Pets are in almost every family. They become favorites of both adults and children. Today, many people prefer to have exotic animals that do not cause much trouble to their owners. Decorative reptiles have become popular because they do not need to collect wool and feathers throughout the house. They do not wake up in the morning and do not call for a walk, they do not scream like exotic birds. In addition, they are hypoallergenic, which is quite important in our time. Therefore, those who wish to have pet prefer turtles. At the same time, for some reason, they are looking for small animals on the Internet, in pet stores. Dwarf turtles - what they are and where is the best place to buy them, as well as how to care for a pet, these are the points that you need to pay attention to before making a purchase.

Dwarf turtles - do they exist?

Dwarf means very small. Is there such a turtle in nature? It may be disappointing, but such reptiles do not exist. And even if you are offered to buy a pygmy turtle, the size of which does not exceed three centimeters, know this is an absolute deception, there is no such species in nature. Many unscrupulous sellers, and sadly, even in pet stores, give out baby red-eared turtles as pygmy ones. And under favorable conditions of detention and rational nutrition, the baby grows up to twenty centimeters. Therefore, calling them dwarfs is hardly appropriate.

The smallest tortoise in the world is the Pennsylvania tortoise. maximum length, which does not exceed twelve centimeters. But it lives exclusively in the shallow rivers and lakes of eastern America. That is, it is a freedom-loving reptile that lives in natural conditions.

There are also small specimens among aquarium turtles. Their length varies from six to thirteen centimeters. Reptiles larger than the indicated limits are classified as large species and require slightly different conditions than small turtles. In total, there are several types of turtles of small sizes that are perfect for aquarium maintenance - these are:

• Flat turtles, their weight is only one hundred and seventy grams, the length is about eight centimeters. They do not require a lot of space, so a small aquarium will suffice for them. The main food is moisture-loving plants. They are very popular with lovers of exotic pets, because they are very easy to maintain;
• Trailing turtles grow up to a maximum of thirteen centimeters. their homeland North America and Africa. Represented by four subspecies;
• Muscovy turtles are also popular as pets. Their size varies between fourteen and fifteen centimeters. It's not hard at all to take care of them. This miniature tortoise is represented by four species;
• Spotted turtles are amphibious. For their home maintenance, an aquaterrarium is required, since both water and land are required in equal proportions. The size of the turtles reaches thirteen centimeters;
• Chinese three-keeled turtles also belong to miniature species, their size is about thirteen centimeters. They do great in small aquariums.

Here, perhaps, are all the little turtles that exist in the world and are suitable for home keeping in aquariums.

Therefore, if you are offered to buy a pygmy turtle without specifying its type, then most likely you will be disappointed in the future, since the reptile will grow up and you will have to radically revise the conditions for its maintenance.

As we have already said, for dwarf species most often give out babies of the red-eared turtle, which is also popular among breeders of decorative reptiles. And if the purchase has already taken place, then you should not be upset, since these turtles are also beautiful, therefore, it offers detailed information about how to properly care for a pet so that it fully develops and pleases its owners for many years.

Care and maintenance

The red-eared turtle, although not a dwarf, is a fairly popular pet. The size of an adult reptile reaches twenty, in rare cases, twenty-five centimeters. At correct content, a turtle will live in a family for about thirty years, and there are times when a reptile lives up to fifty, but this is ideal conditions. In order for the pet to feel good and develop correctly, he needs to create favorable conditions content.

Turtles need a large aquarium to live. The optimal volume is one hundred and fifty to two hundred liters. And this despite the fact that childhood the red-eared turtle is only about three centimeters in size. There is a natural pattern, the larger the space, the more fully the reptile develops and grows.

Despite the fact that the turtle belongs to aquatic reptiles, it requires dry land. Therefore, in the aquarium, it is necessary to provide a hill of stone or other artificial objects that will act as land, where the turtle will go to rest and warm up. At any time of the year, an ultraviolet lamp should always be near the aquarium, in the summer it can be replaced Fresh air and a light sun, but not direct rays, they are dangerous for reptiles. Ultraviolet is vital for the red turtle, without it they often get sick and die quickly.

The water in the aquarium should always be clean and warm. When changing it, only water that has been settled for two days is used. It is good if a pump filter is installed in the aquarium, which will help purify the water.

