Red-eared slider. Are turtles smart? Are turtles smart or not?

Kingdom: Animals
Type: chordates
Class: reptiles
Order: turtles
Family: American freshwater turtles
Genus: Trachemys
Species: Red-eared (or yellow-bellied) turtle, Trachemys scripta

The red-eared turtle is a cute, unpretentious, well-studied in captivity, popular and very pleasant object of terrarium. Perfect for first time owners and for middle and older children school age who, under the control and help of their parents, can cope with simple pet care responsibilities.

To keep redbushes you will need an aquaterrarium. This is a container combining an aquarium and a terrarium, which is suitable for animals leading semi-aquatic image life. It must have water space for swimming and, of course, land areas for rest, sleep, heating and other needs that are inherent in the object contained in the aquaterrarium.

In the wild, there are about 180 species of all kinds of freshwater aquatic turtles, and only a few of them can live without problems in captivity and have contact with humans. The red-eared turtle is the most popular of them.

Within the species Trachemys scripta there are 15 subspecies, the most famous of which are the red-eared slider, yellow-bellied slider and Trust's turtle. They differ from each other in their habitat and the phenotypic features of the exterior expressed in this area, which give the subspecies minor differences from each other. However, all red-eared turtles have expressive " business card": bright scarlet (some subspecies have red or bright orange) "ear" spots on the sides of the head.

The red-eared turtle is very elegant. The shell pattern, consisting of bright yellow contrasting stripes, transitions to skin paws and head, so it looks striped. In young red eared birds, the carapace (upper part of the shell) is solid green; it acquires a characteristic pattern as the individual grows. Puberty in males it occurs at about 4 years, in females - at 5-6 years. With good care, a red-eared turtle can live in captivity for about 30-40 years or even more (it is clear that in natural conditions these figures are much lower, because many juveniles die in early age, and adult turtles often die from various external circumstances).

In nature, the red-eared turtle is widespread. Its range covers the United States from southern Virginia to northern Florida and Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico in the west, Mexico, all of Central America, northwest South America(northern Colombia and Venezuela). This species was also introduced (inhabited by humans) into European countries (Great Britain, Spain and others), Israel and even Australia, where it is considered a pest, displacing rare local species of reptofauna. In our country, as an experiment, red-eared turtles were brought to Crimea, where they lived through the winter safely with virtually no losses. There is an opinion that they can inhabit the reservoirs of the south, and in some places middle zone Russia.

In terms of behavior, the red-eared turtle is considered one of the most agile and swift representatives of these armored slow-moving creatures. She is agile not only in water, but also on land. Possessing acute vision, she can notice danger from a distance of 30-40 meters and tries to hide from it in the water, rapidly sliding down, for which she received her slang nickname “slider”, like the flip cell phone that was fashionable a few years ago. . Slider - sliding, sliding). That is why red-eared turtles settle in small rivers, ponds and lakes with gentle banks, often in swampy reservoirs. After the hunt, the turtle basks on the shore under the rays of the sun, and when it is hungry, it swims in the water in search of prey.

Red-eared slider – small predator: feeds on fish fry, crustaceans, insects and their larvae, mollusks and other similar foods. These turtles do not have teeth, but the powerful muscles of their jaws allow them to easily grind any food, even mollusk shells. If the water temperature drops to 18°C or lower, the turtle becomes lethargic, sleepy, loses its activity and agility, does not want and cannot feed, and falls into a state close to hibernation. Therefore, you will need at least a small, simple heater that will allow you to maintain the water temperature in the aquaterrarium at least 20 degrees - this is the ideal temperature for redfish in captivity.

Sexual differences in red-eared turtles are expressed in the following: females are larger than males; males, like most turtles, have a slightly curved plastron (lower part of the shell), as well as more powerful and longer claws. In the wild, the mating season for American freshwater turtles is from February to May. Mating games males are expressed in the fact that they begin to wave their forepaws in front of the female’s muzzle, and immediately before mating, they stroke and tickle her chin with their claws.

