Pets are a great companion.Like all animals, turtles need care and attention to thrive and live a full life.Knowing your turtle's needs is an important part of pet ownership.
Step 1: An enclosure should have enough space.
A general rule of thumb is ten gallons per inch.A 50 gallon minimum is needed for a baby turtle and 120 for an adult.If you don't know the size of your turtle when it's full grown, you're not going to be able to keep it.Decide on a turtle.A desert like landscape is required for turtles like box turtles.If you want an aquatic turtle, make sure you have dry land and enough room to swim, and that your enclosure is sealed enough to hold water.
Step 2: Provide a clean environment for turtles.
A turtle needs a filter.A turtle needs a Filstar to keep it healthy.Old food and feces can build up and make your turtle sick.You will need to change your turtle's water frequently.Make sure the water is clean when you change it.If you see waste or old food in the water, it could be a problem.At any pet store, you can buy a dechlorinator or water conditioner.
Step 3: Don't forget to clean your tank.
All of the basking spots should be removed and the water emptied.Warm water and anti-bacterial soap are good for washing.Rocks should be placed in warm water and soap.The soap should be washed thoroughly.Wait until the tank is dry.The tank should be filled with clean, non-chlorinated water.If it is a land turtle, make sure to replace it with clean material on the bottom of the tank, such as sand, wood chips, or newspaper.How messy your turtle is will affect how often a clean is needed.It's a good idea to do this at least twice a month.After cleaning the tank, make sure to wash your hands.
Step 4: Provide your turtle with a balanced diet.
Vegetables and water plants should make up 50% of the diet for Red Eared Sliders.A turtle under a year old should be fed.A turtle over a year old should be fed every other day.Duckweed, azolla, and water lettuce are aquatic plants that are an example of vegetation for your turtle.They like fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots, and romaine lettuce.Chicken, turkey, and raw beef can be eaten by your turtle.Live insects, mealworms, snails, wax worms, beetle larvae, and even small goldfish are great for your animal.It is possible to provide complete nutrition for turtles with a commercially available diet.Make sure that you read the ingredients carefully and that the proportions of vegetable based matter are correct.
Step 5: Make sure your turtle has proper lighting.
UV light bulbs are needed for basking if your turtle doesn't have regular access to sunlight.Turtles in the wild are exposed to sunlight every day and are able to provide healthy growth and development.Land turtles require more light than other species, so the amount of light it needs will be based on that.UV cannot penetrate glass and will need to be above or in the enclosure.Your turtle's UV bulb needs to be changed every 6 months.The UV light will stop coming from the bulb.
Step 6: Water temperatures should be maintained.
You will need a hot water tank.Turtles rely on external heat to warm up their bodies.It can turn fatal if the temp gets too high or low.For a hatchling or a sick turtle, the water should be 80 - 82 degrees Fahrenheit (26 - 27 Celsius), and 77 - 80 degrees F (25.5 - 26.5 C) for a healthy turtle over a year old.The basking area should be 10 degrees warmer than the water to get the turtle to warm up.
Step 7: You should look for signs of sickness in your turtle.
Even if you do your best to keep your turtle healthy, there are many diseases that can affect the health of your pet.If you look for certain telltale signs, you can get your pet better quickly.A deficiency of vitamins A and C.When your turtle is not getting a proper diet, it can cause a number of problems.When your turtle is swimming, it can be affected by this.Make sure your turtle has a balanced diet.Respiratory infections.wheezing, difficulty breathing, bubbles and mucus in their nose are the most common signs of this.If you see any of the symptoms, take your turtle to the vet who will give them an x-ray and determine the proper antibiotic course.Improper basking and water temperatures are the most common cause of these issues.Shells are rotting.There is a condition to the shell.The symptoms include white, slimy, smelly appearance of the shell.There may be small scratches on the turtle's shell.Take your turtle to the vet if you see any of the signs.There are parasites.These are the most common causes of illness.Pinworms, roundworms and hookworms are the most common parasites for turtles.Lack of appetite, undigested food in stool, weight loss and sometimes spit up of food are some of the signs.Your vet will ask you to get a stool sample to test for parasites and then give you a medication to rid the turtle of the specific parasites.Look for a vet that specializes in herpetology.Some vets won't deal with exotic animals.Make sure that the vet you choose has a specialty in herpetology.A good local herp vet with strong reviews and speciality background can be found online.Call your local vet office to see if they can help turtles.
Step 8: Determine the type of turtle you want.
There are different types of turtles.There are difficulties in care, cost differences, and differences in how tame an animal is.Turtles are great for beginners.This turtle is easy to care for and great for a new turtle owner.They are small and active.Years of breeding has created a tame and docile animal.They are known for their colorful markings that make them appear painted.There are common Musk Turtles.These are a small turtle.They can rest comfortably in a small tank, but they don't like to be handled.There are turtles.The red eared and yellow bellied sliders are the most common.They are easy to care for.They are also tame and submissive.There is a Diamondback Terrapin.There are other types of turtles available in pet stores and breeders.These turtles are small (9 inches at the most) and friendly, but they require more expertise than painted turtles or sliders.They prefer a slightly salted water and will require more work.A land turtle is a tortoise.They are a long-term commitment because they can live up to 100 years.
Step 9: You can find a turtle seller.
There are many pet stores that sell turtles.Before you bring your turtle home, you should know where it came from.It can include whether it was caught in the wild or captive bred.You will want to make sure that the turtle is being kept in a proper habitat and that it is alert and healthy.There is proof that the turtle was captive bred.Chances are the turtle was born in the wild if the breeder can't provide this.This can have detrimental effects on wild turtle populations and also make your turtle more prone to stress, which is potentially detrimental to the animal's health.
Step 10: It's important to choose a healthy turtle.
It is important to choose a healthy looking turtle since many turtles can be bred in poor conditions or are captured from the wild.The turtle should be alert and relatively active.The turtle has an appetite and looks well fed.Their eyes should be clear and they shouldn't have bubbles in their nose.Listlessness is a sign of illness and the limbs should be strong and moving when picked up.There should be no signs of wounds or cracks in the shell.The enclosure should be checked.The water, food, and light should be clean.It is possible to increase the likelihood of bringing home a sick turtle if any of these are missing.
Step 11: You need to be prepared for the turtle at home.
Before you pick the turtle up, make sure your turtle's habitat is ready to go.They can start adjusting to their new life right away.
Step 12: It's always a good idea to practice safe handling.
Whether you are the primary caregivers or a child is regularly handling the turtle, be aware of potential diseases they may carry.Turtles can carry diseases.Contact with their enclosure can be used to contract this.Make sure to wash your hands after contact with an enclosure or turtle.Elderly people, children and infants are more susceptible to salmonella.If you come in contact with at risk individuals, you will want to wash your hands thoroughly.