yellow-bellied or Pond slider(Trachemys scripta) is a species belonging to the family of freshwater American turtles. This freshwater reptile is deservedly one of the most common and very popular species among lovers of exotic pets such as turtles.

Characteristics of the red-eared turtle

Experts recommend buying a reptile in early spring that will allow the baby to summer period as easy as possible to adapt to new conditions of detention. A seasonal feature of reptiles purchased in the fall is slow adaptation and slowing down of growth processes, as well as the risk of developing rickets, beriberi, or pneumonia.

When buying a red-eared turtle, you should pay attention to the condition of the reptile's shell. It must be undeformed and not soft, correct form, no scratches or any other damage. There should be no cracks or spots on the skin of the reptile. Sick and dehydrated animals have sunken eyes surrounded by a small "notch". The eyes of the red-eared turtle should be free of discharge and puffiness. The mouth of the turtle should not have a whitish coating, abrasions or wounds.

This is interesting! strange looking the formation located on the plastron is most often the residual part of the yolk sac - a food source for a small turtle. Such a formation resolves on its own, after which the reptile begins to actively feed.

It is important to be able to independently determine the sex of the red-eared turtle, and also to remember that very small turtles, regardless of gender, look exactly the same. It is only as they mature that the differences between females and males become apparent. The latter become sexually mature more quickly, having a shell of about 10-12 cm in size by this age, but the females of this species are noticeably larger. Among other things, males have longer claws, which are located on the front pair of legs, as well as concave plastrons and a longer, thicker tail. The cloaca of the male is located closer to the middle part of the tail.

Aquarium device, filling

Proper Diet for Turtles

In captivity, the red-eared turtle should be fed lean, preferably river fish, and raw beef liver is given to the freshwater reptile once every two weeks. The diet of the exotic pet be sure to supplement with snails, as well as crickets, fodder cockroaches, earthworms and medium-sized aquarium fish. The vegetable part of the diet can be represented by various aquarium plants, leaf lettuce, dandelion and plantain leaves.

This is interesting! When placing food in an aqua terrarium, it must be remembered that red-eared turtles do not chew food until they completely submerge their head under water, due to the lack of saliva.

The aquarium water should contain calcium in the form of Vitakraft Seria mineral stone. Many owners of red-eared turtles feed their pets with special ready-made diets: Tetra ReptoMin, Sera and JBL. From vegetable crops preference should be given to carrots, which in crushed form is given to a freshwater reptile no more than once a month. Turtles under one year of age should be fed daily, while older turtles should be fed once every two or three days.

Caring for the red-eared turtle

Friendly and rather unpretentious, red-eared turtles require simple, but specific care.. Clean water is the key to the active growth of young animals and the preservation of the health of adult animals. To fill the aqua terrarium, you should use water that has been settled for five days. By installing a powerful filter system, the frequency of water changes can be reduced. To maintain optimal temperature performance, you can use a traditional incandescent lamp, the light from which should be directed directly to the island of land. In this case aquarium water does not require too active additional heating.

Important! It is erroneous to believe that cramped turtles do not grow and remain attractively small. Under such conditions, the reptile can die very quickly.

After some time, the adapted animal learns to take all its food exclusively on land, which makes the feeding process very convenient, and also prevents the risk of water pollution too quickly. It is desirable that the island for resting and feeding the reptile has textured surface. Experts consider it inappropriate to keep turtles inside one aqua terrarium, which have noticeable differences in size.

It should be noted that the sluggishness and slowness of the red-eared turtle is often very deceptive, so sometimes such domestic exotics are able to show tangible activity not only in water, but also on an island of land. It is for this reason that it is very important to choose the right dwelling for a reptile. Minimum Height walls should be approximately 35-45 cm. Too low walls of the aqua terrarium can cause the turtle to jump out and quickly die from severe injury, dehydration or starvation.

Health, disease and prevention

Almost 90% of all diseases of the red-eared turtle result from improper maintenance or non-compliance with care requirements. The presence of dirty water in the aquarium quickly causes a sharp deterioration in the turtle's health.

A sick aquatic animal must be kept at a temperature increased by about 2-3 ° C, which helps to improve the functioning of the immune system. It is also necessary to monitor the turtle's drinking regimen, since dehydration can cause the death of freshwater against the background rapid development kidney failure.

