Yellow-throated Slider

Yellow-throated Slider is one of the popular turtle species, widely distributed in China. The price of turtles fluctuates greatly, sometimes a few hundred yuan, sometimes nearly a thousand yuan. However, this cannot stop people from loving it.

Yellow-throated Slider, also known as Yellow-throated Pond Turtle, Stone Turtle, Stone Money, Yellow Plated Turtle, Fragrant Turtle, etc., is the most widely distributed and common species in China, with extremely high ornamental value and important medicinal and edible value. Its type locality is the Zhoushan Islands in Zhejiang, China.

Chinese name: 黄喉拟水龟

Latin name: Asian Yellow Pond Turtle

Alias: Stone Turtle, Stone Money Turtle, Water Turtle, Yellow Plated Turtle, Yellow Turtle, Fragrant Turtle

Binomial name: Mauremys mutica

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Testudines

Family: Geoemydidae

Genus: Mauremys

Species: mutica

Distribution area: In China, it is mainly distributed in the southern region; in foreign countries, it is mainly distributed in Vietnam and other countries.

Morphological characteristics: The carapace of the Yellow-throated Slider is approximately 15-20cm long, and it has an oval shape.

Behavior: Similar to the Grass Turtle, it spends most of the day in the water, sometimes basking in the sun on the shore, and is active at night for foraging.

Feeding habits: It is omnivorous and has a wide range of food preferences, but it tends to prefer animal-based feed.

Yellow-throated Sliders are widely distributed in China, with traces found in Anhui, Fujian, Jiangsu, Taiwan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Hainan, and Hong Kong. However, there are three main subspecies with a large population: (1) Vietnamese Pond Turtle, (2) Big-headed Slider (also known as Abbott's Turtle), and (3) Small-headed Slider (commonly referred to as "Yellow-throated"). Big-headed Sliders are mainly found in Taiwan and Fujian, while Small-headed Sliders are primarily distributed in Anhui and Jiangsu provinces. Due to their geographical presence in both China and Vietnam, turtle enthusiasts generally refer to Vietnamese Pond Turtles as the southern subspecies and Big-headed and Small-headed Sliders as the northern subspecies.

Suggested for turtle enthusiasts, the Yellow-throated Slider inhabits ponds, streams, marshes, and other shallow water areas. They prefer slow-moving water. Like the Grass Turtle, the Yellow-throated Slider is a semi-aquatic turtle, retaining the habit of foraging on land and tends to be more active on land during evenings and rainy days.

1. Conjunctivitis

Main symptoms: inflammation and congestion of the eyes, swelling of the eyes. The cornea and nasal mucosa are ulcerated due to inflammation, the external part of the eyeball is covered with white secretions, inflammation is present inside the eyes, the affected turtle often rubs its eyes with its front limbs, moves slowly, stops eating, and in severe cases, becomes blind, gradually weakens and dies.

Prevention and treatment: Use erythromycin eye drops or erythromycin eye ointment, continuously for 5-7 days.

2. Shell Rot Disease

Main symptoms: surface of the shell and skin on the neck, limbs, and tail become ulcerated and turn black. In severe cases, they rot and become indented or show exposed bones.

Prevention and treatment: Use lincomycin, soak in 10mg/liter for 3-5 days. Add 10g of Coptis chinensis, 10g of Chinese goldthread, 15g of white peony root, and 20g of lotus stamen to every 50 kilograms of feed and feed for 3-5 days.

3. Dermatomycosis

Main symptoms: localized whitening of the body surface, with grayish-white fluffy mycelium, soft and thick. The affected turtle's appetite decreases, becomes thin and weak. In severe cases, the neck and limbs are covered with water mold, and wounds become congested and ulcerated. The turtle eventually becomes emaciated and dies.

Prevention and treatment: Use table salt and baking soda, 400-500mg/liter each, soak for 3 days. Alternatively, use 2mg/liter of gallnut extract, soak for 3-5 days.

4. Enteritis

Main symptoms: dullness, slow reaction, reduced or stopped eating, inflammation and congestion in the abdomen and intestines, feces are not well-formed, and in severe cases, they resemble egg white, with a black or raw liver color, foul-smelling, and swollen anus.

Prevention and treatment: Inject 40000IU/kg of oxytetracycline, twice consecutively.

5. Pneumonia

Main symptoms: in the early stage of the disease, fever and difficulty breathing, sometimes wheezing. The affected turtle's eyes become dull and tearful, with runny nose or nasal bubbles, and even scabs in the nostrils. The eye sockets turn white, the turtle gradually becomes emaciated, withdraws its head and moves less, stops eating, and progresses to lung abscess and necrosis, suffocating and dying.

Prevention and treatment: Mix 0.4g/kg of metformin hydrochloride or Sangju Ganmao powder with 0.2g/kg of vitamin C, feed for 3-5 days, or inject 50000IU/kg of lincomycin for 3 days.

Although the Yellow-throated Slider is omnivorous, in reality, artificially fed Yellow-throated Sliders rarely consume plant-based food. They also really enjoy eating shrimp, which is a good food choice for them, so that can be considered.

一、Food selection

The Yellow-throated Slider is omnivorous and has a wide range of food preferences, leaning more towards animal-based feed. Animal-based feed can include poultry offal, pork, and offal, as well as mixed feed. Plant-based feed can include fruits and vegetables. Yellow-throated Sliders prefer to forage in water. When feeding, they first approach the food, gaze with their eyes, then extend their necks, bite onto the food, and swallow it. If the food is too large, they will tear it apart with their two front claws before swallowing it.

二、Feeding frequency

Feeding the Yellow-throated Slider every other day is sufficient, with a 7-8 minute feeding duration each time. Pet turtles have low activity levels, so they should not be allowed to eat excessively at once. After feeding, let them digest for a day before feeding again the next day.

三、Feeding time

Early morning around 7-8 o'clock is best. After the pet turtle has finished eating, the sun will be high and its belly will be full, so it can lazily bask in the sun. Comfortable!