TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Introduction 1
  • Chapter One: Basic Biological Information 2
  • Appearance 3
  • Size 5
  • Gender and Lifespan 6
  • Care Level 6
  • Diet and Feeding 7
  • Health 7
  • Behavior and Temperament 8
  • Reproduction 9
  • Protection 10
  • Perils 10
  • Ecology 11
  • Chapter Two: Turtle Care Sheet 12
  • Feeding Your Pet Map Turtle 13
  • Habitat 16
  • Basking Platform 18
  • Temperature and Light 19
  • Water Care 21
  • Handling 22
  • Hatchlings in Enclosures 24
  • Special Care for Hatchlings 26
  • Multiple Turtles Together 29
  • Keeping Your Mississippi Map Turtle Happy 30
  • Home Sweet Home 30
  • Have Regular Exercise 33
  • Prevent Odors from Your Pet Turtles 36
  • Chapter Three: Health Care and Medical Attention: What to Do When Your Turtle Gets Sick 38
  • Finding a Good Herpetologist 40
  • General Health Issues 41
  • Salmonella 42
  • Pneumonia 43
  • Respiratory Infections 44
  • Coughing Up Stuff 44
  • Crooked Swimming 45
  • Inability to Submerge 45
  • Septicemia 46
  • Mouth Rot 47
  • Prolapse 47
  • Stunted Growth 49
  • Lack or Loss of Appetite 49
  • Not Swimming 51
  • Not Basking 52
  • Sleeping a Lot 52
  • Burns, Bites, Cuts and/or Scratches 53
  • Eyes and Ears Problems 54
  • Shell and Skin Problems 57
  • Chapter Four: Fun Facts and Myths 60
  • Fun Turtle Facts 61
  • Myths Surrounding Turtles 65
  • Chapter Five: Mississippi Map Turtle Laws and Regulations 72
  • Map Turtle Laws 74
  • Taking a Wild Turtle Home as a Pet 76
  • Chapter Six: Petting and Training Your Mississippi Map Turtle 78
  • Chapter Seven: What to Do in Different Turtle Situations 86
  • Turtle Adoption 87
  • Moving to a New Place 88
  • Can’t Take Care of Your Turtle Anymore? 90
  • Photo Credits 92
  • References 93

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