To lay eggs, the female comes to land. She digs a spherical nest in the ground, moistening the ground with water from the anal bladders, after which she lays from 4 to 25 eggs and buries her clutch, sprinkling it with slightly damp soil. Red-eared turtles do not have the instinct to care for offspring: after laying eggs, the female leaves the nest with the clutch forever. Incubation period lasts 103–150 days, after which small turtles emerge from the ground. The sex of the young (the quantitative ratio of newborn males and females) depends on the temperature of the environment in which the clutch was located.

The intelligence of the red-eared slider is very high. This information was obtained by examining the central nervous system and through direct observation of turtle behavior. It turned out that they have a very high IQ compared to other turtles (and many reptiles in general).

Studies of the red-eared turtle's sensory organs have shown that it has excellent vision and smell, but rather poorly developed hearing, but is very sensitive to sounds of extremely low frequencies and is able to hear under water. The turtle senses the slightest vibrations in the ground (for example, from the steps of a person or other approaching object). As for the eyes, they don’t just “see well” - the red-eared slider has superbly developed color vision. When hunting, the red-eared turtle first pays attention to the color of the object, then to its shape, and only then to the smell and characteristic movements of his prey.

You can buy and equip an aquaterrarium for a red-eared turtle yourself, order it based on the requirements for your interior, or make it yourself (which is extremely undesirable for beginner terrarium makers!).

The requirements for the aquaterrarium are:
- it must have strong joints and “hold water” well
- volume per animal – at least 150-200 liters
- the land area must occupy at least 25% of the total area terrarium
- if desired, water heating can be replaced with overhead heating above the land area. However, remember about winter cold, accidents and interruptions in the apartment heating system, so it is better to still have a water heater
- mandatory - ultraviolet lamp (recommended - Repti Glo No. 5)
- filters for water purification. You can add water to the terrarium either partially or completely replacing it, but the water must stand for at least a day!
- it is better to use ladders to lift the turtle to the surface: it is easier for it to rise from the water and slide into the water along an inclined surface. Smooth stairs and slides made of plastic are already “yesterday”. It has been proven that the slippery surface of the land and ladders are inconvenient for the movement of turtles, so they should be slightly rough, but in no case rough!

The temperature in the aquaterrarium on land and in water should be approximately the same - about 20-22°. Overheating is just as dangerous for an animal as underheating!

Is it possible to create a biotope aquaterrarium with the red-eared slider?

Nowadays it is very fashionable to create beautiful aquaterrariums-biotopes, which contain several species of animals and plants living in symbiosis. Fish swim in the water, a reptile (or amphibian) swims right there, a piece of land is covered with soil with plants planted in it, and so on. In a word, a biotope aquaterrarium imitates a piece of wildlife and it looks fabulously beautiful.

However, it is impossible to create such a small semi-aquatic world for the red-eared slider! Firstly, the area of land for the pet to rest must be “clean” and “empty”. If you decorate it with colored soil, some small pebbles or other decorative material, the turtle will certainly destroy everything. Her goal is not to eat inedible objects at all, but her instinct tells her: she needs to dig, dig, shake up everything around in search of prey, so any decorative details will be chewed and destroyed, torn off and thrown into the water, etc.

As for fish, shellfish, shrimp and other aquatic animals and plants, they will certainly be destroyed by the turtle! The fact is that red whales have a natural instinct: to try to grab and eat everything that floats in the water. The red-eared turtle does not get along with other reptiles or representatives of the amphibian order.

On the Internet, on the site of reviews of various products http://otzovik.com, we found the following observation from a novice terrariumist (spelling and style slightly corrected by the author): “The turtles did not cause any trouble. When we had guests, they were always popular. In practice, it turned out that they eat shrimp and meat very well. On this diet, of course, they began to grow much faster. And, of course, the water in the aquarium got dirty faster. All the algae that we bought for their aquarium was eaten by the turtles in 5 minutes.