The characteristic of the movements of the swimming red-eared turtle testifies to the ill health of the animal. A sick pet most often moves in the “on its side” position or simply sinks to the bottom. If an infectious nature of the disease is suspected, all pet care items should be carefully treated with an antiseptic that is safe for a pet. Usually the first symptom bacterial infection represented by the appearance of edema and necrotic changes. In this case, an antibiotic treatment regimen is prescribed, and a complete replacement of the water in the aquarium is carried out.

When injured, the red-eared turtle, under the influence of an infection that has entered the body, develops blood poisoning, accompanied by reddening of the paws and very pronounced lethargy. Such a pathology belongs to the category of intractable, therefore, it requires urgent and qualified assistance from specialists. Untimely treatment often causes the death of a pet as a result of a violation of the functions of internal organs.

Preventive measures are presented:

• daily inspection of the turtle;
• regular cleaning of the aqua terrarium;
• regular change of water in the aqua terrarium;
• proper catering;
• prevention of hypothermia;
• regular checks of illuminators, as well as heating and filtering devices;
• compliance with the rules of personal hygiene when caring for a pet;
• systematic cleaning of the tortoise shell from algae;
• mandatory quarantine for sick or newly acquired turtles;
• limiting contact of the sick turtle with any other pets and family members;
• control of the movement of the animal outside the aqua terrarium;
• periodic ultraviolet irradiation and sunbathing;
• regular checkups with a veterinarian.

If the diet is incorrectly compiled, a freshwater animal develops a calcium deficiency, which manifests itself in the form of a curvature or severe softening of the shell. Too much calcium deficiency greatly increases the risk of death for the red-eared turtle. In order to quickly normalize the general condition of the reptile, the veterinarian prescribes calcium preparations in injections.

The red-eared turtle (Trachemys scripta) is so named because of its phenotypic features: two orange-red oblong spots stretch on the sides of the head from the eyes to the neck. Its second name - yellow-bellied - also speaks of feature, and more specifically - about the bright yellow color of the plastron (abdominal shield).

The high popularity of red-eared turtles from the American freshwater family (Emydidae) is quite understandable: these reptiles are unpretentious, beautiful, interesting to watch, and some owners even teach them to handle. But alas, many of the owners make gross mistakes that lead to the death of reptiles of this species.

In our article, we will talk about the features of care, maintenance, feeding, the most common diseases and their treatment, as well as some other nuances that, we hope, will help your turtle live a long and happy life. And some specimens of this species, by the way, live up to 40 years in captivity.

The first thing we advise you to pay attention to when buying a "red ear" is its size and condition. A turtle that has not grown to at least 4-5 cm will be much more difficult and difficult to grow, because at this age they are very susceptible to various diseases. Alas, nature is harsh and thus regulates the survival of a healthy generation. Therefore, a five-centimeter turtle is the best choice.

When buying, carefully inspect the turtle. She must have all claws intact, tail, carapace (upper shield) and plastron must be smooth, lenticular in shape, without spots, scratches, dents and "humps", solid. The eyes are shiny, the skin is clean, also without whitish and pinkish small spots. In the aquarium, the turtle should swim smoothly, without falling on its side.

Red-eared turtles are amphibians. Therefore, they need to spend part of the time on land and part in the water.

They fall into hibernation at home extremely reluctantly, and the process of transferring them to this state is rather difficult. It is necessary to gradually lower the temperature and provide sufficient food, because if the turtle does not gain required amount calories, she may not come out of hibernation. Simply die of hunger.

It is very important to clean the aquarium from green algae. The turtle itself cannot wash its shell, and the algae, settling under the scales of the carapace, gradually destroy it. Moreover, a dirty aquarium is a source of fungal and bacterial infections.

It is advisable to feed the turtle in a separate container. Tearing food into pieces in the water, the "rubber" pollutes it very much. And on land, turtles of this species do not eat.

By the way, pay attention: if your turtle has eaten, then it is advisable to give it a little more time to free the intestines from the remnants of digested food.

Turtles have the same not very aesthetic habit as rabbits - they eat their own excrement. Only, unlike long-eared rodents, this reptile does this only when hungry.

