few at a time and add more as they are being eaten until its done. A cheap and effective way to avoid food waste and a cleaner tank.

I keep fish in my tank and my turtles pay them no mind. The fish are great for catching any bits of food flying by after the turtle drags under water to eat. Keep cheap hardy and quick fish such as tiger barbs or gouramis. While my turtles don’t bother my fish…some turtles may be more aggressive so don’t put in any fish you aren’t prepared to lose. I also have a req aquarium just in case I needed to ever transfer the fish out.

5) Lighting. You must must must keep proper lighting. Don’t keep your basking light so far from the basking area that it’s basically worthless. Make sure it’s secure and use splash proof bulbs. Also make sure it is not too hot. And you MUST use a UVB buld and you MUST change it every 6 months….even if they still light.

6) Sick turtles: if you are concerned about the health of your turtle, then it likely needs a vet visit. If your turtle suddenly quits eating make sure it isn’t bored with the same ol thing. Id still refusing to eat, take it to the vet.

7) Housing multiple musk turtles. I have 2 a male and female. It is NOT recommended to house 2 males together as they may become territorial as they age, so be prepared to house them separately. As far as adding a different species of turtles….call an expert before you do. Some turtles require much higher water levels or separate other needs that cannot coexist for both. Common sense folks.

Please do not get pet turtles if you are not willing to care for it for many years. Do not simply let it go in the wild either. I do not know if a captive kept turtle will even survive or even knows how to defend itself in the wild against predators like birds or raccoons. It’s very easy for a musk turtles to feel safe in an aquarium if it’s all they’ve ever known.

Keep in mind that if you get your kid a pet turtle and if it’s well taken care of it should still be alive when that kid goes off to college. Not ideal to drag a 55 gal tank along with them. Keep this in mind as well when your kid begs for one.

So, I hope this lays to rest of many issues that I’ve seen posted. Some od these posts were really concerning. Do not get any living creature only to get fed up with taking care of it for years. They are not self sufficient for the most part like dogs or cats.

So while long I hope this post helps many new musk turtle owners out there.
Posted by Anonymous, Jul 14, 2019 08:30 AM


I’ve just bought a fish tank with two musk turtles in it s a community tank, small fish such as angel fish gouramies .. I need to off load the turtles, any ideas.. can they be released etc.
Posted by Anonymous, Jul 5, 2019 02:17 PM

Adding no substrate is like someone removing the couch from your living room. It offers no interest and no mental stimulation. No wonder they die. I have varied substrate and sticky loves digging and keeps him active.
Posted by Anonymous, May 19, 2019 01:28 PM

Is it OK my musk turtle(male) and my yellow bellied slider(female) housed together, they are both babies in a 20 gallon tank.
Posted by Anonymous, May 12, 2019 07:41 PM

To the commenter with the turtle staying on the dock, I would take your musk to the vet because my first musk turtle did this and a few days later died of a respiratory infection. Musk turtles will bask in order to raise their temperature, because they are cold-blooded this is the only way to do so, if a turtle is basking almost every day it is a sign it is sick, like a fever, turtles will do this in order to fight off diseases. I’m pretty sure this is the reason why, do not forget that I may be wrong.
Posted by Anonymous, Apr 21, 2019 06:28 PM

“theyre good at digging, i would suggest using a substrate
the more space the better
Posted by Anonymous, Apr 6, 2019 08:09 PM


Do these turtles need a filter if you do frequent water changes?
Posted by Anonymous, Mar 30, 2019 12:28 PM

this is very helpful as i am maybe getting a turtle for my bday
Posted by Anonymous, Mar 27, 2019 01:18 PM

I have two Musk turtles their names are Leonardo and Raphael ( from teenage mutant ninja turtles) the tiny one doesn’t eat as much as the big one and if I put food in the tank the big one eats it all and the tiny one eats the stuff that’s falls to the bottom IS THIS NORMAL?
Posted by Anonymous, Mar 26, 2019 05:22 PM

HELP i have had my stinkpot turtle since he was the size of a nickel and could barely swim. its been about 2 yr and all of a sudden he is on his floater in the corner not eating or gettiing into the water. he looks sick but i cant find anything online ???
Posted by Anonymous, Mar 14, 2019 11:09 PM