Let the land from the water to the island of land should have a rough surface, it will be easy for reptiles to climb it. The heat-loving red-eared turtle needs to bask in the sun. At home, this whim is quite simple to fulfill. You need to take the usual light bulb, with a power of not more than 40 watts and install it at a distance of ten centimeters from where the turtle will rest on land.

Regarding the ultraviolet lamp. There are certain points that need to be taken into account. The fact is that its rays come in different lengths, so it is best to give preference to special lamps designed specifically for reptiles.

These lamps are necessary for the disinfection of aquariums and animals. You can't do without them in the cold season. Turn on the lamp three times a week for five minutes. The distance from it to the aquarium should be thirty centimeters.

Little red-eared turtles get along well with aquarium fish, but as they grow older, they begin to hunt them and eat them. Yes, do not be surprised, red-eared reptiles belong to predators, therefore, in adulthood, they are kept in a separate aquarium. By the way, these small predators can bite a person’s finger, so you don’t need to tease them and substitute the phalanxes to the animal’s mouth.

What to feed a turtle

Picking up a diet for the red-eared turtle is not at all difficult. Since she is a predator, she will eat raw meat, fish even with bones with great pleasure. The only thing in which it is necessary to limit the animal is in oily fish. Also, with great pleasure, the turtle eats bloodworms and granulated food. However, you should not feed the animal with only one type of food, the food should be varied and complete, otherwise the reptile develops rickets and the shell is deformed. This happens from a lack of vitamin D. Therefore, certain feeding rules must be observed. Young reptiles are fed mainly on food of animal origin, gradually increasing plant nutrition. From birth to two years, the animal is fed once a day. After a day later.

Pet diseases

With improper maintenance and nutrition, domestic turtles often get sick. The most common disease that awaits reptiles in an aquarium is pneumonia. It occurs as a result of hypothermia. It is necessary to ensure that the water of the animal is not lower than twenty-eight degrees. The first signs of the disease are:

• loss of appetite;
• lethargy;
• impossibility of immersion under water.

Pet treatment should be to provide warmth. To do this, you need to monitor the temperature of the water in the aquarium, the lamp above the land should be constantly on, and the turtle itself should be kept two or three times a day with a warm steam of chamomile decoction.

They can also catch reptiles and infectious eye disease. The turtle's eyes become inflamed and the eyelids swell. With such symptoms, it is isolated from other animals and kept exclusively on land, lowered into the water only for an hour or two a day. Treat inflammation with antibiotics for the eyes, instilling them three times a day.

If the turtle's shell has become soft and has begun to lose its shape, then it is necessary to ensure proper balanced nutrition, including vitamin supplements in the diet. Plus, most likely the animal does not have enough ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, in the summer, the reptile should be taken out into the street, and at other times, do not forget about ultraviolet lamps. Also, with insufficiently nutritious food, the animal's skin may peel off.

Subject to the basic rules for keeping turtles in aquariums, reptiles will become favorite pets on for a long time.

The world of turtles is amazingly diverse. Quite tiny and huge, land and water, brightly and spectacularly colored and having a completely nondescript color - all these reptiles inhabit our planet. Today we will talk about what is the maintenance of water turtles at home.

Turtle species

The Emydidae family includes about ninety-five species, united in thirty-three genera, that live in freshwater bodies of America, Europe, Asia, and Northwest Africa. Many aquatic members of the family have a bright color, beautifully colored head, legs and carapace.

Today we will focus on two types of these animals, which are most often bred at home. These are the Far Eastern trionics and the red-eared turtle. These are cold-blooded animals that need warmth, a balanced diet, with the obligatory addition of vitamins and minerals. We will talk about how to feed a water turtle at home a little later.

As pets, they have a red-eared or swamp individual. They are distinguished small size and relative ease of maintenance. Despite its small size, this reptile lives for a long time.

Water at home

Both experienced and aquarists, and beginners in this business, start this. Red-eared water turtles at home do not cause much concern to the owner. They are small in size and have a fairly long lifespan.

