Florida Softshell Turtle

Housing the softshell turtle.

Florida softshell turtle. These turtles easily recognized by their lack of hardened scutes upon their shells resulting in a leathery somewhat flexible shell. At roughly half that size the spiny and smooth softshell turtles are more manageable as pets. They are the largest of the new world softshell turtles with the most old world characteristics of the old world like its longitudinally wrinkled carapace tolerance for brackish water and relatively large size. The florida softshell turtle is a species of american freshwater turtles and is one of the 26 species of turtles found in florida.

Article was last reviewed on 13th june 2019. While most turtles have hard shells composed of scutes the florida softshell has a cartilaginous carapace covered in leathery skin. The florida softshell turtle is one of the more popular softshell turtles kept as pets. It is the bulkiest of the softshell turtles but inhabits the smallest range.

The florida softshell turtle is a large turtle with a flattened pancake like body a long neck an elongated head with a long snorkel like nose and large webbed feet each with three claws. The florida softshell turtle ranges on the southern south carolina to mobile bay alabama from southeastern lower coastal plain. It varies in size with males measuring from 6 12 inches 15 30 cm and females measuring double that at 11 24 inches 28 61 cm. It is the only species of a softshell turtle whose range spans the entire florida peninsula.

They are found primarily in the state of florida but they also range to southern sections of south carolina georgia alabama tennessee and texas. There are two subfamilies and thirteen different genuses of softshell turtles. This north american freshwater turtle is endemic to florida which gives it its common name and the southern parts of texas tennessee alabama georgia and south carolina. The florida softshell turtle is the biggest of all of the north american softshell turtles.

Florida softshell turtle eggs florida softshell turtle nesting published on january 28th 2017 by staff under turtles. They are found in a wide variety of freshwater habitats including ponds lakes rivers canals swamps and suburban urban stormwater ponds. The kind of softshell turtle you choose will determine the size of tank you need. Like other softshells the florida softshell turtle apalone ferox is a large flat turtle with skin covering its shell resembling a pancake.

This turtle s geographic range spans the entire florida peninsula. Softshell turtles are a large group of reptiles in the family trionychidae. Striped mud turtle common box turtle argentine snake necked turtle. The shells and their skin can feature blotches as well.

For instance the florida softshell turtle can weigh over 40 pounds and reach over 2 feet long requiring a large area to swim.