How and what to feed a small red-eared turtle at home.

Aquatic turtles are predators, unlike their land-based counterparts, so you need to feed the aquatic turtle accordingly, mostly with animal products. Thanks to this diet, these turtles have a higher than land species, metabolism. Therefore, approach your diet aquatic turtle you need it a little differently than for land.

Diet

Protein must be present in the diet of an aquatic turtle. It is vital for the health of your pet, so keeping a predatory aquatic turtle on a plant-based diet is unacceptable. Experts recommend the following proportion of animal and plant foods:

70-90% of the diet should be food of animal origin, preference should be given to fish and seafood, but with great pleasure the reptile also eats meat, for example, young mice and rat pups, with rat pups being preferable.
Up to 20% of the diet may contain food plant origin. You can feed your aquatic turtle with lettuce, plantain, clover, seaweed, carrot tops and wheat germ.
No more than 10% of the nutrition can be dry specialized food containing vitamin D3 and other essential microelements and vitamins.

Now let's take a closer look at what to feed an aquatic turtle at home and make a list of suitable products.

Fish and seafood

The basis of the diet should be food that is habitual for the reptile, i.e. the kind your pet eats natural environment habitat, mostly fish and seafood.

The fish should not be fatty, and not large sizes. The ideal option would be if the turtle can swallow the fish whole with bones and head. It is not necessary to give live food to the turtle, but experts recommend occasionally releasing it into the aquarium (or a special feeder) to maintain the predator instinct. live fish. It is better to cut large fish into pieces and remove the scales. Suitable for feeding the following types fish:

crucian carp,
perch,
cod,
bull,
blue whiting.

Fish caviar can also be offered to a turtle.

Before giving it to the reptile, fatty fish should be cut into pieces and doused with boiling water, then kept in a hot water. It is better to refrain from feeding the turtle the following fish:

Tulka,
sprat,
herring,
mullet,
pink salmon,
capelin

Crustaceans (crayfish, crabs, squid) – in limited quantities and monitor the reaction to such food. Give only meat from the tail. Carapace and internal organs throw away.
Raw shrimp with shell. The shell contains large amounts of calcium, which the turtle needs. Can be given in unlimited quantities.
Frogs. Can be given in unlimited quantities. The frog should be small in size, purchased from a specialty store or bred specifically for feeding. It is not worth catching and feeding toads from a neighboring place for food.
Mussels, octopuses. You can give in unlimited quantities. You can also buy from a store or from people who breed live food for sale.

Meat and insects

Insects can be used as additional food; you should feed an aquatic turtle insects no more than once a week. For individuals under two years of age, you should refrain from feeding with insects. Insects can be stored in the refrigerator and offered to reptiles after defrosting. Dry, live and stunned insects are also suitable. In any case, you should monitor your pet’s reaction to this food.

The following types of insects are suitable for a turtle's diet:

Grasshoppers and crickets. A rich source of calcium, it is better not to offer it live to your pet.
Any not poisonous species snails An excellent source of protein, can be easily grown for feeding at home. Can be given live.
Cockroaches. Of course, catching a domestic cockroach is not worth it. Inquire about the availability of marbled cockroaches at the pet store and offer them to your pet. You shouldn't give it to a turtle.
Worms. An ordinary earthworm, well washed from the soil, as well as a mealworm. Although some breeders do not recommend feeding worms to turtles, complaining about diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

From meat products, you can offer the turtle chicken or other lean poultry meat. Beef can be given occasionally. The turtle will also like chicken or beef liver. Fatty meats such as lamb or pork should be avoided.

Include meat products The turtle should be fed no more than once a week.

Plant food

You should feed your sea turtle at home plant food no more than two to three times a month. Food of plant origin should be offered exclusively to adults over two years of age.

This is due to the fact that with age, turtles accumulate the required amount of protein and do not require such intensive growth as young individuals. It is also worth understanding that your turtle may refuse plant food, for example, it will treat such food with contempt, and most likely will leave it untouched.

