Optimal Food Source for a Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)

in a Head Start Conservation Program

Abstract Objective Discussion

Diamondback Terrapins are native to the East Coast and Gulf Coast of the United States and are Figure 7, shows the increase in mass from the initial measurements to the
the only turtle to live exclusively in brackish water. While full-grown female terrapins can reach
30.48 cm (12in) in length, mature male turtles can only grow to 15.24 cm (6in). Male terrapins
To determine the ideal food source for head start terrapin programs. last measurements taken. The Reptomin terrapins gained an average of
1.59 grams from their initial weight on 10/21/22 to the ending weight on
reach maturity in 2-3 years, and females in 6-7 years, although the animals can live up to 40
years. Terrapins are threatened animals as they are very susceptible to natural predators during 3/14/23. The Shrimp-fed terrapins gained an average of 2.97 grams from
their early life stages. In addition, terrapins were poached by the pet industry for a very long
time and their populations suffered from that. Head start programs are used to increase the
Methods their initial weight on 10/21/22 to the ending weight on 3/14/23. The
Whiting-fed terrapins gained an average of 5.62 grams from their initial
survival rates of diamondback terrapins in hopes of rereleasing these animals back into the wild.
This research used an ex-situ method, removing the hatchlings and allowing them to grow in a weight on 10/21/22 to the ending weight on 3/14/23. This data shows
controlled environment with a rerelease in mind. All enclosures were kept in the same that the terrapins that ate whiting gained 2.65g more than the shrimp and
conditions, except for the food sources. Three different food sources were fed, Reptomin food The Set Up The Measurements The Nutrition 4.03g more than the Reptomin food sticks. This data supports the
sticks, shrimp, and pacific whiting. With a food source that provides optimal growth, the heat
start programs can better achieve a set release date, as well as release turtles who are larger and 1. Obtain approximately 30 diamondback 1. Weight each terrapin 1. Prepare capsules with each type hypothesis that the terrapins fed with whiting would grow the most. The
therefore have a better chance of survival. The whiting was expected to have the best results as it terrapins Use Ohaus CS 200; ± 0.1 g of food (figure 4) Mass Length graph further shows that the whiting-fed terrapins grew the
contains 41% protein as compared to Reptomin with 39% and the shrimp with 40 grams.
Randomly assort the terrapins into 6 bins 2. Measure the carapace length Prepare capsules weekly most over the study period. Figure 10 provides a visual representation of
Freeze the pre-made capsules how much larger the whiting-fed turtles are compared to the shrimp-fed
of 4 or 5 (mm)
and Reptomin-fed terrapins. Finally, figure 8 shows the weekly average
2. Designate 2 enclosures for each food Use a digital caliper; +0.1 mm 2. Feed each bin one capsule once a
mass of the terrapins. While weeks 3 and 4 were not collected, the graph
Introduction source 3. Measure the carapace width day still depicts a timeline of mass gain. Overall, the whiting-fed terrapins
Pacific Whiting (mm) gained more mass than the other two food sources. This could be because
• Diamondback Terrapins are native to the East and Gulf coasts of the of the extra protein in the fish.
United States (figure 1)
Shrimp Use a digital caliper; +0.1 mm
• Only turtles that live in brackish water Reptomin Food Sticks 4. Repeat steps 1-3 weekly
• Terrapin Measurements 3. Keep all bins at the same conditions
• Full-Grown Females A continuous basking heat lamp (50 W)
• Mature: 6-7 years
• Up to 30.48 cm Room Temperature (∼20 ℃)
• Full-Grown Males
• Mature: 2-3 years
• Up to 15.24 cm
• Head-Start Programs
• Protecting a species at a specifically vulnerable time
• Ex-situ: removal from hatch site and release at a later date
• Terrapin’s vulnerable time: egg and hatchling life stages
• Hatchling Figure 11: Hatchlings being rereleased into the wild after completely a head start program.

• 30 terrapins
• Five different clutches
• Then randomized into groups Figure 6: The capsules used to feed each bin daily. The left capsule is
• Enclosures filled with the Reptomin sticks. The middle capsule is filled with the

• 6 bins with 4 or 5 terrapins in each Figure 4: 6 bins with 4 to 5 terrapins in each

Figure 5: Removing Turtles from the bin to
measure them weekly
shrimp and is marked with a red band. The right capsule is filled with
whiting. Conclusion
• 2 fed with Reptomin
• 2 fed with shrimp
• 2 fed with whiting An optimal food source is very important to Head Start Programs to
• Whiting expected to show the best results achieve the goal of bigger, by size and weight, terrapins. The whiting did
Results provide the biggest terrapins. Some ways this research could be improved
are by have a larger sample size. A larger sample size would allow for
more accurate results, as outliers heavily influenced this data, they would
Overall Mass Comparison Average Masses of Terrapins not impact the data as much with a larger sample size. Another
16
14
improvement would be a longer consistent measuring time. More data
points could show trends more clearly.
14
13

12
12

10

Selected References
Mass (g)

11
8
Mass (g)

Figure 1: Range of Diamondback Terrapins from the coast

10 Food Stick
of Massachusetts down to the coast of Texas
6
Figure 2: Top turtle is a male and the bottom terrapin is a female
Shrimp
9
4

Whiting
2 8

0 7
Reptomin Shrimp Whiting
Whiting Shrimp Reptomin
Food Sources 6
Initial End
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Protein 41% 40g 39% Weeks

Figure 7: The initial average masses of the terrapins by food source. The initial masses were collected on October 21, 2023, and the end masses
were collected on March 14, 2023. Figure 8: The average masses of the terrapins throughout the weeks. The three lines indicate the three food sources used.

Cholesterol 25% 60% Unknown

Mass and Length Comparison
45

Calcium 4% 5% 3%
Whiting
40

Shrimp
Table 1: Provides the nutritional facts of all three food sources being used during the research. 35 Reptomin
Whiting
Length (mm)

Shrimp Initial
Reptomin
30

Final

25

20 Acknowledgements
15
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Thank you to my teachers and advisors for their continual support and encouragement
Mass (g) during this research project. Thank you to my parents for their support throughout this
Figure 10: Turtles on the last day of measurements. On the left is a Reptomin-fed terrapin, in the
research
Figure 3: Images of the three food sources. Both the shrimp and whiting were stored in a freezer. Figure 9: The mass length ratio of the initial measurements and the final measurements for each.
middle is a shrimp-fed terrapin, and the right is a whiting-fed terrapin.