When we decided to add a snail to them, thus deciding to decorate the aquarium, after an hour we realized that we had done it in vain. They react with curiosity to everything in the aquarium, and, of course, the snail was attacked by them. They even bit through her shell slightly. The poor guy had a crack in his sink. Turtles will eat any fish, even the most aggressive one, in 5 minutes.”

Now we'll look at a few typical mistakes novice owners of red-eared turtles (this valuable information “wanders” from site to site and you should pay close attention to it!), and then we will talk about some of the nuances of keeping and preventing diseases of red-eared turtles in more detail.

Keep them in close quarters;
- keep the turtle in an aquarium without land; A turtle is capable of drowning despite being aquatic. If she gets stuck in some narrow place, she will not be able to come to the surface for air;
- keep the turtle without heating and ultraviolet radiation, as we have already discussed. Many people confuse the red-eared turtle with a sea turtle, thinking that it constantly lives in the water. In fact, this is not so - in order to avoid hypothermia and fungal diseases, it needs to be properly warmed up and dried;
- feed turtles only raw meat;
- feed turtles only plant food;
- add vitamins to the feed “by eye”: they must be strictly dosed;
- keep turtles in dirty water, especially if a film forms on the surface;
- clean the turtle with rough brushes, and even more so remove the horny scutes if it is overgrown with algae;
- keep several males in one aquarium and introduce new animals without prior quarantine;
- use only smooth materials (glass, plastic) for the construction of the gangway and sushi island;
- wash the aquaterrarium in the kitchen and use dishes for turtles in which food for people is prepared;
- clean the aquaterrarium irregularly.

Rational and balanced feeding of a variety of foods;
- if the turtle does not receive food rich in calcium, it is necessary to give mineral supplements;
- strictly observe personal hygiene after contact with the turtle and cleaning the terrarium;
- it is better to transport the turtle in a linen bag in your bosom.

The most big problems health problems for red-eared turtles are associated with colds and pneumonia. Therefore, the best preventative measure is to prevent situations in which the turtle could catch a cold. Your aquaterrarium should have good ventilation, but not be in a draft. It must certainly have at least one (or preferably two - in water and on land) thermometer installed, by looking at which you can determine the temperature of the environment. To illuminate the aquaterrarium, you can also use a regular incandescent lamp, which perfectly imitates the sun's rays, but you still can't do without ultraviolet light.

In cold and dark seasons, turn off the lamp only at night. If the turtle has become lethargic, floats on the surface and does not want to dive, or its appetite has sharply decreased, be sure to consult a veterinarian! Most likely, these are the first signs of a cold or infectious disease, which is very difficult to cure at home. The administration of antibiotics, immunostimulants and vitamins in case of illness should be carried out under the strict supervision of a veterinarian; “self-medication” is ineffective and even destructive for the turtle!

The same lethargy, weakness and decreased metabolism, coupled with a softening of the shell, indicate a lack of calcium and vitamin D3. If you come across such a “rickety” turtle, it should also be treated only after consultation with a veterinarian, because vitamin preparations are also given in strictly dosed doses and hypervitaminosis is no less harmful than vitamin deficiency!

In a word, without a veterinary education, never prescribe treatment for reptiles and turtles in particular. Drugs for treating animals sometimes differ from “human” ones, in addition, it is very difficult to calculate their dosage based on body weight (and for a turtle, it is necessary to subtract the weight of its shell). Therefore, you will need a good herpetologist. Finding such a specialist in Moscow or St. Petersburg is not difficult.

Attention!

Over the past six months to a year, cases of unauthorized sale of young red-eared turtles have become more frequent in our city. People of unknown nationality near metro stations, at food or clothing markets, as well as during city holidays and festivities, offer to buy their child a “ninja turtle, like in the cartoon,” for a small price. Usually they stand on the streets or in underground passages with plastic carrying terrariums, in which there is not a hint of heating, the bottom is filled with small pebbles (which is generally contraindicated!), and under a tiny centimeter layer of water, dozens of small red-eared turtles flounder and swarm with them.