As plant food, you can offer your pet plants that are suitable for feeding:

Young leaves of dandelion, plantain, nettle.
Sprouted wheat, young shoots of carrots.
Young cabbage leaf or salad.
Various seaweed, seaweed in dry form.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, pumpkin.
Apples, banana, pear.

Prohibited Products

Foods that should not be fed to a sea turtle include:

fatty fish and meat, as well as fatty minced meat;
dairy products (cheeses, milk, cottage cheese);
eggs and eggshells in any form;
crab sticks and other preservatives;
salty, peppery food.

Where to feed and how often

When asked how much to feed domestic aquatic turtles, the answer is the same as in the case of their land counterparts. For young individuals, once a day will be enough, preferably in the morning. For reptiles that have reached the age of two, you can offer food two or three times a week; adults are also best fed in the morning, although for sea turtles this is not as important as for land. If your turtle likes to eat at night, don’t deny him this pleasure.

The best way to feed an aquatic turtle at home is in a separate container. This is due, first of all, to the fact that the remains of fish and other food of animal origin will remain in the aquarium, thereby polluting it. If you do not place the turtle in a separate container, you will have to change the water in the reptile's aquarium two or even three times a week. To avoid unpleasant odor and the possible illness of the pet, the easiest way is to purchase a small aquarium for feeding the turtle, or another container where you place the turtle for the duration of the meal. After the turtle has eaten, return it to the aquarium.

Now you know what to feed your pet aquatic turtles, and we hope that this information will help your pet stay healthy for many years to come.

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In many aquariums you can find small turtles, the size of which does not exceed 10 centimeters. Their maintenance does not require special conditions, since an aquarium for turtles is suitable for a small container with a water level of up to 20 centimeters. Aquarium turtles love to walk along the bottom, but they do not have gills for breathing underwater, so they periodically need to rise to the surface for oxygen and the water level should not be too high. If the level is high, they simply will not be able to reach the surface in time and will die.

As a substrate in an aquarium for various types For turtles, river sand and fine gravel are ideal, but most species can do without soil at all. It is advisable to place a couple of plants as they will provide additional food for the turtles and will decorate the habitat of your turtles. In addition, such an aquarium will look better.

Turtles like to actively scratch the soil in search of food or shelter, so they can damage your plants. To place them, you need to use pots, or even limit yourself to small floating plants. Such small turtles are constantly in the water, and appear on the shore only when they lay eggs.

Even if you don't plant them, make a small island out of driftwood or stone. Place a lamp over the island so they can crawl ashore and bask in the sun. This is necessary due to the fact that all turtles are cold-blooded and their mobility is very dependent on body temperature.

A proper aquarium for turtles should have large area bottom, height is not the main criterion, since most turtles need a water level of 15-20 centimeters, and an island above the water level is also needed in the aquarium. Most people keep turtles in aquaterrariums, which contain both land and water parts. The use of an additional heater in the form of a powerful incandescent lamp or infrared lamp is necessary for turtles.

Feeding aquarium turtles

In their natural environment, many species of turtles feed various plants, fish or shellfish. Difficult all year round Feed them only live food, so you can use a mixture of chopped fish, shrimp and shellfish. Sometimes you can feed your turtles small pieces of beef. IN summer time The use of only live food is encouraged. The best choice is for snails that they can chew easily.

Turtles spend most of their free time hunting and obtaining food, so they definitely need live food that they can catch. If there is no hunting, they may get bored and stop moving altogether. Moreover, in live food large number phosphorus and calcium, which is vital for turtles to keep their shell strong. To do this, coral sand is added to the ground, grains of sand from which turtles often eat. Captive turtles often have softer shells, so you can sometimes add eggshells, which will be useful to them for the strength of their shell.

Despite the importance of live food and meat in the diet of turtles, they must also be fed with plant foods to replenish the supply of vitamins in the body. Turtles can sometimes be given lettuce, cabbage and other greens.

Aquarium turtles go to the toilet almost immediately after eating, so it is best to use a different container for feeding. At first they will be against it, but over time they will get used to it. At the very least, this method will save you from daily cleaning of the aquaterrarium, which over time will turn into a real landfill. If kept properly, turtles only need to be fed once a day, although it may take them several hours to eat.