Musk Turtle Shells should not be peeling. It is unhealthy for them to only eat pellets. They need a combination of foods. i.e. Bloodworms, pellets, shrimp, crickets, mealworms, water plants, and small fish (guppies, feeder goldfish, etc.)
Posted by Anonymous, Feb 17, 2019 01:14 AM

this is so terrible you need atleast a 40 gallon for an adult and you NEED a substrate, without a substrate it can be very stressful for the animal and it could actually end up dying.
Posted by Anonymous, Feb 9, 2019 06:58 PM

Mines name is tappy cause he always taps the glass
Posted by Anonymous, Feb 7, 2019 10:35 PM

Can musk turtles eat their food out of the tank to protect the water also the larger turtle seems to eat all the food
Posted by Anonymous, Jan 25, 2019 07:25 AM

I am looking to get a razor-backed musk turtle, and wanted to know what size tank I need for a baby. Does anyone know what size? Thanks!
Posted by Anonymous, Nov 22, 2018 03:30 PM

I spent most of my youth owning 3 wild caught musk turtles, they are great little guys but are the houdini’s of the turtle world and would regularly escape the tank, a trick we learned to prevent the escapes was edge the tank with masking tape
Posted by Anonymous, Nov 4, 2018 03:21 PM

“How would it be to keep 1 in an out door pond that has minn
ows and fingerling koi in it?
Posted by Anonymous, Aug 21, 2018 05:19 AM


I love my turtle, her name is Sushi and they make amazing pets
Posted by Anonymous, Jun 6, 2018 09:08 AM

I love turtle
Posted by Anonymous, Apr 16, 2018 12:22 PM

My Musk turtle’s shell has been peeling. I was wondering if this is normal, or should i be doing something different with his diet, he only eats pellets at the moment.
Posted by Anonymous, Mar 26, 2018 05:36 PM

my brand new musk turtles just came they are eating freeze dried blood worms and pellets. one is very active and the other is more lazy is it just thier peronalitys
Posted by Anonymous, Mar 15, 2018 09:42 PM

“My female common musk turtle has some minor dimpelling at the front of her shell and is equal on both sides. But this didnt used to be there or at least wasn’t as pronounced. Is this normal or is this a stn of some type of deficiency?

Thanks
Posted by S, Feb 3, 2018 06:15 AM


I have a musk turtle baby that also disappeared for the better part of a day. I found him on the floor in the dry area I meticulously looked all over every spare Inch. The only thing I can think of is that while I had earlier removed the vegetation I must have unknowlingly removed the baby turtle too. Because I placed on the floor and then thru it in the garbage. So he must have escaped when I place it on the floor.
Posted by Anonymous, Jan 20, 2018 07:38 PM

I have a lot of these in Orlando Florida to rehome (rehoming fee applies) if anyone is looking for some. You can contact me through email lovekitty33@hotmail.com is my email. I do NOT ship. Captive bred turtles. Email me for more info.
Posted by Anonymous, Jan 3, 2018 01:14 PM

Hi, i got a common musk turtle 2 weeks ago and named him Bert (bert the turtle is the name of a series of PSA shorts about bomb safety that debued in the 1960s). Bert lives in a 30 gallon tank with some fish, a crab, and 4 snails. For the last 3 days I have not been able to find him. I lifted up all the decorations and checked his dock and I have it so the water level is low enough where he can’t leave the tank. None of the fish are big enough to eat him. Im really worried about bert do any of you know what is happening?
Posted by Anonymous, Dec 29, 2017 09:24 AM

where can i buy 3 turtles that stay small forever i am in australia and can not them them ship please help
Posted by Anonymous, Dec 6, 2017 05:44 AM

WARNING: Newer research and reports have confirmed that turtles should not be kept in tanks with gravel substrate between 0.25-2 inches / 0.5-5 centimeters. The risk of ingestion is relatively low, but the consequences if a turtle consumes a rock of any significant size can be catastrophic. Please, value your turtle’s health over the enclosure’s appearance.
Posted by Anonymous, Oct 15, 2017 01:41 PM

Hi, is the ph the only thing I need to worry about when controlling the water the musk turtle is swimming in? I mean when caring for fish I get water quality strips and they show all sorts. Do I need to be as regimented as I do with fish? Treating the water? What are the acceptable values for the turtles water tank? Thanks!
Posted by Anonymous, Oct 10, 2017 06:19 PM

I have newly hatched musk turtles, what is the aproprtoate housing for them; water depth and temp, heating, uv light, food…ect.
Posted by Anonymous, Sep 11, 2017 06:19 PM

“our musk turtles speedy, tries to eat small rocks. not sure why but he does.