Periodically (once every three to four days) you can wipe the shell with a clean soft cloth, removing algae and other dirt. It is impossible to lubricate the shell with oils and creams, since this, although it makes the turtle “beautiful”, is very harmful to its skin breathing.

It is desirable that the water in the terrarium or aquarium be soft, although tap water may well be suitable. It is only necessary to defend it for at least two days in order to ensure the almost complete evaporation of chlorine. Once a week, you need to add water with the selection of about 1/3 of the "old". A complete replacement is not recommended, as the aquarium creates a microflora that provides a favorable environment for the turtle to live.

As for feeding, here you must follow the principle: the first year the turtle is fed every day, the second - after two days, the third and all subsequent ones - after three or four. You need to give food as much as she can eat in five minutes. A young turtle should eat mainly animal food with the addition of vegetable food, a 3-4 year old turtle should eat vegetable food with the addition of animal food, and old reptiles in general are shown a predominantly vegetable diet.

You can determine how hungry a turtle is by its behavior. She begins to actively rummage in the stones at the bottom in search of food. Feeding time can be any, but preferably no later than 7 pm.

Keeping a red-eared turtle

Before purchasing, you must immediately stock up on all the necessary equipment:

• an aquarium;
• islet;
• ultraviolet lamp;
• an incandescent lamp that can be installed above the island;
• filter;
• water heater;
• large (!) decorative stones, pebbles.

Do not purchase aquarium plants, either live or artificial. Red-eared turtles are omnivorous and also like to dig in the ground (rocks), so the whole decor will either be eaten or torn to pieces or torn off the bottom. You can decorate the bottom with snags, but they must first be boiled for at least an hour in boiling water. Plastic products can also be installed in the aquarium, provided they are non-toxic. Ground, island and all decorative elements you need to wash it every one and a half to two weeks under running water.

Aquarium

Ideally, 150 liters or more, but a 10-liter is enough for a start. However, prepare for the fact that your pet will grow rapidly, adding 3-4 cm in height every year until it reaches its normal size (20-30 cm depending on sex and subspecies). And they also need to move a lot so as not to get obese. Yes, turtles can also suffer from this disease. That's why minimum dimensions aquarium should be such that its width is not less than three lengths of the shell, and the length is not less than six lengths.

You need to pour enough water so that the turtle can stick out its muzzle while standing on its hind legs. If the aquarium is deeper, then a stone or snag can be placed in it for this purpose.

It is strictly forbidden to use small stones as soil! Carried away by getting food, small turtles (and sometimes adults) can accidentally swallow a pebble, which will cause intestinal obstruction and, as a result, the death of the animal. Remember that some aquatic plants (elodea, lagenander, ambulia) are poisonous to reptiles.

Island

Now on sale different variants islands for turtles, but when buying them, pay attention to what they are made of and how they are attached to the aquarium. Usually used as fasteners plastic frames with suckers.

But when your turtle grows up and weighs about a kilogram, the suction cups will constantly come off. Ideally, it is desirable to use a flat area as an island, on which your pet (pet) will get out of the water.

That is, a ladder is needed for the island, which does not prevent the animal from swimming in the aquarium, but, at the same time, sinks to a sufficient depth so that the turtle can sit on it when it gets hot under the lamp. We do not recommend buying islands made of painted polyurethane foam. The sharp claws of an adult turtle crush it with ease.

Lamps

An ultraviolet lamp is necessary in order for the turtle to produce vitamin D3, which is involved in the absorption of calcium. In nature solar lighting contains enough ultraviolet radiation, but at home you need special lamps. Household UV sources are not suitable for these purposes, because it is difficult to provide the necessary wavelength with their help. The most common terrarium (aquarium) lighting options are Repti Glo 5 and 8 lamps. Place these lamps at a distance of no closer than 40 cm, as they can cause burns.

An ordinary incandescent lamp (from 40 to 60 W), the light spectrum of which includes infrared rays, is needed for turtles to digest food. A variety of metabolic processes in cold-blooded animals, which include reptiles, occur only at a certain temperature. environment, which is provided by the lamps. A decrease in temperature entails a slowdown in metabolism and hibernation.

