Small turtles living in aquariums of pet stores always attract the attention of buyers with their extraordinary coloring and touching appearance. It is these small and funny pets that most often end up at home. At first glance, it may seem that turtles are quite unpretentious, but in reality you need to know how to properly care for the water beauty.

Water turtles are almost used as pets more popular than land ones.

water care or sea ​​turtle is to create certain conditions for its full existence. An ordinary container of water is not enough for such a pet - it needs to provide enough light, heat and oxygen. Therefore, before you get an aquarium with a turtle, you need to know how to care for it.

How to arrange housing for a turtle?

As a rule, red-eared turtles are kept at home. The home for her is an aquarium, which has a small piece of land or an aquaterrarium. The shore or land for the sea turtle must be equipped with an accessible approach to it, so that the animal can always climb onto it without obstacles.

The shore must be made in such a design that the water flowing down from the turtle could not stagnate in it. An aquatic turtle should be able to dry its shell. At a height of twenty-five to thirty centimeters above the land, a heating lamp with a power of forty to sixty watts is installed. It is forbidden to place the lamp below, as the turtle can overheat.

Caring for such a pet requires a fairly large dwelling. If the aquarium will contain several animals, its dimensions must be appropriate.

For one turtle, there must be at least ten liters of water.

It will be much more difficult to care for large individuals, since their maintenance will require housing in excess of several hundred liters. When buying an aquarium for a turtle, it is worth remembering that some breeds can grow up to 18-28 centimeters.

A domestic turtle can be kept in both a glass and plastic aquaterrarium, in which an aquarium filter and a heater must be installed, corresponding in power to the volume of water poured in. Caring for the red-eared turtle requires proper care. temperature conditions: optimal temperature water at a level of 26 degrees and air on the shore - at least thirty degrees.

For aquatic turtles, it is necessary to use an aquaterrarium, and in no case should they be kept on free pasture - that is, on the floor or in other "natural" conditions.

For a normal life and growth of a turtle, it will take UV lamp. Such a device will ensure proper care for it, since ultraviolet radiation replaces sunlight, which promotes the absorption of calcium in the turtle. It is best to choose a lamp with a five percent UVB.

All day long domestic turtle must be kept in an aquaterrarium. Only during feeding and cleaning her house does the pet sit in another container of water. To ensure proper care for the turtle, do not let it go to the floor, as the animal may get sick or injured.

Turtle feeding

Caring for red-eared turtles requires a proper diet. These pets should eat lean, raw fish with soft bones. Fish, depending on the size of the animal, is given cut into large or small pieces. Fish will have to be alternated with other seafood, aquarium snails, beef liver or earthworms.

Sometimes, but not very often, chicken or beef meat can be added to the diet. All products are provided raw.

Care for adult red-eared turtles should be the same, but it is worth adding to their menu vegetable feed in the form of lettuce leaves, slices of apple, pear or cucumber. Basically, the aquatic turtle should eat special dry food.

Pets up to ten centimeters long are fed every day, and individuals exceeding this size eat only three times a week. A portion of food is measured based on how much the turtle can eat in thirty minutes. During feeding, turtles will have to be deposited in a special container filled with water. This will keep food from clogging the water in the aquaterrarium.

Water purification in aquaterrarium

Aquatic turtles mainly feed on quickly perishable food. In addition, the secretions of these animals significantly pollute the water. Previously, the owners of these pets had to change the water several times a week. However, now caring for them has become much easier thanks to the emergence of a variety of modern filters.

Aquaterrariums for turtles are a magnificent decorative element that can decorate almost any interior.

In small aquariums with small individuals, ordinary internal filters equipped with a sponge are installed. Many models of such filters are suitable for small reservoirs. They do an excellent job with fairly small and large particles of dirt.

IN Lately special devices that simplify the care of aquaterrariums, such as "biological filters", have become popular. They use special bacteria that are used to remove nitrogen compounds.

Pet stores also sell specialized fillers made by foreign manufacturers. Such filters help to keep the water clean for a long time and do not allow bacteria to grow in it.

