It has been a year since the release of the last part of the Ryukyu Yellow Edge, and the novella that has been urged to be written has only been written. First of all, there are always things that cannot be done, and I can't change the problem of procrastination in this life. However, every day I still pay attention to taking pictures to leave information, although the article is procrastinating, but my data accumulation has been enough to complete a lot of content, just a few nights without dozing off, put some energetic music, shake off the shoulders to code up the graphics!
We are not the same
This issue focuses on the rearing environment of the Ryukyu yellow margin and the comparison with other subspecies. The characteristics of the yellow edge of Ryukyu have been described in the previous part, and the most representative in simple terms is the obvious red halo on the three keels and ridges.
Typical of large red patches
In order to make an intuitive distinction, I put the edges of different subspecies together to take pictures and compare them. First of all, the comparison chart with Ann Yuan:
Ryukyu Yellow Edge & An Edge
Comparison chart of Anyuan and Ryukyu edge (the left one is Anyuan)
The first left in the picture above is the An rim, and the other two are different styles of Ryukyu yellow edges. It can be seen that the dorsal line of the an edge is more coherent, the dorsal carapace is dark sandalwood red, the tone is calm, and the shell type is tall and rounded. The middle Ryukyu rim is very conspicuous, with a typical triangular ridge structure, a large red halo, and a clear contrast with the black base color, which is particularly bright. The dorsal line is intermittent, and due to older age, the texture of the shell is blurred. On the right is a younger turtle with a triangular ridge structure, with a dorsal line that is intermittent, with a relatively small red halo and a darker color, but still high contrast. The difference between the Anyuan and the Ryukyu edge is relatively obvious, and there is basically no possibility of confusion.
Contrast between Ryukyu and Anyuan seedlings
The difference between Ryukyu and Anyuanmiao is also very obvious, and the difference can be seen at a glance. From birth, the Ryukyu edge seedlings have obvious three-sided backs and red halos accompanied by ridges, and the contrast between red and black is obvious; the Anyuan seedlings are a relatively uniform sandalwood red shell color.
The difference between the dorsal armor of the Ryukyu rim seedling and the Anyuan seedling
The red arrows in the figure above indicate three obvious differences: 1. The edge shields on both sides of the Ryukyu edge neck shield have obvious red halos; 2, the sides are prominent, accompanied by obvious red halos; 3, on the tail of the vertebral shield, the end of the dorsal line is blurred, showing a halo. The An rim generally does not have these characteristics, the shell color is uniform, and the back line is clear.
The difference between the head and neck of the Ryukyu rim seedling and the Anyuan seedling
There is also a certain difference between the head and neck of the Ryukyu rim and the an edge: at the red arrow indicated in the figure above, the headline of the Ryukyu edge usually has more twists and turns, the turns are wider, and some groups have broken head lines; the neck color is mostly darker. The ann edge head line is relatively thin and coherent, the neck color is brown, and the transition is more natural.
The Ryukyu rim has a very variable headline
There are many variations in the headline of the Ryukyu rim, the most common is a checkmark similar to the Nike logo, and the macula area is large and very eye-catching. Of course, there are also some individuals on the Ryukyu rim who have u-shaped head lines similar to those on the Ryukyu rim. Often there are turtle friends to judge the Ryukyu fate of the quality of the also measured by the "two-line connection" standard, the yellow edge as a native species, nature is the magician who makes them different, human beings are not qualified to set standards to evaluate their beauty and ugliness. Of course, people have their own aesthetic tendencies, and the so-called "double-line connection" can be used as a standard for directional breeding under artificial breeding conditions. However, it is also inappropriate to use certain characteristics of an edge to cover individuals of other populations. The Ryukyu rim has a very varied headline pattern, which is what makes it very unique and its charm as a rare population. As for the dorsal line, in fact, most Ryukyu edges are intermittent after adulthood, so the pursuit of seedlings of the dorsal line is not much sense.
Ryukyu Yellow Rim & Tai Rim
The difference between the Ryukyu rim and the An rim is obvious, but there are many similarities with the Taiwan rim, which is easy to confuse. Even some people do not understand the basic classification knowledge, and simply and rudely think that the Ryukyu edge is a hybrid edge. Let me compare some of the similarities and differences between the Ryukyu rim and the Tai rim.