The reptile got its name for two spots that are located on the sides of the head. They can be yellow, deep orange or bright red. The length of the shell can vary from 11 cm to 60 cm. It depends on the age of the turtle. It has an oval-rounded, streamlined shape. The entire shell is covered with horn-shaped plates-shields. The toes end in sharp claws and are webbed. The head is covered with soft skin.

The main factors contributing to the comfortable keeping of reptiles at home are temperature, lighting (including ultraviolet radiation), and water filtration.

Trionics

Another representative of water turtles, which aquarists like to keep at home. Trionics is a soft-bodied reptile with a long neck, which distinguishes it from other representatives of a large family. Her paws have three fingers with sharp and strong claws. The structural features of Trionix are due to the aquatic lifestyle. They spend most of their time burrowing into soft ground. It can be silt, fine sand or small stones. Thus, they watch for prey.

We equip the aquarium

Aquatic turtles at home primarily need an aquarium. Their home should be an aquaterrarium. It must be horizontal, and its length must be at least twice the height, since for this type of reptile the area of ​​\u200b\u200btheir “house” is more important than volume.

Turtles grow very fast, so choose a tank that is spacious enough for your pet to move around freely. The water part should occupy about 2/3 of the entire area. It is desirable to make the “shore” of the pool flat, as in natural conditions, so that your pet can easily go to the island of land.

Island of sushi

The size of this island depends on the size of your pet. It should fit freely there completely. It should be noted that the island must be shaped so that the water flowing from the turtle does not stagnate on it. It must be made of non-slip materials. Today, such islands can be offered to you in pet stores. This will save you time on its construction.

An aquarium needs a filter to purify the water and without ultraviolet light, turtles do not absorb calcium well. The bottom of the aquarium is laid out with pebbles or coarse soil. The reptile will definitely try the soil with its teeth, so the size of the pebbles should be larger than the turtle's head. When buying, find out what breed it belongs to. Depends on temperature regime water in the aquarium.

Lighting and ventilation

It is impossible to oversaturate the terrarium with light, but you should not save on lighting. Aquatic turtles, kept at home, especially appreciate the sun. They vitally need additional ultraviolet radiation, since its lack can provoke the development various diseases. Today, such UV lamps can be selected from a huge range of products from domestic and foreign manufacturers. They have different powers and price category. The choice of lamp depends on the volume of the terrarium, the number of turtles living in it, etc. Detailed advice will be given to you by the sellers of the pet store. But experienced aquarists recommend purchasing such devices with a five percent UVB.

Water turtles spend the whole day in the aquaterrarium. At home, your pet can only be placed in another container with water for the time of cleaning or feeding. Do not let him go to the floor, as the animal may get some kind of infection or be injured.

Proper care of a water turtle at home involves installing a powerful filter. Even with it, you should not forget about partial or complete water changes, at least once a week.

Aquaterrarium must be well ventilated. But do not confuse ventilation with drafts. These reptiles are very afraid of them, they can get colds.

What to feed water turtles at home?

This question worries many lovers of these cute animals. It should be noted that it must be taken very seriously. From what to feed a water turtle at home, 80% depends on the well-being of your pet and its life expectancy.

The diet should include low-fat raw fish without sharp bones. It is cut into small pieces, depending on the size of your pet. Don't limit yourself to just one fish. It must be alternated with seafood. Turtles will not refuse beef liver or earthworms either.

Occasionally, you can diversify the diet with chicken or beef meat. All products are given raw. Adult turtles can add vegetable food to the menu. It can be lettuce leaves, slices of pear, cucumber or apple. But most often, water turtles at home eat special dry food, since they contain a perfectly balanced content of all essential vitamins and micronutrients.

Pets that are less than ten centimeters long should be fed every day, and individuals exceeding this size should be fed no more than three times a week. The portion is made up of the amount of food that the animal eats in thirty to forty minutes. At the time of feeding, it is advisable to place the animals in a special container with water so as not to clog the water in the turtle's permanent house. We hope that you have learned what water turtles eat at home. These tips will help keep your pet healthy for years to come.

Water purification

Most often, aquatic representatives of the family eat perishable food. In addition, the natural secretions of animals heavily pollute the terrarium. Previously, the owners of such pets had to change the water several times a week. Now, thanks to the fact that modern filters have appeared on sale today various designs makes caring for them so much easier.