Possible problems with improper care

If you take care of the turtle incorrectly, the animal can get sick. Most often, diseases in such pets are manifested by such symptoms as:

  • lack of appetite;
  • curved or soft shell;
  • permanently closed or puffy eyes;
  • runny nose;
  • peeling of the skin.

A sick animal becomes inactive, begins to spend more time on land, refuses food. In such cases, you should immediately contact a professional doctor. To treat a turtle, you will have to look for a specialist who knows how to treat such pets, because it is very difficult to diagnose them.

The domestic red-eared turtle can live, with good care, for about forty years. To do this, it is necessary to provide right conditions life.

It looks like a harmless creature, but it is a real predator. Therefore, it will have to be fed with animal food.

Basically, water turtles are fed various insects, earthworms and snails - all this can be bought at any pet store. At least once a week, the animal should be given meat. It's best to find out what kind of meat your turtle prefers. Some are happy to eat beef, others love chicken meat, but not a single representative will refuse fish. It is advisable to pre-cook the fish and clean it of small bones so that the turtle's body can easily digest food.

It is desirable to fortify the feed. Especially useful for water turtles is calcium, which can be given once a week.

As turtles age, they switch to a "vegetarian diet". Therefore, the older the animal, the more often different vegetation, in particular algae, should be added to the diet. It also depends on the age of how often you need to feed the turtle. Juveniles need daily food, while adults have enough food for three days.

"Interior" of the aquarium

Although turtles spend most of their lives in the water, they still need dry land. Therefore, there must be an “island” with, which will warm the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe hill. This "island", as well as the whole soil, should consist of sand or gravel.

Be careful, the turtles are childishly curious, everything that is in their reach will definitely be tried on the tooth. Therefore, make sure that the "grains" of the soil are large, more head turtles. It also follows from this that it is useless to add other inhabitants to the turtles: and.

The aquarium should be maintained at a constant temperature of 25°C by changing the water every time (provided it is installed). It is advisable to have thermometers that will give you information about the temperature. Note that turtles can only thrive in a large tank, so take care of that before you get a pet.

Age

Before you decide to start a turtle at home, think about the fact that this is one of those few animals that can outlive a person for several years.

Water turtle - favorite pet. She doesn't take up much space. Unlike cats and dogs, does not damage furniture.

At proper care no smell, no allergies. You can get a turtle for those who have children. They may be happy to help you take care of your pet.

  • Aquarium. The most optimal would be a glass aquarium with a capacity of 150 - 200 liters;
  • Water. The level for a small turtle should be 10 cm, as the pet grows, it must be increased. In general, water should be poured more than the width of the shell. If the turtle was on its back, it could easily roll over. If there is no filter, then you need to change it at least once a week. It is better to use filtered;
  • Temperature. Water should be from 20 to 27 degrees;
  • Land. Although turtles are called water turtles, they cannot stay in the water all the time. A flat stone is suitable for the island (it should be boiled before use), gravel or decorative pebbles for aquariums can be used. The main thing is to make the ball slope, for the convenience of the turtle. The size of the sushi is a little over size shell;
  • Lighting. The sun at home can be replaced by an ultraviolet lamp. This is necessary for full development and growth. The distance between the aquarium and such a lamp is 1.5 m. It is enough to turn it on 2 times a week for 5 minutes, then increasing it to 30 minutes. It is not bad to use an ordinary table lamp for warming. To avoid burns, the distance between the island and the lamp should be 30 cm;
  • paddock. You should take your pet out of the aquarium from time to time, and in the summer you should take it outside.

Video: proper care

What needs to be fed?

Before feeding, let the turtle warm up well which improves digestion.

The diet should be varied and balanced. A very small turtle can only be fed with special food, small crustaceans are suitable - gammarus And shrimps. Calcium is needed for shell development.

To do this, you can give eggshells clean and crushed or shell rock. Feeding is carried out twice a day, gradually moving to a one-time meal. Turtles that have reached 2 years of age are enough to feed 2 times per week.

Always accustom new foods gradually. Along with crustaceans, you can later use dried marble cockroaches, crickets or locusts.

You can give turtles fresh meat and fish. But not often and in small portions. It is better that the meat is not fatty or boiled. Once a week it is necessary to give the liver, It contains trace elements necessary for life.

