How many animals, fish, birds exist on our planet, perhaps millions of individuals, a variety of parameters. Ordinary appearance, and non-standard. Very small and very large.
On the contrary too thick or too thin. There are, it will not define who is in the field of view. One of these representatives – the Matamata turtle. In the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-third year, she learned the world. The German scientist and naturalist, Johann Schneider, carefully examined the turtle, and in detail described.
I want to talk a little bit about turtles in General. First, they are excellent Pets. It used to be that it is better to live in the wild, natural habitat.
But now, keeping pace with time, you can create your pet so comfortable. Going to the pet store, have the opportunity to purchase anything. And the little animals, and immediately he house, food, vitamins, supplements needed.
The animal will feel better than on the street. But…in terms of proper care. Buying someone, you need to remember – we are responsible for those who tamed.
Why is it better to take in a turtle. There are a number of advantages for its content. The first and most important – it is hypoallergenic. She has no hair, and a person suffering from this disease, absolutely it will be good to feel close to this pet.
Still, this is a very quiet animal. Does not run under the feet, does not bark, scratch the furniture. Also it is not necessary to walk and change bad smelling trays. In the house where there are children of preschool age, so generally the best option for turtles.
Because pet does not knock down a child, while playing, will not scratch and do not bite. And will patiently and steadfastly to withstand the attention, of the child. Also, turtles are not expensive in the content, as almost all of them herbivorous.
A bundle of herbs and what else is necessary for happiness. They can be actually without food. But this does not mean that the animal doesn’t need care. And yet, you can take your slow friend on a walk in the woods, fishing and to the country. To release, let them nibble on the grass.
She has a great sense of smell, and food always finds itself. But you need to make sure the turtle is not escaped. And in order to facilitate her search, in case the animal was lost, in advance, attach to the carapace a good Scotch, well, like a balloon on a string. And another important point, turtles live a long time in good conditions forty and fifty can be accommodated.
And the respect in the Oriental culture of Feng Shui to such creatures. Because, in their opinion, to keep in the house a statue of a turtle is necessary and important. It is a symbol of wealth, fortune and prosperity.
Health and longevity. Also, the symbol of the engine of progress forward. To fill the house with material possessions, you need to put a statue of a turtle or gold plated silver. To have peace, comfort and harmony with the household, acquiring a whole family of figures. For people suffering from diseases as a symbol of longevity, giving the shape of a turtle.
Characteristics and habitat
Many people wonder – where does the Matamata turtle? It is very heat-loving animal. Therefore, to stay selects warm place. For example – the South American continent, in the Brazilian and Venezuelan rivers.
On Peruvian, Ecuadorian and Colombian Eastern shores. Is the water in the Amazon and Orinoco. There are more than two hundred species, river, sea, ocean, size five cents, and tonnage of the individual.
And water, where the turtle should be warm, from twenty-five degrees and above. Not salty and stagnant, with zamylennym, clay bottom. If the turtle settled on the river, with only a small current.
As for the appearance of the turtles, she’s very extravagant. Like an animal frozen from the ice and came to us straight from the dinosaur era. In their society it would be no different from the rest.
Well, in our time, seeing her, the first impression is of course shocking. Not understand, roofing felts it is a living being, or omitted a pile of stones crushed snag, whether the aliens came down to us on earth.
Some scientists minds, confidently asserted that nature could create such a miracle. And this is the result of any chemical or radioactive contamination of ordinary individuals. But confirmation of his judgment was never found, and therefore not provided.
Photo of a Matamata turtle to show how unusual it looks. She is a representative seinosuke family. Bizarre body hidden under a large, very textured shell.
The turtle itself is not small in size, grows to half a meter. Carapace, forty centimetres in length. The average weigh nine or ten pounds, and there are instances and pjatnadtsatiminutnogo.
The turtle’s head in the form of shovels, flattened, nose pointed, cheekbones wider. The nose, like a tube with nostrils a little pig. The neck is very elongated, extended forward.
Because of these features, the turtle will not be able to hide under the cover of armour, the neck is retracted only partially. Therefore, to defend it from the enemy, the turtle hides its head under the front leg and wraps under the shell. That’s why the turtle is called the Matamata.
And the whole cervico-facial portion is covered by the build-up-edges, as hanging tapes. Therefore, Matamata is also called the fringed turtle.
The character and the lifestyle of the Matamata turtle
By nature, the tortoise is a very lazy animal. Spending almost all their time polerowanie on the bottom of the pond, occasionally poking to the surface of their tubular snout to swallow oxygen.