For a small aquarium with small individuals, a regular internal filter equipped with a sponge will suffice. Filters suitable for small reservoirs, today there are many. They perfectly cope with their task and purify water from small and medium-sized dirt particles.

Recently appeared and became very popular special devices which greatly simplifies the care of aquaterrariums. These are biological filters. They use special bacteria that remove nitrogen compounds.

In addition, the pet store will offer you specialized fillers, which, as a rule, are made by foreign manufacturers. They help keep water in for a long time. perfect condition and prevent the growth of bacteria in it.

What should you pay attention to?

If your turtle is not properly cared for, your pet may become sick. The owner should be very attentive to the appearance of symptoms such as:

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

A sick pet does not move much, spends a lot of time on an island of land, and often refuses to eat. In such cases, cases cannot be delayed - it must be urgently shown to the veterinarian. To treat the turtle, you will need to find a specialist who deals with these particular animals, since it is difficult to diagnose them.

Caring for a water turtle should give pleasure to the owner, only in this case both people and animals will be satisfied. If you are too busy in the service, and therefore the circumstances will not allow you to pay due attention to the turtle - wait a little with the purchase. Otherwise, the maintenance of such a cute pet will turn into a boring duty for you, which will lead to illness and even death.

Dwarf turtles may well be pets, because reptiles rarely cause allergic reactions. For a comfortable existence at home, they need a large aquarium and decorative fixtures.

Most of the acquired reptiles are babies. During this period, you should observe their adaptation, control nutrition and take care of comfort. At this age, ornamental turtles often die, sometimes for no apparent reason.

Types of pygmy turtles

The age of reptiles is not related to size. Domestic turtles grow much faster due to different living conditions and abundant feeding.

You can buy such a turtle both on the street or in a pet store, or take it for free from an ad on the Internet: they often look for new house for animals abandoned by previous owners.

There are such types of dwarf turtles:

The life expectancy of turtles depends on the conditions of detention, feeding and proper care. On average, it varies from 20 to 50 years if the reptiles are in captivity.

Home Care

If the aquarium contains several individuals, then the dominant ones will show aggression towards other inhabitants. Under such circumstances, you need to create more space for turtles and add some decorative elements so that they have the opportunity to hide from the offender.

decorative fixtures

Required purchases:

• an aquarium of sufficient size, depending on the number of swimming individuals;
• device for heating water;
• filtration system;
• UV lamp;
• lamp for heating;
• lighting: lamp or lamp;
• thermometer for measuring water temperature;
• special elements that will help the turtle to get to the surface of the water and will serve as a shore or island.

Having bought an aquarium, you need to choose a place to place it. You will need enough space, because the reptile house should have a considerable volume - at least 150 liters. It is necessary to make room for many other devices that will provide comfort to the turtles. Otherwise, pets may die.

In their natural environment, aquatic turtles spend a lot of time on land, so it is important to provide them with a similar space at home. This islet should be convenient for reptile outings and safe. Such "berezhki" can be purchased at pet stores. The materials from which they are made do not have harmful components and eliminate the risk of damage to the pet.

If you make such a detail with your own hands, you can use a snag of a tree, process it well, while maintaining natural irregularities so that it is convenient for the turtle to get out onto land. A place to rest above the water should occupy at least 20% of the total surface area.

The optimum temperature regime is 8-10 degrees higher than in water. Exceeding the temperature will cause the pet to overheat and die.

To maintain a comfortable life, aquarium turtles need ultraviolet lamps: in nature, they receive a sufficient amount of sunlight, but at home, a lack of sun will not allow them to properly absorb calcium and produce vitamin B. The lack of calcium will lead to poor shell development, which means that mini- the turtle will get sick, and its shell will be prone to deformation.

Aquarium water

The turtle is a waterfowl, so water plays a very important role in its life. The quality of the liquid in which it lives must be good.

In the water, animals feed, leave the results of their vital activity, so you need to change the filling of the aquarium often. A dirty environment is a source of infections and disease-causing bacteria and can cause illness and even death in pets.

When replacing, the fluid must stand for at least 24 hours to get rid of chlorine and maintain room temperature.

