The Chinese Strip-necked Turtle belongs to the entry-level water turtle species. Although the number of wild individuals is rare, there are many artificially bred individuals on the market. The Chinese Strip-necked Turtle is a relatively easy-to-keep water turtle species and is also easily available in mainland China.
Chinese scientific name: 中华花龟
Other names: 花龟、珍珠龟、长尾龟、台湾草龟
English name: Chinese Strip-necked Turtle
Binomial name: Ocadiasinensis
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Testudines
Family: Geoemydidae
Genus: Sacalia
Species: Ocadiasinensis
Distribution: Laos, Vietnam, southern mainland China, Taiwan
Appearance: The ventral side of the young turtles is covered with black spots, resembling a pearl
Habitat: They are commonly found in low-altitude water areas such as ponds, canals, and slow-flowing rivers
Reproductive behavior: Chinese Strip-necked Turtles breed from March to May each year, with each clutch containing 7-17 eggs. The incubation period is about 60 days.
Diet: They are omnivorous animals, feeding on fish, shrimp, and aquatic plants. They are not the same species as the Chinese Pond Turtle (see details) or the Red-eared Slider Turtle.
1. Shell Rot
Cause: Caused by infection from single-spore bacillus. Due to the large breeding density and turtle biting each other, the bacteria invade and cause necrosis of the skin tissue at the injured site. Water pollution can also cause turtles to get sick.
Symptoms: The affected area of the sick turtle can be seen rotting, and the skin turns white.
2. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Septicemia
Cause: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is widely present in soil and sewage. It mainly spreads through the digestive tract and wounds.
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, brown or yellowish purulent stools. Dissection shows that the liver and spleen are enlarged, with needle-like bleeding points on the surface, and the stomach wall is highly edematous and thickened. The gastric mucosa ulcerates and suppurates, and the intestinal mucosa ulcerates and suppurates, with extensive bleeding. The stomach and intestines are filled with mixed brown purulent viscous contents. The bacteria are also present.
3. Shell Erosion Disease
Cause: The pathogen is Pseudomonas putida subsp. mucosa, which often exists in water, turtle skin, intestines, and other places. When the water environment is good, turtles become carriers. Once the environment is polluted and the turtles are injured, the bacteria multiply rapidly, which easily leads to turtle illness.
Symptoms: There are one or several soybean-sized white shell erosions on the neck and limbs of the sick turtle, and when squeezed by hand, there are yellow or white bean dregs-like contents around. The sick turtle can still eat in the initial stage, gradually eats less, and stops eating in serious cases. The response is sluggish. Generally, it dies within 2-3 weeks.
4. Winter Death Syndrome
Cause: The turtle's physique is weak before hibernation, and the temperature and water temperature during hibernation are low, which the turtle cannot endure for a long time. Some turtles also fail to replenish nutrients in time after laying eggs in autumn, and the stored nutrients in their bodies cannot meet the needs of hibernation, resulting in the death of turtles.
Symptoms: Before hibernation, the turtle's limbs are weak and the muscles are shriveled. When holding the turtle with your hand, it feels lighter. Aquatic turtles often float on the water surface.
5. Eye Disease
Cause: The turtle's eyes are injured or irritated by poor water quality, and the sick turtle rubs its eyes with its forelimbs, leading to bacterial infection. This disease is most common in red-eared sliders, tortoises, Chinese strip-necked turtles, yellow-margined box turtles, spotted turtles, etc., and the incidence rate in juvenile turtles is relatively high. The peak season of the disease is in spring, autumn, and spring after hibernation.
Symptoms: Inflamed and congested eyes of the sick turtle, swollen eyes. Corneas and nasal mucosa are ulcerated due to eye inflammation, and the outer part of the eyeball is covered with white secretions, with inflammation inside the eyes. The sick turtle often rubs its eyes with its forelimbs, moves slowly, and no longer eats. In severe cases, the turtle becomes blind, and finally becomes very weak and dies. Some sick turtles have only one eye affected in the early stage of the disease. If no measures are taken, the symptoms will soon appear in the other eye as well.
6. Morganella Morganii Infection
Cause: The turtle becomes ill after being infected with Morganella morganii. Morganella morganii is a saprophytic parasite widely present in mud, sewage, ditches, sewage, and various decaying substances. It infects turtles through the digestive tract, respiratory tract, wounds, and urethra.
Symptoms: In the early stage of the disease, there is a large amount of white and transparent foamy mucus in the nostrils and mouth, and later, yellowish viscous liquid flows out. The turtle often extends its head outside the body, does not eat much, and moves restlessly. Postmortem examination shows that the liver is swollen and cooked-like, with needle-point-sized bleeding points on the periphery. There are needle-point-sized diffuse bleeding points in the kidneys. The tip of the heart is congested and bleeding. The spleen is black. The intestines are empty with little content.
7. Calcium Deficiency
Symptoms and Causes: Soft and deformed shell.
8. Pneumonia
Symptoms and Causes: Mucus in the corners of the mouth and nose, the turtle is drowsy, holds its head high, and its fore and hind legs are weak. The nose and mouth will breathe rapidly. This disease is related to temperature changes.
9. Shell Rot Disease
Symptoms and Causes: The surface of the shell is rotten, and in severe cases, it forms caves or reveals muscles. The turtle becomes anorexic or eats less.
10. Gastroenteritis
Symptoms: The sick turtle has a dull gaze, looks lackluster, becomes thin, does not like to move, likes to drink water, has diarrhea, and has nasal mucus-like feces.
The Chinese Strip-necked Turtle does not have any special requirements for food. Unlike other turtles, the Chinese Strip-necked Turtle prefers to eat meat. Although it can eat some turtle food, this cannot meet all its nutritional needs, so it needs to be fed with fish and other foods.
Under normal feeding conditions, the Chinese Strip-necked Turtle can be fed with pork, fish, and small shrimp. It especially likes to eat small shrimp and should be fed three times a week. The amount of food each time should be 5% of its body weight and can be increased appropriately, but not suddenly. It should be gradually increased to allow it to gradually adapt and avoid digestive problems. Whether the food for the Chinese Strip-necked Turtle is animal-based or plant-based, it must be fresh to prevent decay. When the temperature is not high, feeding can be done in the morning. The amount of feed should not be excessive to prevent the water from being polluted by uneaten food.
In summer, when the water temperature is around 34°C, the Chinese Strip-necked Turtle has a larger appetite. At this time, the feeding amount should be increased to accelerate its growth. If no breeding is needed, it can be fed 2-3 times a week. Daily water changes should be carried out diligently (can be done before feeding), but well water should not be used to prevent a large temperature difference in the water, which may cause adverse consequences. Autumn is the key period for turtle breeding. As the saying goes, "Spring breeds bones, autumn breeds fat." The amount of nutrients stored in the turtle's body directly affects the success of hibernation. Therefore, in autumn, the feeding amount should be increased first, and vitamin C and compound vitamins should be added to the feed to improve the turtle's resistance.
It is also important to pay attention to the changes in environmental temperature. The temperature at night should be around 18°C to prevent adverse effects and diseases. Good feeding in autumn is beneficial to turtle hibernation. In winter, the turtle can be placed on damp sand or in a container with a water depth of 10 centimeters for hibernation. The water temperature should not be lower than 8°C. Otherwise, the safety of turtle hibernation will be threatened.
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