Breeding Albino Stinkpot and Razorback Musk Turtles

    * Stinkpots are easily distinguished from other species by two light stripes on the side of the head and barbels on the throat as well as the chin.
    *  Primarily nocturnal.  Prefers heavy aquatic vegetation.  Rarely leaves the water.  Primarily a bottom scavenger.
    *  Shallow water 6 to 8 inches maximum is recommended.
    *  Water must always be clean, or turtles will get infections of the skin and shell.
    *  Undergravel filtration with a powerhead is effective.
    *  Multiple hiding places should be used such as driftwood, rock piles, and even sections of clay or PVC pipe to give the smaller turtles, females uninterested in breeding, and subordinate males a place to escape.
    *  Male stinkpots have two rough patches of of skin on the hind legs which are used to provide additional grip during mating.
    *  Feeding:  earthworms ( great for dusting with vitamin and mineral supplements), redworms, crayfish, freshwater fish, aquatic snails(cracked for young turtles), crickets,  pinkies, mosquito larvae, daphnia.  Turtles below 5 cm tend to feed mainly upon aquatic insects, larvae, and carrion in the wild.  ZooMed Hatchling Turtle Food (the tiny pellets) is excellent for starting hatchling turtles.  Hatchling turtles also seem to start well if also given frozen bloodworm cubes, which you can find in the freezer in the food section of tropical fish stores.  Above 5cm and molluscs are taken with increasing frequency.  Aquamax 400 trout chow is excellent for most turtles after they outgrow the tiny hatchling size.
    *  Will eat commercial turtle foods, but need some fish and invertebates in their diet.  Guppies are good.  Besides the above mentioned foods, most turtles really like Reptomin turtle food.
    *  Wild stinkpots are proven to also eat aquatic plants, but may not in captivity.  Razorback musks will eat kiwis and grapes.  Also try melon, bananas, and tomatoes.
    *  Females like to lay their eggs at the base of a plant.
    *  A damp sand laying area is recommended with a spot light to create a temperature gradient  and for gravid females to bask.
    *  2 to 4 clutches of four eggs is usual; although a very large female laid up to eight eggs.
    *  Incubation medium should be damp vermiculite and sphagnum moss.
    *  Fertile eggs have a clearly visible central white or vitelline band.
    *  Incubation temperatures of 77F or 25C result in a majority of males.  Temperatures of 82F or 28C or higher tends to produce all females.
    *  77F or 25C incubation can take 300 to 320 days at the extreme.  82F or 28C will take 90 to 130 days.  82 to 88 days is also possible.
    *  In the wild, emergence may be triggered by rain.  In captivity, damping the media can produce the same result.

from: by Bruce Stephenson.-www.tomcrutchfield.com