(we removed them from his tank)
Posted by Anonymous, Jul 23, 2017 03:28 PM


I’m looking into getting a musk turtle. They seem like really good turtles. I’ll probably name it pistachio!!
Posted by Anonymous, Jul 7, 2017 07:05 PM

I have a pair of these clowns. There very entertaining for both myself and my young boys. Always a pleasure to watch them especially at feeding time, although one does get very possessive of his grub. Thinking of pouring a few tadpoles in there water, good idea or not?? Box.
Posted by Anonymous, Apr 11, 2017 10:04 AM

“To Chris G in California,
I’m not an expert. I have a 3 year old stinkpot turtle who started refusing food last summer. For about three weeks she turned her nose away from everything that I offered her. One day I tried feeding her blood worms and she ate them. Now, I make sure to give her a mix of different foods so if she loses taste for one type she still has others.

If your turtle is avoiding water, it may have a respiratory sickness. Allow Tex to stay dry if it wants to and keep it warm. Not sure if there is much else to do but hope. Check some other forums that are more responsive.
Posted by Gerri, Nov 25, 2016 02:41 PM


Does anyone answer these questions? Where can I find the answers? I have a turtle that needs help–very soon! Help!
Posted by Chris, Oct 17, 2016 09:38 PM

“I have inherited an old musk turtle Sternotherus odoratus–he has been in our family since 1975, so he is at least 40 years old. We have always fed him meal worms and bits of salmon, occasional earthworms. He is now on a hunger strike, and has not eaten for over a month. I am worried about him, he seems to be wanting to haul out of the water more than ever. I keep his tank clean (20 gallon, with water at about 6 “”, temperature is in the high seventies). I am wondering about his water–I use bottled spring water from the grocery store. I tried using dechlorinating agents on regular tap water, too, but he seems to not like his water. Is there a particular pH I should be striving for? His environment is warm, but not too hot. Maybe he is just getting close to the end, but I want him to be as healthy as possible until then. Oh, his name is Tex. Thanks for any suggestions you might have!

Chris G in California
Posted by Chris, Oct 16, 2016 10:09 AM


Okay so I just found a common musk turtle and i need help. I’ve never raised a turtle and i’m clueless. Can anyone tell me the do’s and don’ts for them!?! He’s so tiny and i’m scared of doing something wrong!
Posted by Anonymous, Oct 13, 2016 06:01 PM

I found two stinkpot turtles at work, they just hatched. I took them home because there are so many large fish that will eat them,and they won’t really have a chance at life. I know this is nature but I just felt too bad letting them go. They currently live in a 20 gallon with sand, Apple snails, feeder fish, and I have some live plants with a working filter. Anything else I can do to help them have a good life? They have heat as well. They live outside. I live in Florida so it stays pretty hot here.
Posted by Anonymous, Aug 12, 2016 09:44 AM

“We just lost our musk turtle of 48 years on Monday, he lived on night crawlers and minnows all of his life. My husband was 8 years old when he purchased him from a pet store. So if you have one be prepared to be able to take care of them for a very long time.
Holly and Brian
Wisconsin
Posted by Anonymous, Aug 5, 2016 09:38 AM


How many days can a common musk turtle go without food?
Posted by Anonymous, Aug 4, 2016 07:39 PM

If anyone is still interested in this. Most turtles need 10 gallons of water per inch of shell. Most Musk turtles grow to about 6 inches or less so a 60 or 70 gallon tank is best for them. Anything under the 10 gallon per inch or shell rule won’t be harming the turtle but, the turtle will not enjoy life and you will not have a happy pet with a good personality… Turtles are Beautiful animals but need attention, territory and above all (in my opinion) a companion or other turtle. Would you like to be kept in a place by yourself for years on end? Turtles normally get along great but everyone needs to do their research before making a commitment in buying any pet. I would not recommend a turtle to anyone really under the age of 12 unless they have help from family and will continuously care for any or all creatures.
Posted by Anonymous, Jul 7, 2016 12:47 PM

Do they have pink segments under neath shell
Posted by Anonymous, May 10, 2016 10:07 AM

“We have just purchased two Baby musk turtles one is foraging at the bottom normally I think and the other seems to be having problems getting down, could he have an air bubble?