The left Ryukyu rim and the right edge are both males
The above figure uses the adult male Ryukyu rim and the male taiwan rim as a comparison example. It can be seen that the difference in body size is obvious first, and the individuals on the Ryukyu rim are significantly smaller than the platform rim. (Of course, this obvious difference may also be caused by individual differences in selection.) The Ryukyu rim is indeed the smallest of the three yellow-edged subspecies with an average size. Secondly, the characteristics of the triangular ridge of the adult Ryukyu edge are still very obvious, the dorsal line is broken, and the ridge is accompanied by a distinct red halo; and the dorsal line of the edge of the platform is also intermittent, and it seems that there are two lateral edges, but it is obvious that the lateral edges are visually relatively bleak, and cannot give people the feeling of the three-sided back.
Contrast of the headline of the Ryukyu rim with the edge of the platform
As can be seen in the above figure, both turtles are strong and mature male turtles, and their head muscles are very developed, especially the edge of the platform, and the head is more robust. It is important to look at the color of the head line, which is also yellow, the yellow of the edge is cold, and the yellow of Ryukyu is relatively warm. Those who have studied painting may feel more like the yellow of the stage edge is more like the lemon yellow in the paint, the yellow of the Ryukyu edge is more like the medium yellow or light yellow, and the yellow of the An rim is medium yellow to orange yellow. Of course, the color is also related to the environment and the state of the turtle, in a good outdoor environment, the pigment is more concentrated, and the color of the turtle will be more distinct.
Contrast between the side face of the Ryukyu rim and the edge of the platform
The contrast between the side faces of the Ryukyu rim and the edge of the platform is still related to the hue. The cheek color and headline color of the edge are unified as cool tones, and the face shape is relatively rounded, such as the angle of the beak, the length and width ratio of the head, etc., the overall appearance is soft and thick; the cheek color of the Ryukyu edge is relatively warm, and the head shape is relatively long, which is more capable and strong.
The neck of the Ryukyu rim contrasts with the edge of the platform
The neck of the Ryukyu rim has a more prominent common feature, that is, there are relatively clear spots under the neck. Notice that at the arrow in the image above, there are mesh-like black lines and spots under the neck of the Ryukyu rim, while the neck of the edge is relatively clean. Because the picture is an adult turtle, and at the time of shooting, the turtle's neck is naturally twisted, so the flower spots are not too obvious, so let's take a picture of the sub-adult and the neck of the seedlings on the Ryukyu rim below.
Detailed view of the neck of the sub-adult Ryukyu rim
Notice that under the neck of this Ryukyu rim, there are obvious spots in the throat position, for example, it is like brushing the neck with a layer of dark paint, and as a result, when the brush reaches the throat position, there is no paint, leaving such a mottled area.
Detailed drawing of the neck of the Ryukyu rim seedling
The neck spots of the Ryukyu rim are clearer and the color contrast is more pronounced.
Ryukyu rim seedlings have flower spots on the neck
Turning over it is more intuitive, the shape and size of the spots in different individuals are different, of course, this feature is relatively hidden and is not easy to observe directly. Other subspecies of yellow margins, such as the taiwan rim, some black-necked individuals also have such spots, but the distribution of blocks is different, not as clear and significant as the Ryukyu rim. Of course, because I myself have not bred a platform rim, there are not enough individuals to compare, it is inevitable that the understanding is biased, welcome to discuss.
Artificial rearing environment
There is no difference between the yellow edge of Ryukyu and other subspecies of the yellow edge, and it is suitable for breeding in an environment with soil-based land, with waterholes, shade or shade of vegetation, and high humidity. Here is an introduction to the rearing environment of the Ryukyu yellow edge that I personally set up, and it is also suitable as an environmental reference for turtles such as the continental yellow edge, the North American box turtle, and the saw edge.
The Ryukyu Yellow Rim lives on land most of the time, so there needs to be enough flat area for activity, and enough soil and good ventilation conditions to quickly break down excrement. Therefore, outdoor rearing is far better than indoor environment.
I designed the breeding environment of the yellow edge as several stages, namely turtle nest, spawning area, feeding area, activity area, and pool area. Where the environmental area is generous, the functional areas are clearly divided; in places with a compact environment, the turtle nest and spawning area can be merged, and the feeding area and the activity area can be merged.
Fig trees create a semi-shaded environment
Raising yellow-edged turtles, vegetation is naturally indispensable, one to shade the hot sun, the other to provide stable environmental humidity, and then the ground vegetation or plant leaves, which can naturally form a natural hiding area. I chose figs as the main tree species because figs grow faster and have larger leaves, which greatly shortens the cycle of shading; in addition, in my climatic conditions, figs will fall out of their leaves in late autumn, and a large number of fallen leaves provide enough ground substrate for the environment. Deciduous leaves can maintain the humidity of the ground, and can also provide a breeding ground for earthworms, snails and other organisms, which are also one of the recipes of the yellow edge. At the same time, the ripe figs, which are very sweet and have a special fragrance, are also one of the fruits that the half-water turtles particularly like to eat, and there are many naturally ripe fruits that fall off, which become their appetizers.