At the bottom of the river practically does not swim, just slowly walking in the right direction and never, not in a hurry. Therefore, an interesting spectacle, when at the sight of the approaching birds, the turtle jumps out of the water for prey.
And it allures the fish, lying motionless in the water, waving its fringed narodami. Curious fry never miss such a large worm. And then Matamata widely opens his mouth and begins to swallow everything that moves.
Hunt, she’s almost always at night. And in the day buries itself in mud and lying low. If Matamata crawled out of the river, so she, begin the mating games.
Even if the turtle contains the house, do not take her in his arms, only in exceptional cases, when the aquarium had to be cleaned. Once a month, at most. Turtles are very timid, and through bodily contact with a person shut down, deprest, eating poorly and develop.
The food of turtles
Matamata turtle, unlike their relatives, predatory animal. Therefore, her diet consists of living organisms. She loves to hunt for the fish hiding on the bottom. So do not hesitate tadpoles, small shushtari, crustaceans. She manages to catch the river of birds that are closer to the surface of the water for a bug.
Interesting fact, turtle is a terrible glutton. Therefore, if possible, she will eat as long as fish tail would not look out of her mouth. And then a week to digest it all. After all, food she chews and swallows whole and entire.
Who bought my house is such a miracle, should know that raw fish is rich in vitamins of group B. as the turtles diet consists mainly of fish, respectively pet must get the right amount of this vitamin. So to the home feeds add fish bait in the form of bloodworm, worms.
And if you choose a live fish to replace the frozen, pre-ottaw her. Lay out the pieces in front of the muzzle of a tortoise, lifting them to take her alive.
But there are allegations, if such an inanimate treat, in a natural environment, caught the turtle in her mouth, she immediately spit you out. The language she has taste buds that help it to accurately distinguish between food.
Reproduction and life expectancy
As Matamata is still very little studied, and therefore its reproduction almost nothing is known. The fact that in captivity they do not breed, it is a fact. There are a few cases when in home aquariums, appears offspring.
But in nature, the mating season lasts from turtles all year round. The male from the female, can be distinguished by the fact that males have a longer tail than the females. And men’s concave belly.
Approximately, in the cold season, in late autumn, early winter, under cover of night, turtles mating takes place. All takes place in a relaxed atmosphere. There is no struggle between males for a lady’s heart.
Also, there is no foreplay. At the end of the process, the expectant mother lays eggs. They can be from five to forty five pieces. Unlike her other relatives, shell them durable. And goes, not looking for masonry, casting adrift.
Future babies, hatch from eggs, not in time. The period of incubation depends on the ambient temperature in the air. If it is greater than thirty degrees, for no longer than three to four months the world will see the new turtles.
And if the weather will be cooler, it could take half a year or more. Babies are born the size of a matchbox. Immediately after birth, they need to get input, but only in shallow water. As they are still very bad.
Live these turtles is approximately from fifty to seventy years. But there are cases in the home terrarium tortoise lived for a hundred years, under conditions as close to natural.
With such external data, it is hard to resist not to buy a Matamata turtle in the aquarium. And mind you, she is there feels. The conditions for its contents to be respected.
Aquarium of not less than three hundred liter volume. Clearly monitor the water acidity and temperature. The most optimal, approximately thirty degrees. The depth of the aquarium shall not exceed thirty inches.
The bottom is covered with sand, peat and leaves, can be planted aquarium greenery. No need to sketch a variety of stones, animal, permanently living on the bottom can injure. And take care of the presence of ultraviolet light, otherwise the Matamata turtle can develop rickets.
But there are those Industrialists who shamelessly catch these beautiful creatures for profit. After all, everyone knows how valuable and useful the turtle meat. In addition to taste, it also helps to fight diseases. However, not everyone knows that many species of turtles in the food you can eat the flesh only a few of them.
There are even cases of food poisoning from turtle meat. The shell, another profit for poachers. Some species of turtles on the verge of extinction, and those populations which are not traced. And no one seems to care. There are groups of volunteers, to somehow help the turtles.
Some activists are so worried about the population of these animals that track the laying of eggs, waiting for the appearance of the offspring born, and manually transfer them into the water. Because, as here, bad luck lurks turtles, has not even really begun to live. In the form of predators, viciously waiting for the little ones.
To buy turtle Matamata is problematic. Our country does not have kennels for their breeding. So, armed with the Internet, proceed to search. This is a rare instance, respectively, and is decent. The minimum price for Matamata turtles from forty thousand rubles and above.