Feeding

Although small turtles are omnivorous reptiles, their diet should be varied. Suitable foods are fish food, vegetables, aquarium plants, insects and fish. The main thing is that reptiles get a lot of calcium. Keep in mind that domestic turtles are prone to overeating.

In pet stores you can buy special artificial food. They include all the necessary elements that are needed for proper nutrition. High content protein allows you to give pets food in small quantities.

It is always necessary to give mixed vegetables, even if the turtles are not interested in it. This will provide the pet the right stock fibre, calcium and other vitamins.

Young animals should be fed every day with both artificial and vegetable food. It is more difficult with adult representatives, they are less mobile, so you can feed them after 1-2 days.

Diseases

Little turtles get sick because of dirty water, poor nutrition and insufficient care for them. Sick individuals need to be kept at temperatures up to 30 degrees, because in such conditions the immune system of reptiles works well - so the pet can quickly cope with the disease.

During the period of illness, it is necessary to provide enough water, otherwise dehydration will lead to kidney failure. It is important to change the fluid on time and create the maximum comfortable conditions for a speedy recovery.

Aquarium turtles are bright representatives of reptiles that have been cultivated at home. In addition to their unusual appearance, all species have a special horn protection - a shell. Keeping and caring for a turtle at home requires an aquarium or aquaterrarium that is comfortable for life. Only freshwater species of reptiles are suitable for the home. You will have to take care of them carefully and regularly, so you will have to equip an aquarium with suspended structure, which would be convenient for them to climb. There are various types of aquarium turtles, but there are also the most common ones, the care of which is very simple.

High-quality care guarantees a healthy, harmonious pet. Turtles have dense protective coatings that help them protect the body from damage, since nature did not endow animals with the ability to run away from danger. Aquarium turtles require delicate attention to live in peace and harmony.

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Popular types of turtles in the aquarium

Red-eared turtles

These turtles live in an aquarium for about 25 years. Natural habitat - North America. The unusual greenish reptile boasts a bright red stripe behind each eye. Aquatic species, requires an aquarium with water. Males have a long and dense tail, long claws on the front paws, their carapace is smaller than that of females, the plastron is concave, while in females it is even.

Trachemys scripta

The red-eared tortoise is a freshwater animal that is quite often found in the home aquaterrariums of lovers of all countries. In nature, these curious creatures live in the USA, South-East Asia, South Africa as well as in southern and central Europe.

They got their interesting name, of course, not for the red ears, but for the stripes of this color in the usual place for the ears. These turtles do not have an external auditory canal, but the tympanic membrane is still present and is located on the head. Red-eared turtles have good hearing, although many consider them deaf. True, they hear only low sounds, up to 3000 hertz. But their vocal cords are not developed - the redhead can only hiss and make a sound similar to a short squeak.

very young red-eared turtle

When these turtles are born, their shell diameter is about 3 cm, at 1.5 years old it is already about 8 cm, and then every year the shell size increases by another 1-1.3 cm and so on up to 6-8 years. Then the growth stops. Maximum size the shell of the domestic red-eared turtle - 30 cm, but usually less.

Aquarium for red-eared sliders

To keep a domestic red-eared turtle (taking into account the size of an adult at once), an aquarium with a volume of 100-150 liters is required. It is imperative to equip a land area in it, which occupies approximately ¼ of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe entire bottom. The ascent to this island should be gentle with rough surface, for which turtles can cling to claws to climb onto the shore. In the aquaterrarium, there should not be soil with a particle size smaller than the turtle's head, as there are frequent cases of swallowing such stones, from which the redworts die.

perfect home for redheads

Above the island, it is desirable to install an ordinary incandescent lamp, the heat from it will heat the land, on which the turtles crawl out to bask and sleep. Install the lamp at such a distance that the air temperature above the island is about 32-40⁰С. Lights must be turned off at night.

In addition to the usual incandescent lamp installed to heat the island, it is also necessary to install an ultraviolet lamp, which is very necessary for the turtle to get vitamin D3. In almost any pet store you can now buy special lamps for terrariums "Repti-Glo" or "Llife Glo". Such a lamp should shine 12 hours a day. Install such a lamp from above, at a distance of at least 30 cm from the ground. Once a year, such a lamp should be replaced with a new one.