The low bushes of bamboo are the turtle's favorite refuge
In addition to fig trees, the ground will naturally grow all kinds of weeds, I have a bamboo whip in the ground, there will be a lot of small bamboo shoots in the spring, and finally grow into shrub-shaped small bamboo. I deliberately keep a part of the small bamboo bush, interspersed under the fig trees, forming a dense and dense jungle landscape with high and low levels. All kinds of weeds on the ground are basically left unchecked, and these herbs grown by the seeds brought by birds and winds are diverse, including snakeberries, mugwort, plantains, dandelions, clovers, purple flowered diding, Shanglu... More are small grasses that cannot be named, and occasionally woody plants grow out, usually the seeds of some large trees nearby that fall to the ground through the seeds blown by the wind to grow seedlings, such as the most common plane trees and camphor. This kind of tree-type seedlings, I usually want to remove, once grown, will seriously affect the growth of fig trees.
Cut off too many small bamboo shoots and leave them in place to become humus
In the first year or two of planting fig trees, because the sapling root system has not yet grown, the canopy has not yet formed enough shade, the ground is full of sunlight, weeds will grow wildly, especially mugwort, can grow to more than a meter high, I basically do not manage, because this can solve part of the shade problem, but after all, the height of the herbaceous plants is limited, even if it can block the sun, but the heat will accumulate at a shorter height, the summer ground temperature is relatively high, and the humidity is lower. During the summer of this period, I would pull up a small shade net to create shade for the turtles. After two or three years, the figs occupy a strong position, after the shade covers the whole pond, the weeds below are naturally suppressed, and the varieties that need strong light are naturally eliminated, leaving basically shade plants and mosses, such an environment and temperature and humidity are more suitable for Ryukyu yellow edge life.
Dappled sunshine, yellow-edged favorite
Shade creates a strip of dappled sunshine, and Ryukyu Yellow Edge especially likes such an environment, which can be camouflaged, have a sense of security, and can enjoy the sunshine and absorb heat.
Turtles in spring need more sun exposure
In the spring, the leaves of the trees only begin to grow, the ground is bright and the accumulation temperature is high, while the fallen leaves in autumn and winter have basically decayed by this time, forming a soft shallow organic matter. As a result, some herbaceous plants thrive and provide a comfortable shelter for turtles during the season.
Plenty of sunshine in spring is good for reproduction
A big advantage of choosing deciduous trees is that in the spring when the temperature is low, there are no leaves on the branches, direct sunlight, the ground gets more heat, and the turtle can absorb more solar heat and ultraviolet rays, which is very good for breeding and laying eggs. In the summer, shade takes shape, providing shade during the hot season.
The waterfront area is also a favorite activity area of the Ryukyu Yellow Rim
The ponds of the Ryukyu Yellow Rim Breeding Grounds are indispensable, and the location and size of the pools can be determined according to the actual situation. The overall requirement is that the slope of the pool is small, easy to enter and exit, large water storage, convenient drainage, and a certain shade. The area around the pool is often the most popular activity area of the Ryukyu Yellow Rim, so this area is the most used area in the whole venue. I particularly emphasize a problem of water volume and water depth, many people think that turtles such as the yellow edge are basically active on land, only need to have a shallow pool to drink water and soak the body, so when designing the turtle environment, only give a very small and shallow water area. In such a small and shallow water area, the water quality is very easy to deteriorate and needs to be replaced frequently to maintain. In addition, the shallower water level is easy to overheat in the summer, which accelerates the deterioration of water quality, and secondly, it cannot meet the actual needs of the turtle water cooling. In fact, when you provide them with large enough waters and water depths, you will change your mind, Ryukyu yellow edge or other kinds of yellow edge, very much like to be active in the water, especially in the hot summer, they instinctively choose to enjoy the cool in the deeper water.
The Ryukyu yellow rim moves underwater
The pool area must have shading measures, whether it is natural shade or artificial shading equipment, to shade part of the sun, which can maintain a suitable water temperature and stabilize the water quality to a certain extent.
Pool in the shade of trees
Although the yellow-edged fins are not well developed and their swimming skills are not good, they are not easy to drown. As long as they provide gentle slopes to create shallow areas, they will enjoy this facility very safely. In the hot summer, some Ryukyu yellow edges will float quietly on the surface of the water, basking in the flowers and flowers, as if doing SPA; some will sneak under the water, temporarily isolate themselves from the outside world, and enjoy the purity of a turtle.
