There are certainly many ways to enjoy animals, and why not observing one of the fiercest animals in nature.Yes, the alligator turtle is also known as caiman turtle for its scaly skin, similar to that of a crocodile, and its powerful bite With more and more followers like us, this turtle is one of the most curious and fierce specimens on planet earth.
Origin
The aligator turtle comes from the US , lives in the Misissipi and is known for being one of the largest water turtles in the area.We can also find it in the Suwanee rivers or tributaries of Texas and Florida.It is these areas that have the best conditions for the development of our exotic friend.
Reaches sexual maturity between the ages of 11 or 13 in both sexes, and practically does not present diformism sexual.At the time of reproduction build a nest in the sand or mix with peat and litter both at the edge of the water and on the mainland. Lays eggs only once a year and usually appear between 10 and 50 eggs that will take about 100 and even 140 days of incubation to hatch.As a curiosity we will add that according to the incubation temperature being able to be high, it will result in the birth of females and in case of being lower, males.
They can have a very long life, thus reaching 70 to in captivity , something that does not happen in all species, although if their development is different, they tend to be smaller.
Daily coexistence between males and females is impossible, because it generates a lot aggressiveness among them.On the other hand, although coexistence between females is not common, it can happen if both are well fed.
It is present on earth for more than 10 million years , for this reason the alligator turtle is a real dinosaur.It is currently in a state of threat from the poaching of man and the destruction of its habitat.
Physical appearance
Turtles are usually slow, peaceful and hide in their shell in fear of becoming prey.The turtle aligator , belonging to the family Chelydridae , although not an aggressive turtle, stands out for the ferocity of its bite much more powerful than in the other species.
There are three different species , according to a recent study of National Geographic, and can live about a century.
It is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world , reaching an impressive size of up to about 80 kilos in approximately 75 centimeters in length.Measures that leave no one indifferent.The heaviest specimen reached 110 kilos in weight, which is a barbarity.It highlights its two limits, the big head, wide, robust and imposing and at the end of his body we find a tail that can become as long as his whole body together oe even more.
The strong point of this turtle's physiognomy is its vermiform tongue , bright red, similar to the shape of the worms and used as bait by the ability to attract fish.Its brown, gray and generally dark colors make it easier for you to camouflage with the environment and more easily catch its prey.
 Why does the caiman turtle impose so much ?
It is not only its physical appearance or its great qualities as a predator, the alligator turtle has a fearsome physiognomy.Its shell is covered with three crests with different peaks, the face is full of spikes and with his mouth he could tear out a human hand without any problem.
Behavior
Alligator turtles are distant relatives of common snapping turtles although the former have less aggressiveness than the latter.Despite the fierce aspect of the turtle caiman the truth is that it has a very studied technique and does not launch with agitation to attack, rather it waits with its mouth open to have the chance to properly catch its prey so that it cannot flee.
It has certain customs that characterize it in their day to day, they are quite methodical turtles.For example, does not usually move through land , inhabits almost all the time in the water moving through the bottom, where it is easier to get food. It usually remains still , hidden between rocks, plants and shadows to catch clueless prey that they approach without knowing that they will serve as a link in the food chain of this exotic animal.
Feeding
At the beginning of its life, the aligator turtle is carnivore and over the years it becomes omnivore , thus accepting new foods.
In the wild it feeds on fish, amphibians, snakes, crustaceans and even carrona.On the other hand, in captivity it accepts any type of meat such as rodents, beef, chicken and pork.It is predatory.
Captivity
Fans of exotic pets have large aquariums with this wonderful species, even so because of their threat status in the free state as well as the risks involved, it is not recommended their possession in captivity .
It is a turtle that only experts must possess and should never be collected from its natural environment , since it is protected in many natural areas and natural parks such as in Venezuela.
You need plenty of space, both water and land because of the large size that reach adults.They are calm and live happily in environments where they find dense vegetation, rocks and live dams.As a minimum you must have an aquarium one meter deep to house this powerful species.
The temperature of the terrarium should be around 22ºC and 29ºC approximately, so while in summer you can enjoy live in a large pond, in winter we must locate rla inside the house with the corresponding heater to maintain the temperature.
As we said before this turtle, even as a defense mechanism, can be really aggressive so you should have a lot Caution and consult an expert if you want to buy one.
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