How to Breed Mississippi Map Turtles

Mississippi map turtles are omnivorous turtles that live in the wild from Louisiana to Illinois and west through Texas and Kansas. These light-colored turtles are considered "beginner turtles" for pet owners, and have become popular with turtle lovers and breeders alike.

Things You'll Need

• Tank (120 gallons)
• Heater
• Water
• Rocks
• Substrate
• Pump and filter
• Basking light
• Turtle food
• Crickets, worms, meal worms
• Romaine lettuce
• Soil
• Plants

Instructions

1. Put Mississippi map turtles in an appropriate environment. Use a 120-gallon tank for two turtles. Put substrate like sand or gravel along the bottom, and fill the tank with at least several feet of water. Stack rocks on one corner or use a pre-designed "land" aspect so that turtles can get out of the water. Set up a pump and filter to keep the water clean. Include a heater and basking light for warmth in the tank. Always follow manufacturer directions when you're setting up equipment like heaters, pumps and filters.

2. Purchase a male and female Mississippi map turtle from a pet store or specialty retailer. Any shop should be able to determine the turtle's sex. Map turtles are community turtles and can be safely kept together unless there are competing males or competing females. One male and one female should have no problem being caged together as a breeding pair.

3. Allow turtles to become comfortable in their home; turtles breed on their own if they're happy. Feed the turtles a mixture of turtle food, crickets, worms and meal worms every day, with supplementations of Romaine lettuce. Maintain a temperature of 70 degrees to 80 degrees F in the water and 80 degrees to 90 degrees F in the basking area.

4. Build land areas that have plants and soil for the female turtle to nest in once she's ready to lay eggs. Soil should be 8 to 9 inches deep with plenty of protection to encourage laying.

5. Protect any eggs with mesh if the turtles are outdoors, and do not move them. Eggs will hatch in 90 days, at which time the hatchlings will begin eating normal food and swimming. Although turtles take a long time to mature, they do not require any special care as hatchlings.

Tips & Warnings

• Mississippi map turltes are most easily identifiable by the yellow crescents around their eyes.

• Many turtles carry salmonella. Always wash your hands after handling turtles.

References

• Austin's Turtle Page: Mississippi Map Turtle
• The Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management: Mississippi Map Turtle
• PetTurtle.com: Turtle Breeding