Thoughtful keepers must be mindful of this fact, and ensure that their charges are also provided with the most balanced diet possible. The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle is kept in captivity in Asia, Europe and the United States, albeit rarely — a consequence of the significant protection within the turtle's home range. Turtles are kept individually in these small enclosures for approximately their first six months, before they are moved to 18-quart covered tubs measuring 18 by 12 by 7 inches. These little scutes might not seem remarkable, but they are actually used by customs agents as the most straightforward and accurate method for quickly distinguishing this rare species from other closely related turtles, such as G. spengleri. He recently wrote a book on Geoemyda species as part of Living Art Publishing's Turtles of the World series, and he is also the co-host of the Pondcast, dedicated to reptiles and amphibians and the people who love them (listen at).
Each container is full of clean sphagnum moss and about a half inch of water, with a half of a plant pot, cut vertically, that serves as a hide. This usually leads to incubation periods that last about 82 days. Live pieces of pothos or artificial plants are added to provide a touch of naturalistic decoration. Some of the most prolific breeders of G. japonica keep their adult turtles outdoors year-round, allowing them to breed and lay eggs, with eggs later hatching from the ground. And, as with other reptiles that are kept in groups, submissive G. japonica may be less likely to eat and behave naturally. We feed our turtles a diet that is identical to other terrestrial Asian species, such as flowerback and Chinese box turtles of the genus Cuora. The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle attains a straight carapace length (SCL) of roughly 6 inches. A perfect outdoor enclosure for Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtles would include some rocky and/or sloping terrain to replicate the species' mountainside habitat in the wild. We keep individual hatchling Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtles in 6-quart plastic containers within a rack system. If your local weather does permit you to keep G. japonica outdoors, as with indoor keeping, the enclosure should be very well planted with long hides — one for as many turtles as there are in each enclosure.
Anthony has also developed the Second Chance Project, which gives people with disabilities a chance to build skills and confidence by caring for critically endangered turtles. The plastron is large and almost entirely black. As with many captive omnivores, food that moves is always preferred. We house adult G. japonica singly in 30-gallon Rubbermaid tubs made of opaque plastic and measuring 31 by 20 by 17 inches. Hides For The Black-Breasted Leaf Turtle. Geoemyda japonica is also listed on the 1991 and 1999 Japanese Red Lists, it is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, and it was recently designated an Appendix II species on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Food should be finely chopped and mixed together; we invested in a food processor to make this much easier. A variety of protein is offered to our animals, including boiled chicken, boiled or cooked ground turkey, frozen/thawed shrimp, chopped earthworms, pinky mice and scrambled eggs. Then they simply collect fresh hatchlings within the adult enclosure!
There are three well-developed keels running down the shell, with the vertebral keel being the highest. Keepers may not find eggs before other turtles in the enclosure discover and eat them. Researchers know that in the wild, Geoemyda japonica is best found by sticking their hands, and perhaps even an entire arm, into holes in the sloped mountain terrain where this species resides. While theTurtleRoom's staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control. This means that in Japan, handling of the Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle, including its purchase, sale and captive maintenance, are all strictly controlled by law. The handsome and average-sized head has a hooked beak. These have clear covers, and heat is provided from beneath. It is not likely that efforts to breed G. japonica will soon be seen as a conservation movement, because Japan never really let any turtles out of the country legally. Geoemyda japonica occurs only on the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, specifically on Okinawa, Kume and Tokashiki. Indoor temperatures for adult turtles should never be more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit for long periods, or lower than the 40s. With these juvenile enclosures, as well as the hatchling enclosures, the goal is to create an environment in which condensation can be seen on the walls of the enclosure.
Practically all reptiles kept in captivity require suitable hides in order to feel secure and free from stress, but this secretive turtle takes this need to a new level. Maintaining Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtles outdoors is certainly possible and has been done successfully by some of the most accomplished G. japonica keepers. Many keepers of Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtles maintain theirs in groups, but there are some drawbacks to keeping G. japonica communally. The Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle is a crepuscular species, meaning that it is active in the morning and just before dusk in order to avoid the heat of mid-day, but it is also known to become active during wet weather. If a deal seems too good to be true it probably is, and you should proceed with caution. A water dish is provided, too; my only rules are that it be BPA-free, that the turtle can easily enter and exit the bowl, and can fully submerge while inside it. It does not cover all Chelonian species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about the species covered. Perhaps the most important element in a Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle enclosure is the inclusion of a hide. Due to its beautiful appearance, as well as the species' rarity, the Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle is highly coveted by collectors and turtle breeders.
Breeding the Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle, as well as incubating and hatching the eggs, if you get that far, is tremendously difficult. We have found the best way to provide a naturalistic hide for this species is by using long pieces of cork bark placed on top of the substrate. The marginals are serrated, which diminishes over time.
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