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Several questions...need help please.

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Softshell Turtle Forum ]

Posted by Jud on March 14, 2003 at 23:41:20:

I have a softshell (not sure of the species) with a carapace length of 9 inches. Can the sex be determined by the size in this case, or does the turtle need to be larger than this before the sex can be determined by size. I've seen posts on this forum where females are substantially larger than males. How large do males get? If this softshell is not yet large enough to determine the sex by the size, are there any other methods of determining the sex. What food items should I offer a wild caught softshell of this size?

Also, I have a captive born hatchling softshell I acquired at Daytona. He has been doing well, but the edges of his shell have lost their rigidity & it's almost kind of floppy. His shell has wrinkles like it is shriveling. His ribs are showing through his carapace. Despite all these changes, he still has a strong appetite & is eating well. Any ideas on what the problem might be & how it can be corrected. Any help in these areas will be greatly appreciated.

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