If you agree to purchase, the seller will provide you with a similar tiny plastic container and a bag of food “for the first time.” The seller will not tell you where to get this food next, or how much the turtle will grow, what terrarium to keep it in, what equipment to use, or other nuances - most likely, he doesn’t even know.

Such “ninja turtles” are clearly not designed for a long lifespan. Having bought such an animal out of pity, with the hope of going out and raising it in good conditions, you risk getting, at best, disappointment (running around veterinary clinics), and at worst, severe mental trauma if the baby dies, despite all your efforts. In addition, by responding to this offer, you yourself create consumer demand, encourage and provoke these people to develop their cruel “business” further.

Feeding the red-eared turtle

In the first two years of life, turtles should be fed every day, once a day. IN at a young age protein and animal foods should prevail over plant ingredients, while in adulthood there should be slightly more plant protein than animal protein. In addition to meat, turtles love water and seafood (naturally, without any marinades or salt, boiled or raw!), and young animals eat large bloodworms very well. After two years, the grown turtle should be fed 2 times a week.

Nowadays a very fashionable expression has appeared: balanced food. What does it mean? To balance means to put together (and in the correct proportion!) all the components necessary for the animal’s comfort and health. Food for turtles includes both natural (pieces of gammarus, worms, algae, etc.) and mineral components and vitamins. An addition to food (individual or complex vitamins, treats, dietary supplements) for animals is called top dressing, which is used to pamper a pet or maintain its health for a certain period of time.

In addition, the structure of the food is selected taking into account each type: some animals need to gnaw and grind food, while others, on the contrary, need to eat a soft substance. All these requirements are taken into account by professional feed manufacturers, which are developed with the help of zoologists and veterinarians. Choosing the right food and providing it to your pet for the rest of its life means giving it a guarantee proper development and good health.

Today's pet market offers ready-made, properly balanced feed mixtures for land and freshwater turtles. Among their great variety, there are also domestically produced feed and vitamin supplements. For example, the line of food and supplements for turtles offered by the Zoomir company was developed with the participation of doctors from the Institute of Veterinary Biology in St. Petersburg. Ready-made foods are not as appetizing as minced meat or bloodworms, but they not only satisfy all the needs of the turtle’s body, but are also very convenient to use: light, compact, float on the surface of the water, do not sink and do not clog the filter.

To find out which food is best for your turtle, ask about its feeding at the store or nursery where you bought it. The pet should be “transferred” from one food to another gradually. In the first days after purchase, the turtle may refuse to eat due to stress, but if it continues to go hungry for more than 2 days (especially a small turtle!), contact your veterinarian for advice. Any deterioration in appetite and change in the nature of bowel movements (diarrhea or constipation) may indicate an incipient disease.

Some terrarium keepers prefer to feed their red-eared pets outside the terrarium. Firstly, by developing a feeding reflex in the animal (“set it aside and give it something tasty”), you can eradicate the turtle’s desire to gnaw on everything that is not pinned down – including wires and devices that are within reach. Secondly, some red-eared turtles have a habit of defecating immediately after feeding, so if you feed them in a separate basin, and then, when they have finished all their “business”, put them back in place, your aquaterrarium will remain clean much longer, and the filter – less pollution.

How to feed a red-eared turtle - in water or on land? There is no clear opinion here. Terrarium aesthetes love to place bowls of food on an island of sushi, while advocates natural image In life, it is believed that when a turtle catches food from the water, an imitation of hunting occurs. Most likely, you will use a mixed scheme, throwing ready-made food granules into the water, and natural fertilizers like minced meat or fresh fruit - served in a feeder on dry land.