Only a female and a male can live in one turtle aquarium. The two males will constantly be in conflict, and in the end, only one individual will remain alive. The stronger male kills or seriously wounds the opponent, who soon dies. If you keep individuals of different sexes, it is necessary to sometimes remove the female from the aquarium, since she can become very tired of the annoying male.

Types of small aquarium turtles

Mud turtle

The silt musk turtle is unpretentious in keeping. This small turtle does not exceed 10 cm in length; it can be kept in a container with a bottom area of at least 150 square centimeters filled with water to a height of 15 centimeters. It is necessary to ensure that the water level does not exceed 15 cm too much; it will be difficult for the mud turtle to float to the surface. And of course, let’s not forget about the island above the water where the turtle can warm up and gain strength.

There is a common belief that turtles are very easy to care for. Some even consider it a pet that needs normal life It is enough to give food and water. This is a misconception. Turtles are wild reptiles that take quite a long time to get used to their home environment; they need to be looked after and created comfortable conditions.

Quite often found in houses and apartments. Some owners allow them to move freely around their living quarters, set up a separate place for food and drink (almost like for cats), and even try to train them to use the toilet. That is, in this case, the animal is in free mode, but within the boundaries of the apartment, of course.

Is this correct? Most experts believe that this should not be the case.

Moreover, such freedom can be dangerous for the turtle. She can accidentally swallow household garbage, get stuck in a heating radiator, or catch a cold in a draft. There have been cases when apartment residents accidentally stepped on their armored pet...

In short, to keep a turtle and take good care of it you need its own territory.

Turtle terrarium: equipment

High-quality care for domestic reptiles is provided only in a terrarium - a glass box where the turtle walks, eats, and sleeps. The terrarium may not necessarily be glass, but rather a wooden box, for example. But it is desirable that one side of it be made of transparent material.

house for sleeping and relaxing (inverted plastic or clay pot with a hole is quite suitable);

the feeder must be stable enough so that the animal does not accidentally knock it over (about how to feed pet turtle you can read it in this);

drinking bowl with daily changed drinking water;

heater to create comfortable temperature in the part of the terrarium where the feeder and drinker are located (not lower than +26 degrees);

lamp with an ultraviolet lamp to simulate sunlight;

thermometer for temperature control.

At the bottom of the terrarium there is usually soil or bedding, which is often used as hay. In summer this is, of course, possible and very convenient: it can be changed frequently. But in winter, in urban conditions, it is difficult to find hay.

You can put sand, but there have been cases when turtles swallowed it. However, many owners of these reptiles cover the bottom of their terrariums with sand and lay large flat pebbles on top. Many turtles like to bury themselves in sand, but pebbles are necessary for a very specific action: animals like to sharpen their long claws on stones.

About turtle hygiene

Proper care of a pet is impossible without maintaining the cleanliness of the animal’s environment and personal hygiene.

You should always keep the premises clean and tidy. Owners often let their turtles go for walks, so you need to ensure that they do not ingest household garbage, as well as foreign objects lying on the floor.

The bottom of the terrarium must be cleaned of excrement daily; the feeder and drinking bowl are recommended to be washed as often as possible. The water in the drinking bowl should be changed every day, as fresh water is recommended for turtles.

All turtles love water treatments. Bathing is usually done once a week, but many experts advise washing armored pets as they become dirty. Warm water for hygienic bathing (with a temperature not lower than +30 degrees) is poured into a separate container at the level of 2/3 of the turtle’s height, so that the head is above the water surface.

How to bathe?

The shell, belly, paws and muzzle are carefully washed with a sponge or hand, being careful not to touch the eyes. Areas of heavy contamination can be washed with baby soap. While swimming, you can see that the turtles really like it: they calmly allow water to be poured over them. Therefore, such a pleasant procedure for them can be carried out longer - up to 30 minutes.

After taking a hygienic bath, the pet should be wiped dry with a towel and released into the terrarium.