Plant foods are also very important.. In nature, turtles eat big amount grass and algae. If it is not possible to buy algae, at home you can use leaf lettuce, fresh cabbage leaves (dip in boiling water), clover, dandelions, cucumber, carrots and watermelon peels.

From fruits: apples, pears and bananas. It is good to add sprouted wheat and sunflower seeds to the diet. The turtle must gnaw, to avoid deformation of the jaw. Apple or pear branches are perfect.

Never leave food leftovers in the water!

hibernation

Turtles sleep in nature in winter within 5 months. The activity of the body slows down, and she hardly breathes.

At home, sleep only reaches up to three months. A week before hibernation, the turtle should be stopped feeding, then moved to a container with moist moss and a lower air temperature.

At home there is no great need for winter hibernation. The pet will have enough sleep several times a day.

Diseases

  • Redness and swelling of the eyes- the most common disease. Occurs when malnutrition or from very dirty water. For treatment, foods that contain carotene should be introduced into the diet. Swimming should be reduced to three hours a day. Eyes should be carefully treated with a 3% solution boric acid. Additionally lubricate and antibiotic containing ointments;
  • Shell softening- the shape of the bones is broken, thickenings appear. The turtle becomes lethargic and moves little. It is necessary to give small fish along with the bones. Add ultraviolet;
  • Pneumonia- arises from too cold water or proximity to drafts. A very serious illness that can lead to death.

If for two days the turtle sits sluggishly in one place or cannot emerge from the water, should show veterinarian. In this case, only a specialist can prescribe treatment.

Emergency care - warming up over a solution of pharmacy chamomile.

Video content

To what size does it grow?

Turtles are born with a size of no more than three cm. The first two years are a period of intensive growth, turtles grow up to 7 - 10 cm. Then they grow a little more slowly. adult turtle in the absence of will able to grow 25 - 32 cm. Adult males are significantly fewer females. For comparison, in nature, their relatives can grow up to 50 cm.

How many lives?

Common at home is red-eared turtle. In optimally created conditions for life, she can live up to 40 years. And if you have bog turtle , then her life period is less - maximum 25 years.

If, nevertheless, you decide to purchase a turtle, remember that we are responsible for those who have been trained. And let her be for you good friend on long years and not just a pet.

If you love aquariums and animals, but fish do not cause you vivid feelings, then you can get a water turtle. The water turtle is not as mobile and inquisitive as the land turtle, but it is less troublesome to keep it. Plus she moves so gracefully! With the correct content of the water turtle at home, it will live 20-40 years. Contrary to popular belief in turtle longevity, aquatic turtles rarely live in the wild for more than two decades. If at home you manage to create for her close to ideal conditions, then she will delight you with her presence twice as long. So when compared with other pets, the water turtle is a long-liver. However, experience shows that many of them die "before adulthood." Therefore, before you start an aquatic turtle, study the rules for keeping it at home. If you are confident that you can provide your "tortilla" with a decent life, then you can go to the pet store for an unusual pet.

Types of aquatic turtles

There are a lot of species of aquatic turtles, but not all of them can live at home. Most often at home they start:

  • Chinese trionyx, which has not a horny, but a leather shell;
  • the American or European marsh tortoise, which requires a particularly large area of ​​land;
  • red-eared turtle, a distinctive feature of which is bright spots near the auricle, which can be either red or yellow, orange.

The latter species of aquatic turtles is especially popular, since in nature it has a relatively small size (usually up to 30 cm in adulthood), long life lines (up to 40 years), and keeping representatives of this species of turtles at home does not cause too much trouble.

What you need for a red-eared turtle in your home

Before you bring home a red-eared turtle, you need to purchase everything you need to keep it. This:

  • an aquarium (or rather, even an aquaterrarium) with a volume of 150 to 250 liters with a land area occupying at least a quarter of its surface - turtles will climb on it to bask "in the sun";
  • an ultraviolet lamp, which will play the role of the "sun", it must work in the daytime for 12 hours a day, without it the turtle will not absorb calcium well, which it needs to form a shell;
  • a heater for sushi, with the help of it on land you will maintain a temperature of 32 to 36 degrees (you need to stir it so that it does not get splashed, directly above the land, but at a sufficient distance so as not to burn your "red-eared" pet);
  • water heater in the aquarium - if you do not maintain the temperature in it from 24 to 26 degrees, the turtles can get sick or hibernate, which is highly undesirable at home, since in this case there is a big risk that the pet will fall asleep forever;
  • a water filter of sufficient power to purify the water in an aquarium of the appropriate volume (it is better to give preference to an external one);
  • thermometer.