The size of your turtle will depend directly on the conditions of its feeding and maintenance. On animal proteins, babies grow “by leaps and bounds,” and this fact is not only gratifying for the owners, but also indicates the normal development of the young individual. The turtle's growth is also affected by the volume of the aquaterrarium and the purity of the water - the more spacious, warmer, lighter and cleaner the terrarium, the better the animal grows and feels.

About the importance of calcium

A significant part of the turtle body is bones. The carapace and plastron, which make up the shell, are also bone formations (the outer horny plates are just a covering!), so for their growth, not a lot of calcium is required, but a lot! Ultraviolet light is vital for a turtle: namely ultraviolet radiation promotes proper absorption of calcium by the body.

Behavior, communication, everyday situations (summer, dacha, children, etc.)

Despite the bright beauty, a rather good-natured disposition and high intelligence, the red-eared turtle is practically not tamed. It is intended more to decorate your life than to become a full-fledged friend - like a dog, cat or bird.

The vocal cords of red-eared turtles are not developed. At the moment of threat, out of fear, they are capable of emitting a hiss or a thin squeak. You should not suddenly lower your hand on the turtle, make noise or gesticulate violently: it will mistake you for a predator and may begin to “defend” in panic: hiss, stick out its claws, try to hide in its shell, or bite. You will have an instinctive desire to recoil from the head of the angry animal and withdraw your palm.

At the same time, you should also be wary of the turtle’s hind legs - they also have sharp claws, and in a moment of danger the animal may try to hit or push away its source using its hind limbs. This is especially dangerous when being carried or transported: if pushed, the turtle may fall to the floor and be injured. So don't trust too much small child drag turtles from place to place for feeding or cleaning the terrarium.

The best way to let your pet breathe in the fresh summer air and bask in the sun is to place the terrarium outside. However, avoid direct sunlight so as not to overheat the animal, and also carefully monitor the terrarium so that it has some kind of lid or tightly closed grille on top, so that birds of prey, neither the dogs could reach the turtle. And it is better that such a “walk” takes place under your supervision.

In the warm summer time The diet of a red-eared turtle can be diversified with fresh dandelion leaves or lettuce, but only in small pieces, as a treat, without “breaking” its diet in order to avoid digestive disorders.

Note: The lifestyle of red-eared turtles lives in small lakes, ponds and other bodies of water with low, swampy shores. Leads a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Extremely curious. If the turtle is full, it crawls ashore and basks under sun rays. If hungry, it swims slowly in search of food.
When the water temperature is below +18 °C, the turtle becomes lethargic and loses its appetite. The turtle is able to notice danger at a distance of 30-40 m, after which it slides into the water with lightning speed (for which it received the name “Slider”). In nature, turtles become sexually mature at 6-8 years of age, and in captivity at 4 (males) and 5-6 (females). Mating in nature occurs from late February to May. The male, having met the female, is located directly in front of her head, and very close. The female swims forward, and the male swims backward, tickling the female’s chin with his long claws.
To lay eggs, the female leaves the pond and comes to land. Having found a suitable place, she heavily wets the ground with water from the anal bladders. After this, it begins to dig a hole with its hind legs - a nest. The nest of a red-eared slider looks like a ball with a diameter of 7 to 25 cm. In the nests, females lay from 5 to 22 (usually 6-10) eggs with a diameter of no more than 4 cm, which are then buried.
Turtles do not have the instinct to care for their offspring; after laying eggs, they leave the nest and never return to it. The incubation period lasts 103-150 days at temperatures from 21 to 30 °C. At incubation temperatures below 27 °C, males hatch, and at temperatures above 30 °C, only females hatch.

It is able to perceive sounds at very low frequencies. For example, the red-eared turtle senses soil vibrations and the approach of a person or animal at a level of 1000-3000 hertz.

At the same time representatives This species is endowed with very acute vision. So, when looking for food, they first pay attention to the color of the object, and only then to the smell and taste.