I enjoyed it so much that I almost put a white towel on top of my head
I have even found that the Ryukyu yellow edge will always lurk in the fallen leaves under the water to rest, and even go directly into hibernation in autumn and winter, hibernating like a water turtle. At first I thought I wouldn't drown, but after observation, they were not safe. Some individuals always like to stay in the water, and since they like it, I don't bother too much.
The yellow edge of the Ryukyu in the underwater semi-hibernating state
Of course, in the case of severe cold and ice, I will fish back the Ryukyu yellow edge that I chose to hibernate in the water and continue to overwinter in the set turtle nest. Because the local climate is extremely cold, it will form ice thicker than bricks, which is still very dangerous for turtles that are native to the subtropical oceanic climate of the Ryukyu Yellow Rim.
The guy who looks underwater
In addition to cultivating fruit trees and shrubs in the turtle pond to create an environment, another way is to collect a large number of dead leaves to pave the way according to the actual situation, making a bionic understory environment, which is also very suitable for the life habits of the Ryukyu yellow edge. Of course, if there are ready-made deciduous trees next to it, even the work of collecting leaves is saved.
A large number of fallen leaves provide a warm and moisturizing ground environment
The deciduous layer covers the soil on the ground, which not only maintains the moisture of the ground, providing a high humidity environment, but also can accumulate solar heat, forming a relatively stable environment of temperature and humidity. Ryukyu Yellow Edge is very fond of burying into the deciduous layer to rest, or burying his body in it, only to show his head and look around.
There are several turtles in the picture with their backs exposed, can you find them?
Fallen leaves are very good shelter and camouflage
Thicker fallen leaves can also generate heat through natural fermentation, which can breed many worms, insects, and microorganisms, and can quickly break down food debris and turtle excrement.
The picture above is basically a camphor leaf
There is no advantage or disadvantage to the choice of deciduous leaves, and it is worth noting that some strongly odorous plant leaves are not recommended for use in indoor small environments. For example, the strong smell of camphor leaves, I have no problem using it outdoors with good ventilation and sufficient light, but in the indoor rearing environment, it may cause some effects on the turtle because of the smell of volatile oil from the plant. I have used plant leaves such as ginkgo biloba leaves, bamboo leaves, sycamore leaves, magnolia leaves and other plant leaves, each has its own advantages and disadvantages, smaller and thinner leaves are stacked more fluffy, more suitable for turtles to burrow into hiding, but decay faster; large and thick leaves last a long time, but are relatively tough, as a substrate is very good, but the coverage is not good, the amount of need is relatively large to be suitable for turtle hiding.
After talking about the turtle's activity area and water area, and finally talking about the turtle nest part, in a streamlined segmented environment, the turtle nest is both a resting and hiding place for turtles and an spawning place during the breeding season.
Semi-enclosed turtle nest
The setting of the turtle nest is adapted to local conditions, and it is generally required to be relatively light-proof, insulation and quiet. I separated the turtle nest from the turtle's activity area by a wall, and there were holes in the wall to facilitate access. There is a layer of soil 10-25 cm thick in the turtle's nest, which is covered with fallen leaves or straw (a large amount of straw is added during the hibernation season to play a role in heat preservation). Fallen leaves and straw can maintain the moisture of the soil in the turtle nest, because there will be no rain in the turtle nest, and we also need to spray water regularly to maintain an optimal humidity environment. If it is breeding, then the outdoor activity area floor needs to be paved with clay tile tiles or plastic mesh sheets to prevent the turtle from laying eggs randomly, so that the turtle can only choose to lay eggs in the turtle nest area. (The specific breeding details will be explained in detail in the next part of the Ryukyu Yellow Rim)
The hibernation season requires sealing the opening of the cave
During the hibernation season, the opening of the turtle's nest needs to be closed to avoid cold wind blowing directly in, and it can also prevent some predators from entering. At the same time, thicken the straw or leaf litter layer, and it is best to cover the turtle nest with plastic sheets, insulation boards and other thermal insulation materials when it is coldest to prevent frost damage. Of course, it is safest to retract indoor hibernation.
Although the Ryukyu yellow edge is native to the subtropics, it is also very hardy and can hibernate like Anyuan. However, it is best for seedlings to take special care that year, and it is recommended to heat them for winter or short-term heating to prolong the growth period.
ps：
This article is transferred from: I make cattle and horses for turtles