If you have small, curious baby turtles in your house, you can bathe them more often - three times a week.

Trimming claws

Although reptiles try to sharpen their claws on their own at home, care must be taken to ensure that they do not grow too long.

Therefore, nail trimming should be done regularly. This is not difficult to do either with sharp scissors or with a special nail clipper.

During this procedure, you must be careful: you can cut only the white edges of the claws; the dark areas have blood vessels.

About the benefits of walking

Warm dry summer day at temperatures not lower than +25 degrees, it is recommended to take a walk in the yard.

You can take the turtle to a green lawn or grassy lawn and let it go for a walk in the fresh air.

You need to choose a place that is quiet and clean. At high level External noise may cause the animal to become frightened and hide under its shell. There is no need to make the turtle nervous.

Plants at the walk site should be edible - dandelion, clover, plantain.

If the turtle is sick...

As a rule, diseases arise due to improper care.

Injuries. The turtle can fall from a high place and get a fracture. In this case, you need to apply a splint or plaster and be patient, since the process of fusion of bone tissue can take a long time.

Shell necrosis possible as a result of any mechanical damage. This is a rather serious disease, which is very difficult to treat by constantly treating the affected area with disinfectant solutions.

Cold. During a walk, your pet may catch a cold. A very severe runny nose and difficulty breathing may occur. In such cases, veterinarians prescribe antibiotics, and for general strengthening of the body, a vitamin complex.

Upset stomach A. Poor diet can cause diarrhea. It can be infectious in nature or appear due to poor nutrition (spoiled foods, for example). In any case, you need to take stool for analysis and begin appropriate treatment after determining the cause of the disease.

If you have even the slightest suspicion that a disease has occurred, you should consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Caring for a turtle at home has a number of features, but overall it is not that difficult. You can even entrust this activity to children, but with periodic supervision from adults, of course. It is very interesting to observe the behavior of these leisurely animals. That is why children’s first acquaintance with pets very often begins with turtles.

A short video about keeping turtles at home:

Red-eared turtles require relatively simple care and maintenance. Therefore, they are great for beginners. However, compliance with the temperature regime, the rules for aquaterrarium arrangement, the principles of walking and hygiene is extremely important and necessary. To live comfortably at home, red-eared turtles need not only a swimming pool, but also warm land where UV rays reach. The water where turtles spend most of their time must be at a certain temperature, clean, and changed regularly.

IN natural environment red-eared turtles love quiet freshwater bodies of water with dense vegetation and a comfortable sandy shore. The conditions for keeping a red-eared turtle at home should be as close to natural as possible.

Making a home for a red-eared slider

“How to care for a red-eared slider?” – this is often a relevant question after purchasing a reptile. However, in order for your pet to live comfortably, you need to take care in advance and purchase:

1. A special aquaterrarium made of silicate glass with a capacity of 150-200 liters.
2. Water heater.
3. External or internal filter.
4. UV lamp for aquatic turtles.
5. Heating lamp.
6. Lamp.
7. Thermometer.
8. Land/shore/island.
9. Supplies for caring for a turtle: a soft cloth, special claw clippers, etc.

Land in an aquaterrarium

The island for the red-eared slider should be:

Affordable and wide enough, without sharp corners and a hangnail.
Have a rough texture. This is especially true for the ladder. The turtle should not slide when crawling onto the island. You need to be careful when using pebbles as a covering: poorly glued pebbles can be swallowed by a turtle.
Strong and stable to support the turtle's weight.
Absolutely dry, i.e. Water should not be poured onto it so that the reptile can dry out and warm up.
Position it no higher than 20 centimeters from the top of the aquarium, otherwise the turtle may escape.
Well heated - a heating and ultraviolet lamp should be located directly above the island; the temperature on land should be higher than the water temperature, approximately 30-32°C.
Made from safe, non-toxic materials - foam and cheap plastic are not suitable for these purposes.
With a properly located ladder under which the turtle will not get stuck.

You can make such an island yourself or purchase it at a pet store.