In advance, you need to think about where the aquarium will stand. After all, it is very heavy, and not every table is able to withstand such a load.

In the aquarium, the aquatic turtle will spend most of its time, but sometimes you can get it and give it the opportunity to walk around the apartment. You need to hold the turtle with both hands, as it can slip out. In addition, red-eared turtles bite and scratch painfully. After you have taken the turtle in your hand, you need to wash its shell with soap and water.

Without water, an aquatic turtle can even live for several days, but at the same time it will suffer from drying out, so it is better not to take it out of the aquarium for more than a couple of hours.

How and what to feed an aquatic turtle

Proper maintenance of a turtle at home also implies proper feeding. The menu will depend on the age of the turtle.

If you take a very small turtle into the house, then it will most likely refuse the food you offer until it has finished everything that is in the yolk sac. If you notice something incomprehensible on the plastron of your turtle - do not remove it, this is its yolk sac: it will resolve itself when its contents are finished.

In the future, it is advisable to use artificial food specially created for turtles. Young turtles can be supplemented with snails, shrimp, add calcium, which is necessary for the formation of a strong shell.

In adult turtles, 75% of the diet should be plant foods: vegetables, aquarium plants. Therefore, artificial food should be only 50% in the menu, since it contains about 40-60% protein.

Baby turtles should be fed daily, according to the instructions on the food package. Adult turtles can be fed every other day or even two.

It is important to know that a turtle cannot swallow food without water, so there is no point in feeding it far from water. Food can be put in the aquarium, you can give it by keeping the turtle in another container of water so as not to pollute the water in the aquarium.

If you follow the rules for keeping and feeding an aquatic turtle at home, your handsome man will delight you for a long time. After all good conditions Red-eared turtles live up to 40 years.

Slowness and phlegmatism - these qualities immediately come to mind when looking at turtles. And that's right - remember the Turtle and the Lion? She somehow doesn’t care that the Lion Cub is lying nearby: there is no danger, and she should have finished singing the song about the sun ... But what a metamorphosis is happening, as soon as the Turtle is in the water! Where does her philosophical slowness go?! Speed, grace, beauty - that's what we see now. So in life, your idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthese animals will turn upside down as soon as you see a water turtle in its second native element - water! The myth of tortoise slowness will be blown to smithereens, and you will definitely want to have this cute reptile in your home.

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For home maintenance, you should purchase the inhabitants of fresh water - a marsh turtle, snake-necked or red-eared. Reptile lovers prefer the latter.

Let's meet?

The red-eared turtle is a representative of waterfowl turtles that live in fresh water. America and Mexico are considered the ancestral home of these reptiles, but their distribution in the world is expanding. Perhaps the “human factor” played a role: negligent owners could well let the annoying pets “free”. In our conditions, such "freedom" does not pass - in winter time the animal will simply die. That is why you need to think it over well before you go to buy a turtle, and buying “on emotions” is completely unacceptable.

In principle, representatives of this species can live in any body of water, in vivo they withstand quite low temperatures (but not Russian winters!) and at the same time they are unpretentious in the choice of food. Perhaps this was the reason for its great popularity among reptile lovers.

The red-eared turtle owes its name to the stripes that extend from the eyes and look like "ears". The head, neck, paws and tail are decorated with yellow spots and stripes. On the paws - membranes, without which in the water you can not do. Aging, animals lose their brightness of color, and males can even become almost black.

If the turtle is threatened by some kind of danger, it hisses: her vocal cords are not developed, so there will be no noise in the apartment. The animal has developed vision and smell. The organs of hearing are weaker, however, at the slightest rustle, the reptile tends to hide in the water.