In addition, the females are very fertile, and the small turtles that are born are very hardy and grow quickly. The size of a newborn baby is about 3 cm; in adults it is 10 times larger. Moreover, females are much larger than males.

When purchasing a turtle, you should first become familiar with the conditions in which it must be kept and what it must be given as food. But that’s not all that interests a potential pet reptile owner. It is very interesting to know how to establish contact with her. Unfortunately, such contact as with a cat or dog is unlikely to happen. Despite this, the turtle can be tamed, and it will demonstrate a completely peaceful character. This will appeal not only to all family members, but also to guests or friends.

Before you begin taming sessions, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the theory. It is very important to know what exactly can be taught to a turtle and whether it is necessary at all, especially since this process can take a lot of time. In addition, you need to have an idea of the process itself, otherwise you may not see the result of your efforts.

A very primitive but impressive way is to teach turtles to take food from tweezers or from hands. This is quite easy to do. If the turtle wants to eat, then it needs to offer food from your hands or take tweezers and give it pieces with its help. Naturally, the turtle does not think at this moment which method is more acceptable for it. If you follow this path, you can train the turtle to eat at a certain time. If you constantly take part in the process of feeding it, then the turtle develops a rather strong reflex, which, as it were, binds it to the person who feeds it. Things may get to the point where the turtle starts chasing (in in a good way) literally on the heels of his breadwinner, like a hungry cat. Some owners, but they are very few, teach their pets to wave their paws. Unfortunately, this is not given to everyone, but you can always try.

A waterfowl turtle can be trained to feed from the shore. This is a rather positive method that will not allow excess food to clog the water again. The water will remain clean and transparent for a long time, which will only benefit it.

To do this, you do not need to throw food into the water, but put it on certain place when she rises from the water along the ladder to the shore.

At first glance, the turtle is a peace-loving animal that cannot cause harm. In fact, this is not at all true and a turtle can bite very painfully, as evidenced by complaints from some owners. In fact, this is a very unpleasant fact. Therefore, it is advisable to wean your pet from this habit. The only question is how to do it. Firstly, you should not offend this creature, but rather take it in your arms more often. At the same time, it should be remembered that an aquatic turtle cannot be kept without water for a long time. After a certain time pet must get used to human hands. But this does not mean that the turtle will never bite again. The main thing is not to make sudden movements when your hands are near the animal.

You can often hear that some turtles like to play with toys, like a ball. At first glance, this is a normal reaction of an animal to something new and unfamiliar. But, from the point of view of scientists, this may be just a game. To find out, just place a brightly colored ball-shaped toy in the aqua terrarium. The size of the ball should be such that the turtle cannot swallow it. After some time, you can notice how the turtle pushes the object from side to side. It seems that she is playing with him. Although another reaction of the animal to this object is possible: she simply saw that it was on her territory and was trying to get rid of it.

There is one caveat regarding games: it is not recommended to place mirrors in the turtle's living space or make the walls of the terrarium mirrored. The animal perceives its image in the mirror as its rival, who wants to encroach on its living space. In this regard, the turtle will show aggression towards its image. As a result, the turtle may suffer injury or serious nervous shock.

The turtle responds well to various sounds, since she has excellent hearing, which indicates that she can be accustomed to any sound, after which some action should follow. For example, by sound you can accustom a turtle to the process of feeding or by sound you can pick it up.

Communication with a turtle

This important point, who is able to establish good relationship owners with animals. At the same time, you need to be very careful, especially when doing this for the first time. A turtle can easily bite if, in addition, it makes sudden movements. If you managed to pick up the turtle without any problems, then this good sign, indicating that contact between the owner and the animal is practically established. Among turtles there are both peace-loving individuals and aggressive ones. If a turtle shows aggression, then it will have to be taught not to do so.

You can handle both land and aquatic turtles, but only for a short time.

At the same time, it should be noted that there are species of turtles that are best not handled. To such aggressive species include vulture turtles, snapping turtles, trionics, etc. They bite very painfully, so it is better to watch them from a distance.