Priming

Owners have different opinions about the need for soil in an aquaterrarium. Some do not accept it, explaining that turtles do not need soil, and cleaning is much faster. Others argue that the lack of soil leads to deformation of the limbs and various diseases.

What should the soil be like? The soil layer depends on the volume of the aquaterrarium; the thickness can be from 3 to 10 cm. Smooth materials are suitable sea stones large fractions, artificial plants (for example, special grass), various driftwood, sand, etc.

Avoid using small pebbles, granite chips, and stones with sharp edges as soil. Such materials can be dangerous to the turtle.

Lamps for aquaterrarium

IN wildlife turtles crawl ashore to warm themselves, the same must be done for them at home. The lamp in the aquaterrarium should have a power of 40-60 W. and be located directly above land. If you mount the lamp yourself, determine its installation level empirically (usually about 30 cm above the island), you need to make sure that the temperature from it is in the range of 30-32°C. Be careful because... a nearby lamp can burn the reptile. The aquaterrarium lamp must be protected from water and fumes.

The turtle does not particularly need lighting as such. The main function of the lamp is heating. Therefore, an infrared lamp is suitable as a heat source for turtles. At night, as a rule, it is turned off.

Correctly set temperature conditions and the presence of UV rays are hardly the most important points in caring for a red-eared slider at home. UV rays are very important for the turtle; they help the reptile's body produce essential vitamin D3 and absorb calcium from food. If there is no such lamp in the aquaterrarium, the turtle begins to suffer from rickets. They are usually installed at a distance of about 0.4-0.5 m from the animal. It should be borne in mind that over time the power of the lamps decreases and they should be changed approximately every six months.

Like a heating lamp, an ultraviolet lamp should work for 10-12 hours. For adult reptiles, a lamp with UVB 10% is used. Well proven brands Repti Glo, Repti Zoo, Reptistar, created specifically for reptiles.

Suitable lamps for red-eared turtles are usually sold in pairs, so finding the right ones should not be difficult. It is very convenient to use a special timer that will turn them on and off at a certain time. This is especially important for establishing the so-called. “internal clock”, animal biorhythms.

Water

The red-eared turtle is an aquatic reptile and spends a lot of time in water, so it is very important to monitor its quality and cleanliness.

You need to filter and change water frequently, because... dirt in an aquaterrarium is one of the sources of infections.

The amount of water should be such that the reptile can turn over freely, i.e. level not less than the width of the shell. It is better if there is more liquid. This way the aquaterrarium will remain clean longer.

The optimal water temperature for red-eared turtles is 22-24°C. You must use a special thermometer. There is no need to trust your own feelings and check the temperature on yourself. If the temperature has decreased, the water needs to be heated.

Over time, harmful substances accumulate in water. This may cause an unpleasant odor. To avoid this incident, you should replace the water by 30-40% 1-2 times a week with tap water that has stood for at least a day.

It is also necessary to use external or internal filters. Regular water changes do not mean that filters can be abandoned.

Hygiene of the red-eared turtle

Caring for a red-eared turtle at home is relatively simple. It is recommended to bathe her no more than once a week. To do this, a pre-prepared container is filled with water (about 2/3 of the reptile’s growth). The water temperature should not be lower than 36°C. Swimming in cold water may harm the pet. It is good to add chamomile decoction to the bath. Remember that red-eared sliders may defecate while swimming, so keep a close eye on them. Immediately replace contaminated fluid with clean fluid.

Do not use hard brushes for washing; it is better to use a soft cloth. Shampoo or soap is not recommended. If you notice a dark coating on the shell, it is most likely a fungus or algae. Buy special remedy for reptiles and treat your pet.

If necessary, red-eared turtles have their claws trimmed. This procedure is done using special tweezers. In this case, the claw is checked for clearance so as not to touch the blood vessels.

It is advisable to clean the aquaterrarium at least once a month. The container and island are thoroughly washed baking soda, the soil is calcined in the oven, artificial plants and driftwood are also thoroughly washed and scalded with boiling water.