Distinguishing a female from a male is not difficult: the male has a longer tail than the female, and he has dents on the underside of the shell that help him climb onto the female when mating. Another one distinguishing feature males have longer claws on their front paws than females. With regard to the content, there is no difference who to take - a girl or a boy. Whoever you like, take it. Under natural conditions, sexual maturity occurs at 6-8 years, at home - in males at 4 years, in females - 5-6 years.


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Attractive appearance and relatively easy care have made this type of turtle popular. Fast growing animals (it takes 5 years for a baby turtle to grow to 30 cm in shell diameter) will need to expand their living space if you don't provide enough space right away.

Aquaterrarium (Paludarium)

This is how you can call a home for your future pet. Neither an aquarium (albeit a water one, but a turtle, not a fish!), Nor a terrarium, as for land counterparts, are not satisfied in a “pure” form. Animals need water and land equally. And it is better to prepare for the reception of a new tenant in advance, so that immediately upon arrival from the pet store, put the newcomer to the prepared living space.

For one turtle, a container of at least 100-150 liters should be prepared, for an adult it is possible for 200. You can buy an aquaterrarium specially modeled for waterfowl turtles. In the ZooIdea online store, Tetra models (Repto AquaSet) are presented, fully equipped for the life of a turtle: scenery, land plots, lighting according to the latest technologies, compact shockproof heater and filter element with replaceable cartridges. In a word - come in, buy and go for a turtle!

You can also buy a closed terrarium from the company Imac (Italy), where the purchased turtle will be quite comfortable, and you don’t have to rack your brains over the arrangement of housing. True, in a few years, when your turtle becomes quite an adult, you will have to expand this living space - the turtle needs a fairly large space. But these worries are coming in the future ...

It should be borne in mind that in the aquaterrarium, land areas should be at least 25% in area. All kinds of floating islands, such as pieces of foam plastic, do not pass, just as it is not enough to simply stick a piece of plastic to the wall. Turn on your own imagination or use ready-made design ideas: driftwood, stones, decorative rocks - not only beautiful, but also convenient for the turtle. Well, if the coast is sloping and not too high, so that the turtle can easily get out of the water to rest and warm up, you can also feed it on land.

A heating lamp should be installed above the equipped shore. In nature, turtles like to bask in the sun, lying on the bank: “I lie in the sun and look at the sun ...” In our version, the role of the sun is assigned to the lamp. Ultraviolet light is especially needed for growing baby turtles. In the winter months, UV irradiation is required for three to four minutes from a half-meter distance, to do this at least three times in 7-10 days. You can use "tanning lamps", or you can buy irradiation lamps at the pet store. For red-eared turtles, it is better to purchase the Repti Glo 5.0 model. Lamps are produced under an ordinary base, but it is better to use with Repti Zoo lamps.

Cover the bottom of the aquaterrarium with coarse soil so that your pet does not swallow small pieces, and it is easier to get out on land on rough, rough ground.

A prerequisite for a comfortable stay: clean living water with temperatures below 20 degrees. Distilled, mineral, boiled and chlorinated is not good! The balance of minerals (300 mg / l), neutral pH should be observed in the water.

Cleaning should be carried out weekly, but the installed aquarium filter can significantly increase this period of time - up to a month. Filters are especially relevant for large aquariums, where the water can be changed as it gets dirty. Red-eared turtles can also adapt to tap water (it’s better to defend it anyway), but the filter is much more reliable and safer for health. By the way, the growth of young animals directly depends on the quality of water: what cleaner water the faster the turtle grows.

So that your ward does not decide to run away, it is better to cover the top of the aquaterrarium, but then you should think about a ventilation device. And when arranging various devices in the turtle house, try to place them in such a way that the turtle cannot reach them, otherwise sooner or later they will simply be destroyed. Strongly fixed, reliable structures out of reach - this is what will guarantee the preservation of the interior of the turtle's home.

Microclimatic conditions of detention

The creation of conditions for the life of a reptile must be approached with all responsibility - both the health and life expectancy of the animal will depend on this. Turtles can't stand low temperatures. In winter, they will definitely need to be heated, for which a lamp is equipped. An ordinary incandescent lamp will do - it has good heat dissipation. If you heat up a piece of land where the turtle rests and warms up, then water heating is not required.

