Picking it up – grasp the shell from either side behind the front legs. They will be able to kick you still, but most will tuck themselves in, while you are moving them into the box. Their claws are sharp and there are a few that will bite.
As much as possible, keep the turtle low to the ground while you are moving them. All turtles are strong, and they are able to free themselves of your grip. IF they do, you do not want them to injure themselves from the fall.
CAUTION – they are good escape artists, so please ensure that the lid of the box cannot be pushed open.
NEVER PICK UP ANY SPECIES OF TURTLES USING THEIR TAILS, IT CAN INJURE THEM.
In Australia, there are more than 20 different species of freshwater turtles, whereas in South Australia, you can only find 3 species of turtles:
- Murray short-necked turtle
- Eastern long-necked turtle
- Broad-shelled turtle
Freshwater turtles are important since they help to keep the freshwater ecosystem healthy. They do this, by moving nutrients in the water as well as cleaning the water. Another way that turtles help the ecosystem is by dispersing seeds of native plants.
Scientific Name: Emydura macquarii
Size: around 30cm
Weight: Males: 2.2 kg; Females: 4 kg
Lifespan: 30-75 years
Description:
The shell is olive green or bronze on top and cream coloured below. The bottom shell is narrow and does not cover the legs when pulled in. The skin is greyish with a distinctive creamy-yellow stripe running back along the side of the head from the corner of the mouth.
Distribution: Murray River Basin and all its major tributaries
Habitat:
open water, including lagoons and the main channel of the river. They prefer permanent areas of slow moving water. Murray short-necked turtles rarely come out of the water, but they can sometimes be seen basking on logs (or the splash can be heard as they jump off to hide).
Diet:
They are omnivores. The animals they eat are mainly invertebrates (e.g. crustaceans and molluscs) and fish. Their diet changes over time and as they get bigger, so does their food. They also eat carrion (dead animals), cleaning up dead fish and other animals in the water and helping to maintain water quality
Scientific Name: Chelodina longicollis
Size: 25cm
Weight: Males: 1 kg; Female: 1.5kg
Lifespan: up to 50 years
Description:
The eastern long-necked turtle has an oval shell which can vary in colour from light brown to almost black. The top of the shell has a shallow central groove The lower shell is usually creamy-yellow, often with dark brown/black lines between the scutes and sometimes with other dark brown markings. On average, the neck length is just over half of the lower shell length. The head is small and pointed and the limbs are dark grey to brown. Eastern long-necked turtles have a strong pungent smell when frightened.
Distribution: wetland and swampy areas as well as streams and rivers
Habitat:
They live in any body of freshwater, from the main river to permanent and temporary fringing wetlands and farm dams. Of the three South Australian freshwater turtles, the long necked turtle is the most likely to be seen on land. They often travel from one water body to another.
Diet:
carnivores with a diverse and opportunistic diet depending on what is available at the time. They feed predominantly on small aquatic animals such as crustaceans (including zoo-plankton and yabbies) and water insects.
Scientific Name: Chelodina expansa
Size: 50 cm
Weight: Males: 4 kg; Female: 5 kg
Lifespan:
Description:
The broad-shelled turtle is a large turtle with a very long neck – the longest neck in relation to body size of any turtle in the world. The neck has loose baggy skin and their long head is relatively flat with eyes towards the front. When extended, the neck can be longer than the top of the shell. A shell is usually twice as long as it is wide. Females have smaller tails than males. Broad-shelled turtles are easy to distinguish from long necked turtles as they are generally much larger and the underside of the shell is narrow and lacks the distinct black lines between the plates that appear on a long-necked turtle’s shell. The plastron does not cover the legs, head and tail when they are retracted.
Distribution: throughout the Murray-Darling basin of southeastern Australia.
Habitat:
permanent bodies of freshwater in the Murray-Darling River system of South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland; the coastal basins of southeastern Queensland; and on Fraser Island
Diet:
Broad-shelled turtles are carnivores. They are ambush predators that feed mostly on fast swimming prey such as fish and shrimps. They lie in wait among water weeds for small fishes, shrimps and large aquatic insects.
- Turtles don’t have teeth, they have a “beak” that is made of keratin, that is used to break the food.
- Turtle shells are made from 50 bones fused together. They also have light spongy bones, which helps them to float.
- They are Reptiles. Meaning that they have scales covering their skin (even their shell), lay eggs, are coldblooded, and breathe air using lungs.
- Turtles living in cold areas, will hibernate in the winter, by digging themselves underground (or in the mud)
- Most species of turtles are omnivores. Meaning that they eat both plants and animals