Terrarium lighting for red-eared sliders

Heater and filter

Choose these devices based on the volume of water in the aquarium. There are many filter options, some of them allow you to change the water once a month. External filters require less care, and there is no chance that your reptile will remove it from the wall, swallow the suction cup or bite through the electrical wire. As for the heater, one is needed that could automatically regulate the water temperature within the specified range. A comfortable temperature for a turtle is 20-27 ° C.

What to feed red-eared turtles

Young turtles should receive "live" protein. Many of the owners make serious mistake, feeding their pets only with special mixtures. These mixtures should be in the diet no more than a third. The other two are plant and animal foods. Of the plants, it is best to use the leaves of young cabbage, spinach, duckweed (only beforehand it must be washed very well under running water). warm water).

Providing turtles with animal food requires a serious approach. Of course, she can be given lean beef and chicken, chicken liver once a week. But such nutrition is not natural. Small turtles can be remarkably fed with bloodworms, gradually replacing it with fish. Be sure to give your pet shrimp, insects, earthworms or Canadian worms (they, like bloodworms, can be bought at fishing stores), aquarium and grape snails. We do not recommend adding slugs to the diet, since they secrete a lot of mucus in the water.

By the way, you can throw into the aquarium and river snails, and even empty shells. The turtle, which needs calcium on a regular basis, eats them remarkably, grinding them with its powerful jaw plates that replace its teeth. You can give a boiled egg.

You can not feed turtles with flour products and potatoes, berries, legumes (peas, beans, lentils, soybeans), citrus fruits.

However, sometimes it is allowed to give them carrots. Cereals and raw cereals are also contraindicated for these reptiles, but dandelion leaves for them are a rich source of vitamin PP (folic acid) and some other valuable substances. Everything that you "extract" in nature (snails, worms, dandelions) must be washed from dirt.

When accustoming a turtle to a new type of food, in case it refuses to eat it, do not give up. Keep her hungry for a couple of days, and then throw a small piece directly into the aquarium (after turning off the filter so as not to clog it).

If you do not give the turtle a liver, then once a week you need to add special vitamin complexes (for example, ReptoSol) to its diet. In general, it is advisable to pour them directly into her mouth with a pipette.

To fill in the vitamins, you need to take the turtle in your hand (by the side) and hold it tightly, as it will try to escape. Then bring the pipette to your mouth and tap on it. The turtle will hide its head in its shell, but you have to be persistent. When she gets tired of hiding, she will start to hiss and try to scare you. At this point, you need to have time to inject vitamins.

Such torment has to be endured only when the turtle is small. As an adult, she aggressively defends her territory and rushes at any unfamiliar object, which can be a pipette with medicine in your hand.

Reproduction of red-eared turtles

Males of this species of turtles begin to breed at the age of 4, and females at five. If the owner wants the turtles to give birth, he must prepare the aquarium accordingly. Firstly, the thickness of the water layer should not be more than 10 cm, since during the mating process the male can hold the female under water for a long time, as a result of which she suffocates. Secondly, you immediately need to prepare a container on land where the female will lay her eggs.

By the way, sometimes females have the ability to lay eggs without males, but, in this case, they will be unfertilized. Therefore, turtles do not hatch from them.

The male can be distinguished from the female not earlier than at the age of about a year. In males, the plastron is concave to make it easier to stay on the female, the tail and claws are longer.

The claws of males are only 3-5 mm longer than those of females. By the way, like many reptiles, females are slightly larger than males.

To start breeding, red-eared sliders need ultraviolet light in the range of 320-400 nm. Shorter wavelengths of UV light are needed to prevent rickets. In addition, reptiles begin to mate only if they have enough plentiful and nutritious food.

Please note that there should be only one male and one female in the aquarium. Otherwise, the males will fight, and they fight very aggressively, biting off each other's tails, crippling their paws.

For the same reason, you can not leave laid eggs in the aquarium - you must definitely move them to the incubator. The size of the container with sand for eggs must be selected based on the fact that the egg in diameter reaches 4 cm and there can be up to 10 of them in one clutch. That is, in order to lay eggs, the turtle gently dig a hole of the appropriate diameter and depth. Above the container with sand you need to create a small shadow.