In the pet store, you can buy a timer, then the lamp will turn on and off at the set time, which is very convenient. But this is not the main argument for acquiring a timer: the animal has its own biological “clock”, literally up to minutes calculated, so the timer will also be needed to set daily rhythms.

Whatever good lamps you did not install a turtle in a dwelling, natural light is vital to it. IN summer months you can take the turtle house out into the fresh air, but you should avoid open places where the direct rays of the sun fall. You just need to look at the thermometer: the temperature should not be lower than 25 degrees C. Having organized a turtle walk, you need to think about protecting it from crows, dogs and other animals that can harm your pet.

If you create comfortable conditions, then the turtle will not fall into hibernation, how in natural conditions. The only thing is that in winter it can become lethargic, lose interest in food. You can activate the reptile with good lighting and heating.

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We support beauty and health

The turtle needs to do a “manicure” from time to time, cutting off overgrown claws. The procedure must be carried out very carefully with manicure accessories. Try not to cut your hair too short, as capillaries pass through the claws of the red-eared turtle.

With a sharp beak, the reptile tears food, therefore, no matter how much you would like to shorten it a little, you should not do this.

Your pet may get sick if some conditions of detention are violated. These can be diseases such as pneumonia, eye diseases, skin diseases and armor problems. If you find symptoms that indicate that the animal is unwell, contact your veterinarian without delay.

What should you pay attention to? If the animal has lost its appetite, is inactive, floats on the surface, and when trying to dive it does not work, this may indicate pneumonia. Inflammation of the eyes, swelling of the eyelids and purple mucous membrane of the eyes speaks for itself - a disorder with the eyes. Lethargy, lack of appetite and, at the same time, a “softened” shell or peeling of the plates is a problem with the shell. If the skin is flaky or covered with a whitish coating, then this should also be a reason to consult a doctor.

About power mode

There are no special problems with feeding the turtle, if you follow some recommendations. Young turtles should be fed daily - until the age of two years, then you can switch to two to three meals a week (!).

Your ward will not refuse bloodworms and minced meat, from ready-made granular feeds and boiled fish, which can and should be given with bones (calcium balance is maintained). Do not give fatty fish and do not keep on a purely meat diet - then rickets cannot be avoided. Young turtles can be given predominantly animal food, while older turtles can be given more vegetable food.

On the modern pet food market, you can buy feed, supplements, and vitamins. In the ZooIdea store you can buy food for turtles. For your pet, gammarus will be a real delicacy - a healthy, inexpensive and satisfying food for turtles. In addition, you can buy turtle food, specially balanced in certain proportions: algae, worms, gammarus, vitamins and micro-, macroelements are selected in the best way.

In addition to food, foreign and domestic manufacturers - Zoomir, Beafar, Sera and Tetra offer vitamin complexes, bioadditives, vitamin-mineral complexes and treats for turtles, which can also be purchased at ZooIdea. Then the turtle will receive all the necessary nutrients, and the algae planted in the aquaterrarium may remain intact. It is not bad to diversify the menu with plant foods - lettuce and young cabbage, pond algae will appeal to your wards. If available houseplants, you can sometimes treat them to a turtle: leaves of hibiscus, hyacinth, aloe, fuchsia, cacti (pre-remove the needles). Of the wild - oregano, clover, timothy, succession, thistle can be included in the diet. To grind off the horny jaw plates, give shoots of fruit trees.

About several "DO NOT"

When generalizing, it will not be superfluous to focus on what is categorically NOT possible.

- Keep in a container without arranging islands of sushi.

- Keep without providing heating.

— Keep without UV lamp.

- Feed only animal food.

- Feed only food of plant origin.

- Introduce vitamins and supplements into food "by eye".

— Keep in dirty water.

- Clean the turtle shell with a coarse brush or try to remove the horny shields.

- Keep several males “under one roof” or settle new animals without going through quarantine.

- Keep reptiles of different sizes in one aquaterrarium.

- Use plastic, glass for islands and ladders, i.e. slippery materials.