Do turtles have intelligence?

Quite often, when taking part in taming a turtle, owners expect something more from what it is capable of. Unfortunately, due to their natural capabilities, these animals are simply incapable of more. The only thing they are capable of is to combine their natural instincts with new living conditions. If the animal is comfortable and cozy, then it will definitely respond to this care. But, on the other hand, their intelligence is much higher than that of other reptiles, such as lizards, for example. At the same time, this intelligence is far from the intelligence of such domestic animals as a dog or cat. Therefore, you should not count on the super abilities of such pets.

As for the development of conditioned reflexes in an animal that can influence the behavior of the animal, this is not a problem. But counting on conscious attachment is too much.

At the same time, the turtle has great potential in organizing game forms behavior. Construction of labyrinths, stripes with various obstacles that the turtle will be happy to overcome - this is precisely the potential that, if desired, can be developed to perfection. In addition, turtles are able to distinguish between typical and atypical objects, as well as quickly adapt to different conditions.

Before embarking on such actions, it is necessary to clearly define the purpose and need for such experiments on animals.

Firstly, you need to know that the process of training and taming a turtle is a long process that requires endurance, patience, and can also take up a lot of precious time. And it is not a fact that the result will be positive. If you have a great desire and skills, then it’s worth doing it so that it cute creature, being next to a person, I did not feel out of place. If you regularly work with an animal, then over the course of many years it will develop strong reflexes for receiving food, for attention, for affection, etc.

There is another factor that can seriously affect the learning process: not every species of turtle is amenable to such training. Only those types of turtles that are not aggressive by nature can be tamed. As a rule, they are always busy exploring their territory and noticing any changes in the situation. They can distinguish between people, make friends with other turtles, etc. They are quite active and inquisitive by nature, which is evidence of their potential.

But there are species of turtles that behave quite passively, especially if they find themselves in conditions that are unsuitable for them. Therefore, trying to establish contact with them is a futile endeavor that can aggravate the situation, making the turtle even more aggressive and unyielding.

Video about a tame turtle

Taming pet turtle- This is a necessary activity, especially if there are children. Children love to carry all the pets in their arms. It is very important that no aggression comes from them. The same applies to turtles. If such a pet appears in the house, children will immediately want to take it into their arms. If at this moment a turtle bites a child, then he will forever lose the desire not only to be near, but also to care for the animal. If the reaction is not aggressive and the turtle is happy to make contact, then everything is in order and there is nothing to worry about.

As mentioned above, the taming process is a long process and not everyone has the patience for it. But any work, even the hardest, is always rewarded.

To the question Do turtles have intelligence? Are they trainable? given by the author Malinina the best answer is As paleontological evidence shows, the developmental paths of turtles and other higher vertebrates (mammals, reptiles and their direct descendants - birds) diverged at the previous level - the stages of different amphibian ancestors. The differences can be traced both at the morphological and, probably, at the “psychological” levels. Turtles have a unique body structure, which takes shape from the very beginning of their evolution, in parallel with the more or less distinct formation of this group. In addition, as noted by many who held both for a long time and was quite patient in his observations, the level of intelligence of turtles is noticeably superior to the development of most other reptiles. They form resistant and complex for reptiles conditioned reflexes and behavioral stereotypes (try teaching a crocodile to knock on a feeder when he wants to eat, or a snake to drink from a tap or defecate in a certain place, and this has worked with some turtles). During long-term communication, both terrestrial and freshwater turtles can easily distinguish people by sight, and visually, and not chemically, which would be quite understandable. And finally, for recent years Several cases have been noted that are simply amazing, if their interpretation was correct - perhaps some species of turtles are capable of playful behavior. At least something similar was observed in Trionics: old turtle, for many years kept in the monotonous conditions of the zoo, for no apparent reason began to bite her paws, causing serious wounds. They could not find out the reason, but this behavior also suddenly stopped. After more careful and constant observation, they discovered that the attendant had left a small red rubber ball in the turtle’s pool, which Trionix periodically begins to push with his paws and nose into different directions without showing any food, defensive or aggressive reflexes, i.e. without relating the object to any practical goals.