Handling the red-eared slider

At first glance, red-eared turtles seem harmless and relatively harmless animals, but they must be handled with care.

Firstly, you must always take red-eared turtle with both hands. So that the reptile does not accidentally slip out and get hurt. It should be borne in mind that a melancholic pet may resist: biting, hissing and emptying its intestines.

Secondly, after the turtle has been in your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap. This especially applies to children.

Thirdly, the reptile should not have access to the kitchen and places where food is taken. You should also not wash your turtle or its care accessories in the kitchen sink.

Walking with a red-eared turtle

Despite the fact that a turtle feels great in a properly equipped aquaterrarium, walks in the fresh air will be useful in the summer. Firstly, she will receive the necessary dose of UV rays, secondly, she will run freely on the grass, and thirdly, she will simply enjoy healthy fresh greens.

The optimal air temperature is from 20°C in the shade. The walking area must be clean and away from the trails. It is desirable that ordinary lawn grass grow on it.

Walking time is 30 minutes or more. If the turtle is lethargic and tired, it should be taken home. There is no need to insist that the animal be under the sun. It is best to walk your reptile in the shade. Place a container of water in a visible place. It is also necessary to ensure that the turtle does not become prey birds of prey or the object of play by other pets.

Caring for Little Red Eared Turtles

Baby red-eared turtles? creatures are gentle, receptive and sensitive. It is not recommended to hold small turtles. They may feel stressed and sick. Also, you should not often stand over the terrarium and knock on the glass.

The temperature of the habitat must be stable. For cubs it is recommended: water – 26-27°C and air – 32°C. Temperature changes and drafts are not allowed.

Clean water is the key to the health of small red-eared turtles. Don't skimp on a good filter.

Many people, having decided to have pet, choose a turtle. Water turtles are in greater demand for this purpose than land turtles. The main species kept at home are red-eared, musky, marsh turtle and Trionix.

When choosing an animal, you need to take care of it proper nutrition and creation necessary conditions for a full life.

Red-eared slider

The red-eared aquatic turtle received its name due to its “ears.” These are yellow, orange or red spots located on both sides of the head. The size of the reptile is average, 18-30 centimeters depending on gender and age.

The round-oval, streamlined shell is covered with horn-like plates-scutes. The armor pattern is very unusual - green and white wavy lines and spots. The turtle's fingers are connected by membranes and have sharp claws at the ends. The head is covered with a hard stratum corneum.

The animal has a well-developed sense of smell and vision, but weak hearing. Red-eared water turtle good conditions contents can live for thirty years.

Trionics

The soft-bodied turtle has a long, thin neck and webbed fingers with sharp claws at the ends. The shell does not have hard horny plates, its length is 30-40 centimeters. The top of the shell is brownish-green with yellowish spots; below it has a yellowish color. small in size with a dark line from the eyes to the neck. Males and females can be distinguished by the length of their tail; males have it longer.

A distinctive feature of this turtle is the presence of a proboscis with nostrils. The turtle weighs no more than four kilograms.

Turtles of this species like to rest during the day, burying themselves in sand or small pebbles; they are active at night. The water level in the aquarium should allow the animal to reach the air without getting out of the sand.

Trionics are predators and must be kept separately from other turtle species. Turtles of this species live for 25 years.

Musk turtle

This is a small aquatic turtle with a shell length of 8-10 cm, in rare cases - 14 cm. The color of the musk turtle is unusual - the body is a uniform dark shade, and the neck and head have bright stripes of light color along the edges of the shell. Males have a longer and thicker tail, and they also have scales on the inside of their hind legs, which are necessary to hold the female during mating.

This type of turtle is very unpretentious; they eat absolutely everything. Life expectancy is up to 55 years.

Swamp turtle

The bog turtle is a pronounced predator. It has medium dimensions (10-35 cm), body weight can reach 1.5 kg. Long tail, which serves as an additional rudder when swimming, keeps the animal in the correct position.

The turtle's shell can be dark olive, dark brown, brown or black, and has small streaks, dots or yellow spots. The iris of the eyes is orange, reddish or yellow. The fingers are webbed with sharp long claws.