Red-eared turtle egg incubator

After the turtle lays eggs, the container with them must be placed in an incubator that you can make yourself, or you can use one that is used for chicken eggs. Optimum temperature in the incubator should be maintained at 27 ° C (plus or minus two degrees).

Hatching of turtles can be expected up to 5 months, however, if the ideal temperature regime is observed, you can wait for them to appear after 2 months. Babies should not be released into an aquarium with adults, since these reptiles have no maternal and paternal instincts and they can attack and injure the younger generation.

Baby turtles in the aquarium

If you do everything right, and at the first sign of illness in your pets, do not hesitate and immediately contact a veterinarian, then the turtles will delight you for decades.

Video: keeping a red-eared turtle at home

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:

	Peculiarities
red-eared	Appearance: The main difference is a stripe of red, sometimes orange color, which starts from the eyes, goes along the neck and ends almost near the shell. Only the turtles that were born have a length of about 3 cm. One-year-old representatives are no more than 8 cm. Lifespan in captivity: about 30 years. Is the most common type
Musk	Appearance: An adult grows up to 10 cm in length. The turtle has a dark monochromatic body, blond hair on the head and neck, as well as along the edge of the shell. Life expectancy at home: about 20 years
Bolotnaya	Appearance: The animal grows up to 10 cm long. It has an olive or brown carapace with characteristic yellow dashes. Spots of the same color on the head and paws. Lifespan: up to 50 years
spotted	Appearance: Turtle length - 9-10 cm. Distinctive features – yellow spots head, neck, carapace and legs. Characterized by a short neck, narrow wavy (or smooth) upper jaw. Average life expectancy: 40 years
	Appearance: It reaches a length of 12 cm. It has characteristic rectangular plates on the shell. Average lifespan in captivity: 20 years
	Appearance: Reaches 9 cm in length. The shell is characterized by an olive or brown color. Average life expectancy at home: 20-30 years old

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.

Optimal temperature regime- 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 with the necessary supply of fiber, 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.

Beginning animal lovers incorrectly believe that aquarium turtles can withstand any conditions, making a lot of mistakes when arranging their habitat. Divided into land, marine and freshwater creatures, these reptiles have completely different habits, before buying an exotic pet, you need to study all the nuances of his behavior.

Starting houses for giant reptiles that live in ocean waters is problematic. In an apartment it is advisable to keep land species of creatures, their swamp counterparts or small reptiles that are accustomed to a freshwater environment. Keeping turtles in an extremely difficult task cannot be called. Fans need to know the basic rules for selecting soil and a suitable container for pets, be able to maintain the correct water balance and acquire good food.

In order for a funny creature with a shell to please the owner with his company for ten or more years, you need to create for him suitable conditions. An ignorant approach leads to disappointment and death of the acquired reptile in a short period. Saving money and buying low-quality small-sized containers in this matter is unacceptable. For the maintenance of large land creatures, enclosures are generally required, the dimensions of which exceed 250 liters.

What kind of aquarium is needed for a turtle:

• To calculate the capacity, a formula is used where the length of the aquarium is determined by multiplying the length of the reptile by 7. The width of the tank is approximately half its length.
• A small or medium turtle will need a living space with dimensions from 60x40x50 cm, and a large creature or several medium-sized reptiles need an aquaterrarium with a minimum size of 120x50x50 cm.
• The minimum dimensions of the aquarium in width should exceed 2 lengths of the reptile shell.
• A 40-liter container is suitable exclusively for babies; for them, a vessel of an elongated horizontal shape with a height of 35 cm or more is purchased.
• Aquarium turtles are considered large, reaching a length of 13 cm, which require a volume of living space from 150 liters.
• Amphibious animals need coastline for relax. Containers are best suited where water occupies 75% of the total volume, and the land area optimally matches the size of the inhabitants with a shell.
• Aquarium turtles should not touch the bottom while swimming. It is advisable to equip a vessel with a pool depth of 20 cm or more.

This device is necessary when arranging a container where aquatic reptiles will live. Distinguish and. Design external filter resembles a canister with a pump, taken out of the reservoir. In its body there are several compartments filled with a filter substance. This device is connected to the aquatic environment of the aquarium using tubes. The advantage of external filters is that they do not occupy usable space inside.