The water level in the aquarium can be anything, but definitely it must be higher than the width of the turtle's shell, so that in case of turning over on its back, it could return to its normal position.

The water temperature for keeping the red-eared turtle should be in the range of 22-28⁰С, so it is advisable to purchase and install a thermostat. Once a week, the water must be completely changed to clean, settled, similar temperature. If you put a filter, then the frequency of water changes can be halved.

the turtle really likes a fresh cucumber

What to feed red-eared turtles

In the first two years of life, red-eared turtles are fed daily, then they switch to a regimen of 2-3 times a week.

You can feed your pets only natural food, or you can alternate it with dry balanced food. Of the dry foods, Tetra and Sera manufacturers are good, they are balanced and already contain the vitamins necessary for turtles.

balanced food for young turtles

If you feed a young turtle with this food, then there is no need to give calcium separately, it already has everything it needs.

If you feed the red-haired woman with ordinary food, then you need to periodically add calcium. After all, if the food contains little calcium, then the tortoise shell can soften, and this should not be allowed. How is calcium given? bone meal(it is sold in pet stores) or “human” calcium gluconate, ground into powder, is added to cooked food, or pieces of food are simply rolled in it.

Many aquarium plants are suitable for natural food, for example, duckweed, richia, hornwort, ludwigia, spirogyra, edogonium, Anacharis, ceraptopteris, spiral wallisneria, Javan moss, Thai fern, sagittaria. In summer, it is best to give the turtle dandelions, plantain, and carrot tops from green food. It is also necessary sometimes to offer her twigs of birch, willow or any fruit trees(you can directly with leaves) - the need for fiber is satisfied and it becomes possible to gnaw solid food, which prevents the growth of the beak. For the winter, you can dry plants such as dandelion, nettle, oregano, clover, calendula, burdock - the turtle will eat them with pleasure. You can also give it all fresh.

With great pleasure, turtles eat pumpkin, melon, red Bell pepper and some other vegetables and fruits predominantly red and yellow flowers(For some reason they like this color more).

From domestic potted plants grown for turtles, for example, geranium, hibiscus, tradescantia.

From the "greens" you can not feed tomatoes, cabbage, peas, beans, radishes, radishes, spinach, mushrooms, pineapples, potatoes, onions, garlic, cherries, pears.

In the first years of life, the diet of turtles should consist of approximately equal parts of animal and vegetable food, and then the food should become less and less high-calorie and more fortified, that is, practically only greens.

What animal food is given to red-eared turtles? Small pieces of raw and boiled beef, lean fish, earthworms, gammarus, bloodworms, tubifex are placed in water and make sure that such food is eaten in half an hour. If food is left, it must be removed, otherwise the water will spoil. To prevent the water from spoiling, you can gradually accustom the turtle to eat on the shore, putting food closer and closer to land. To make up for the calcium deficiency in the body of a turtle, some amateurs release live fish and snails into the aquarium for food. The way to feed is not very humane, but it also has a place to be.

Red-eared turtle compatibility

By the way, on the forums I often see questions about with whom you can keep a red-eared turtle. To understand this, it is enough to look at how this turtle tears food with its long claws or grinds coils of snails with its powerful jaws.

Newts and frogs for living together with a red-eared turtle are not an option, they can get along with young red-eared turtles, and then the turtles will grow up and eat such neighbors anyway. It is also a problem with fish, small ones are eaten almost immediately, large ones - gradually, first gnawing at the fins, then they kill the fish themselves. And why? Many experiment, some even sometimes survive fish, but these are most often huge aggressive cichlids, in the same huge aquariums.

Gender of red-eared turtles

By the age of 4 years, males and 5-6 years of age, females reach sexual maturity, but the sex of red-eared turtles can be determined already in the second year of life. Males have longer claws on their front paws than females. They help to stay on the female during mating. The tail of the male is thicker and longer than that of the female, and the cloaca is located farther from the carapace. Plastron ( Bottom part shell), in females it is flat, and in males it is concave, which helps the male to take a comfortable position during intercourse. In red-eared turtles of the same age, males are smaller than females, but the spots on the head are larger and brighter.

At good conditions content live red-eared turtles up to 60 years.

Red-eared turtles - video