The turtle swims well for a long time may be underwater. He is very afraid of drafts, so you should not overuse walks around the house.

To create optimal conditions for a pet, when purchasing, you need to ask what region it is from, whether it lived in captivity or was caught in the wild. In addition, it is necessary to clarify the conditions of detention and temperature conditions that are suitable for this type of turtle.

A water turtle should be kept clean at home. Bacteria that develop when not properly cared for can cause illness in your pet.

Aquatic turtles grow quickly, so the water in the terrarium must be constantly cleaned and changed. It is necessary to use water that has settled for 24 hours or install water filters.

Caring for Aquatic Turtles

The shell of an aquatic turtle needs to be regularly cleaned of algae growth. Cleaning must be done carefully to avoid damaging the turtle's shell.

You should not keep your reptile in water all the time; this can be harmful to its health. The turtle also needs to stay on land.

The water temperature in the aquarium should not exceed 21 degrees. The aquarium can be illuminated with simple or ultraviolet lamps.

The turtle is fed food of plant and animal origin. To avoid diseases, food should be varied. Young turtles are fed daily, starting from the age of 3 - three times a week.

Water turtles are afraid of the cold. In winter, to warm them, you need to use a special ultraviolet lamp. The animal must be warmed up three times a week. In summer you can place the aquarium on fresh air, while ensuring that it is not exposed to direct sunlight.

How to choose an aquarium

For a young small turtle, you can choose an aquarium at a pet store; for an adult, you will have to make it to order.

For a turtle to live comfortably, the aquarium must be quite spacious. Be sure to cover it with a lid so that the animal does not escape.

Inside the aquarium you need to arrange a small island that the turtle can easily climb onto. A lamp is placed above it to warm the water.

A large aquarium for a water turtle should be equipped with a special filter to purify the water. It changes as it gets dirty.

How and what to feed aquatic turtles

Feeding a water turtle requires attention special attention. An animal that is free can get what it needs on its own. A water turtle at home is completely dependent on its owner. Reptiles need a balanced diet, with all necessary for the body elements.

The turtle is fed during the day, during its activity. An adult turtle can be given beef and chicken, and sometimes fish.

What to feed aquatic turtles when they are still small? To feed small reptiles they use bloodworms, earthworms, and tubifex. In addition, this animal's diet should include various beetles.

A growing turtle can also be given plant foods. This could be algae, duckweed, lettuce or dandelion leaves.

You should not give your turtle more food than it can eat. Residues may settle to the bottom and rot, in which case the water will have to be changed daily.

Communication with turtles

The turtle is a smart, active and sociable animal, but communicating with it is somewhat difficult due to its habitat. But you should not let your pet out for long walks around the apartment, as the animal may become hypothermic, dry out, swallow some object, get stuck in a crack, or get injured.

But you can hold the turtle in your arms, stroking or scratching it, which will give it pleasure. However, you should be careful, as many aquatic turtles are predators and can be aggressive.

You need to tame the animal gradually, allowing it to get used to the owner and new living conditions. Once accustomed, the turtle itself will strive to communicate and react to your appearance.

Basic mistakes

It is very difficult to treat a reptile, so keeping aquatic turtles must be correct; for this you need to remember some features:

The water in which the animal is kept must be clean.
The turtle must have a gentle exit to land, as it breathes air and can drown.
It is necessary to monitor the air temperature. If an animal is cold, it may refuse to leave the water, and this is harmful to its health.
Several males should not be kept in one aquarium.
Large and small species of turtles are kept separately.
After handling your pet, you should wash your hands.
You need to remember to be careful when communicating with aggressive species turtles.
If you notice that the animal's shell has become soft or crooked, the turtle refuses to eat, its eyes are swollen or constantly closed, the skin is peeling, or a runny nose appears, you should contact a veterinarian.

If you provide your pet proper care, feeding and disease prevention, it will delight you for many years. Do not forget that you are not purchasing a toy, but a creature that needs care and attention.