Internal filters are smaller and look more modest. They are equipped with pumps and a diffuser, doing a good job of cleaning the liquid. Water filtration occurs using a cartridge with a sponge, coal or other elements. The design is attached to the wall from the inside of the container under different angles. If you are making a list of what a turtle needs in an aquarium, then the filter should be on the first lines in it.

Aquariums and terrariums should contain soil, an artificial pool, a backlight lamp, and ultraviolet lamps. The temperature of the environment in a warm corner reaches 30-40 degrees, depending on the type of reptile. Creatures from hot countries, like Libyan tortoises, are extremely thermophilic. Ultraviolet is important for small aquarium turtles, the proper care and maintenance of which is impossible without vitamin D. UV lamps help the body absorb this element, with its lack, animals suffer from shell curvature and rickets.

The soil is made for water creatures from gravel and fine sand. For terrestrial aquarium turtles, earth from a garden without impurities and chemicals, a substrate of coconut, is suitable. Reptiles often damage the roots of plants, you can plant them in pots or be limited to floating algae. Well decorate aquariums islets of stones and decorative look driftwood.

In the question of what aquarium turtles eat, they are not particularly demanding. Land creatures eat juicy and dry vegetation, pieces of vegetables, fruits, slugs, caught insects. In aquariums, they are offered leaves of fruit trees and grapes, lettuce, dandelions with alfalfa and clover. Aquatic reptiles eat shellfish, shrimp, snails, pieces of beef. In addition to live food, sea turtles need plant foods - lettuce, cabbage and greens. Include vitamins and minerals in your pet's food, eggshell, bone meal.

Types of aquarium turtles

There are hundreds of types of reptiles different sizes having a shell. Some have chosen the sea for life and amaze with their size, others live on the continents in fresh waters, sands and swamps. Aquarium turtles are considered species of creatures that are best suited for captivity in terms of size. Many years of experience of most lovers of exotic animals suggests that land and freshwater reptiles require the least special environmental conditions.

Sea turtle in the aquarium

The species of marine reptiles that live in the ocean will not be considered here. Large leatherback, green and olive turtles require spacious pools with sophisticated equipment. Mostly freshwater creatures start houses, which successfully replace the huge marine aquarium turtles. For this purpose, you can find in pet stores the inhabitants of the aquatic environment of moderate size, which do not require large maintenance costs.

Common types of turtles for marine aquariums:

Aquarium land turtles

It is easy to create and maintain a high-quality aquarium for a land tortoise, the main condition is that the dimensions of the container must correspond to the dimensions of the purchased reptile. It is advisable to buy a tank with a margin, choosing it “for growth” 2 or 6 times more spacious than what is required for the baby at the moment. It is undesirable to use thermal mats for heating reptiles, the release of heat from below harms the pet's body. It is better to install a simple incandescent foot, adjusting the temperature by the height of the lighting device in relation to the ground.

Popular land aquarium turtles:

Bog turtle in the aquarium

The appearance of this reptile is not too bright, but it lives perfectly in an artificial environment without causing big problems for the owners. The color of the shell of the Sicilian subspecies of reptiles is yellow-green, and animals from Europe and America are predominantly black in color. Breeding aquarium turtles of marsh species is not difficult. In nature, they eat wood lice, frogs, fish, a variety of larvae, and aquatic plants. Lettuce, duckweed or cabbage are eaten mainly by adults.

Keeping reptiles together with fish is a troublesome business. Many of their species are predators, eating small animals in their habitat. In addition, reptiles require a special area with land that other aquatic creatures do not need. The exception is the smart two-clawed (pig-nosed) turtle, which behaves normally in an aquarium with large fish. She eats plant foods, squid meat, small fish of non-fatty varieties. The pig-nosed turtle does not require the arrangement of an island.

It is rare to meet a person who does not like pets. And even more so, just isolated cases when the whole family with small children does not like animals. And rightly so - although domestic animals require attention and care, life is more beautiful and kinder with them. But here's the bad luck - our modern life has given rise to many sores, among which in the forefront is an allergy to animals. If you are also allergic to pets, and the animal is terrifying as you like - run to the pet store, the red-eared turtle must have been waiting for you there.

red-eared turtle

Of course, to complete the picture, it should be reported that there may be an allergy to it, but this is only with direct contact with the animal, or with food for it. This is easily fixable - let the turtle live in peace in the aquarium, and feed for reptiles huge selection, you can always choose something else.