Advise needed

TIA
Posted by Anonymous, Apr 13, 2016 01:28 PM


“We have just purchased two Baby musk turtles one is foraging at the bottom normally I think and the other seems to be having problems getting down, could he have an air bubble?

Advise needed

TIA
Posted by Anonymous, Apr 12, 2016 01:01 PM


Please any turtle owners out there don’t put gravel in your turtles tank ever, it will kill then as they eat it and it gets stuck in there stomach. Very bad for them! Look up turtle gravel x-ray. Sand is suitable or bare bottom, I use sand with my turtle and it creates a natural easy to clean environment, she loves to burrow 🙂
Posted by Anonymous, Mar 19, 2016 10:34 PM

“Hi. I just bought my girlfriend two razor back musk turtles and a set up. I’ll be honest, the shop I bought everything (including the turtes) from did seem a bit odd. Anyway, I bought:
Two musk (Juvenile)
Long 20 Gallon (UK) tank (L-76cm W-31cm H-35)
Exo Terra UVB 11w light (fixture)
Floating turtle dock (small size)
BOYU HT-850 Aquarium heater
“”Supa”” turtle food

The tank was second hand but thoroughly cleaned before use, however, just over half way to the left there is a divide 3″” in hight. We are currently using this to separate the water and gravel, the water is just under 3″” to allow this. The question I have is what else do we need/What do we need to change/Any recommendations are more than welcome. Would appreciate no abuse if something is being done wrong! Anything that needs changed will be done so straight away

Thanks – C
Posted by Anonymous, Dec 20, 2015 05:52 PM


I’m getting a common musk turtle with a 25 gallon tank. This is my first pet and I have been doing a lot of research on this turtle. And I’m cleaning the tank 4 times a day. Tell me if I’m doing something wrong.
Posted by Anonymous, Dec 11, 2015 12:35 AM

“””HI im looking for a tortoise but dont know witch one to get but im little so i need one that is cheap but has a great personality and like being held

dont mean to brag but i like holding aniamals””

Then a tortoise or turtle isn’t for you.They don’t enjoy being handled.
Posted by Anonymous, Dec 1, 2015 11:36 AM


“I am thinking about getting a C.B. baby common musk turtle from a breeder. I would like to have a tank ready and set up long before I order it. I have a few questions and my 1st question is: Would a 55gal tall fish aquarium be decent for the life of the turtle?I plan to keep the water somewhat low at first and raise it as the turtle ages. I also plan to have a UVB light and use one of my ceramic heat emitters as well. The next question i have is about filters. I have heard you need a filter rated for at least twice the size of your tank. I was curious what the best way to accomplish this was. Should i just buy a Hang on the back type filter and adapt it for use with shallower waters or should i buy/make a bio canister filter? Also i was thinking heavily planting the aquarium. are there plants i should avoid? That in mind would Flourite Clay Gravel be a good substrate or would it be too rough? and lastly water changes.. I know this can vary with how heavily the tank is planted and your filtration and so on.. but would 20-25% weekly changes be alright without messing with the good bacteria in the tank? Thanks for any info or insight into the care/keeping of these turtles

thanks, Stan
Posted by Anonymous, Nov 29, 2015 05:37 AM


a couple of months ago my family purchased two musk turtles and I hate to say it but I will admit they haven’t received the attention that they deserve. I need to give the tank a thorough clean. when I say thorough I mean change substrate and change water. How would you recommend I go about doing this? Where should I house them whilst I clean the tank? any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you
Posted by Hannah G., Nov 13, 2015 08:23 AM

“””I have a musk turtle in a 5 gallon bin and is eating turtle pellets and have some fish in the bin with him and I have 13 turtles in total do u have any pointers””

Are you serious? You’re a terrible person and I really hope that poor turtle bites off one of your fingers for the abuse you’ve put it through. My “”pointer”” would be to punch yourself in the face and relinquish any and all creatures (animals or humans) that you are providing care for because you’re retarded. Seriously tho, face. Your face. Punch yourself in it.
Posted by Anonymous, Oct 31, 2015 11:42 PM


What the ___ is wrong with most of the people on this thread?
Posted by Anonymous, Sep 20, 2015 03:06 AM

I have a musk turtle in a 5 gallon bin and is eating turtle pellets and have some fish in the bin with him and I have 13 turtles in total do u have any pointers
Posted by Anonymous, Sep 10, 2015 09:56 PM

What is a good amount of water for a female musk turtle
Posted by Anonymous, Aug 29, 2015 11:05 AM