Reply from 22 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: Do turtles have intelligence? Are they trainable?

Reply from Stupidity[guru]
Certainly!! ! They are very smart!!

Reply from Neuvind Storm of the Fiords[guru]
No

Reply from Adapt[guru]
every turtle has its own golden key

Reply from Eurovision[guru]
Wow, after such a treatise there is nothing more to add.
Train your turtle, good luck!

Reply from Yelyena[guru]
My turtle could ask to eat (she would come up and “bite” her toe) and walk (she would crawl up to front door and scratched as if trying to open it. She clearly knew at what time in which room the sun would be there to bask, and she could tell who was feeding her...

Reply from Alex[guru]
To some, small ones, undoubtedly - yes! The turtle clearly knows at what time and in what place in the apartment the sun will be, and crawls there to bask. May demand food by biting the toe. It is unlikely that you will be able to train a turtle...

The speed of a turtle depends on the size of its carapace. How large sizes a land turtle has, the larger its carapace, which means the lower its movement speed. Therefore, it is generally accepted that marine and freshwater species turtles are somewhat faster than land turtles. As for the sea turtle, it is capable of accelerating up to 35 km/h while moving in the water.

All turtles are good swimmers

Only people can move well in water sea turtles, freshwater and some species of land turtles. Other types of turtles cannot swim and can easily die in the water.

Turtles can live up to 100 years, and some species even more.

In fact, few turtles can live that long. Turtles that can live this long include large land species, such as elephant and Galapagos. “Pets” that grow up to 30 cm in length can live no more than 50 years if they are provided with appropriate living conditions. Turtles that grow from 50 to 70 cm in length live 70-80 years. In other words, the age of a turtle can be calculated by its length.

All turtles have a hard shell

Most reptiles have a hard shell. Although there are species that have a soft shell. The soft shell helps her protect herself from predators: she crawls into a narrow gap and inflates, after which it is very difficult to get her out of there. Soft-shelled turtles (trionics) and leatherback turtles have a covering that does not consist of horny scutes, but of ordinary hard skin.

Turtles are considered amphibious creatures

In fact, turtles are reptiles or reptiles, as they are also called. And amphibian species include frogs, newts, salamanders and other types of amphibian animals.

A turtle can leave its shell

Unfortunately, this is not the case, since the shell is one piece, consisting of fused rib bones and the spine. It is practically the skeleton of a reptile, from which it can hardly get out.

Turtles live in or on sand

There are a huge number of turtle species in the world, found almost everywhere, but you won’t find turtles on clean sand, even if we're talking about about the desert.

Turtles are wise and intelligent animals

Naturally, this myth is most likely associated with her longevity. It is believed that with age a person becomes smarter and wiser, and a turtle is no exception. In fact, these animals are a little “smarter” than amphibians, but their “smartness” does not reach that of birds, including mammals.

Common mistakes about turtles

UFO (UFO) – translated from English means “unidentified object” or “UFO”, as we call it. In fact, it is a UV lamp, or rather an ultraviolet lamp. It is intended to irradiate the turtle with ultraviolet rays.

Amphibian turtle

In fact, amphibians are amphibians, like frogs, and a turtle is a reptile.

Mediterranean turtle

There are (Central) Asian turtles and (among) Earth sea turtles.

Sea red-eared turtle

Among large quantity Species, turtles are divided into freshwater, marine and land. If a turtle can live in salt water, then it is considered marine, and if it can live in fresh water, then it is a freshwater animal. Red-eared slider cannot be attributed to sea view turtles.

Turtle breed

Reptiles do not have breeds, but only species and subspecies. Cats and dogs, although they have a lot different breeds, still belong to the same species.