Important to know before buying

The red-eared turtle at home can live up to 30 years (in ideal conditions and up to 50 years), but improper care and nutrition can reduce these numbers to 2-3 years. You can "achieve" this if you do not follow the following rules:

1. They need a spacious aquarium, 150-200 liters. When buying a small turtle, it will be 2-3 centimeters in size, but from this crumb it will grow a fairly large reptile the size of an adult's palm. Interestingly, there are even such opinions that the size of an adult turtle directly depends on the size of the aquarium;
2. The aquarium must be dry. Although this is a species of aquatic turtles, but without land it will drown, it is still not a fish;
3. Be sure to purchase an ultraviolet lamp, either in warm time walk the turtles outside, but not in the open sun. Without UV, they do not live long, while constantly getting sick;
4. Water must be clean, in no case bring it to the state of a film on the surface.

If you are ready to comply with these simple requirements, then you are already waiting in the store!

So, you bought a little turtle, a couple of months old. Make sure that you already have a ready-made aquarium with warm water in your home. Water must be settled for at least a day! You can immediately install a pump filter - than cleaner water, the faster the pet will grow.

Aquarium for red-eared sliders

Together with turtles they will get along well and aquarium fish, but until the turtle grows up ... When it grows up, it will gobble up everything that flashes in front of its nose with pleasure. By the way, they can bite your finger, mind you.

Pay attention to the bridge to land - it should be rough so that the turtle can climb it without problems. Glass or plastic platforms will create certain problems for them - they are slippery. And the second important note - the platform should not be located less than 30 cm from the edge of the aquarium, otherwise one day you will come home, but the pet is not there, and you will look for him under the bed in a dusty and shock state.

Turtle loves warmth

This is very important point- The domestic red-eared turtle loves heat very much, room temperature is not enough for her. Therefore, above the island, about 10 centimeters, install a lamp with the most common 40-watt incandescent bulb. The light is very similar to the sun, and there will be more than enough heat. The turtle will be happy to go ashore to warm up, and just relax.

Outing to warm up on land

UV lamp

It is worth dwelling on the UV lamp in more detail. It's no secret that UV rays come in different lengths, each with its own properties. For reptiles, Repti Glo has developed special UV lamps with exactly the right wavelength. If buying such a unit is a problem, then the so-called tanning lamps are quite suitable.

Aquarium Irradiation Lamp

When using it, we observe several rules:

1. Mandatory use in winter period(in the summer we walk on the street);
2. Irradiation duration - no more than 5 minutes 3 times a week;
3. The distance of the lamp from the aquarium is 30 centimeters.

For convenience, you can purchase a special timer at the pet store.

Please note that you should not use UV lamps at night, as animals have a very developed internal clock, up to minutes, it is not necessary to knock down their daily rhythms.

Red-eared turtle food

We got to a very important topic - how, when and what to feed our wards. Oddly enough, but these are predators, not a single turtle will refuse a piece of raw meat. They are also very fond of bloodworms and simply pelleted turtle food. It is necessary to separately note the fish:

• To eliminate calcium deficiency, let's fish with bones. You don’t have to worry, everything is so arranged in the animal that it will never choke on a bone;
• Try to avoid oily fish such as capelin, mackerel, sprat. Anyway, don't abuse it.

Turtle eats a moth

It is very important that the food is varied. For example, if a turtle is grown on one meat, then it will inevitably have rickets. With this disease, the shell of the red-eared turtles softens, appetite disappears, and coordination of movements may even be disturbed. They urgently need vitamin D. If left untreated, the shell will become domed under its own weight.

Launched Form turtle rickets

But back to food. Young individuals require more animal food, with age it will be necessary to give preference to a plant-based diet. Until the age of two years, we feed once a day, not more often. After two years of age, 2-3 feedings per week are sufficient.

If possible, place food on an island so that the water stays clean longer. But, on the other hand, it is ineffective, because the turtles will still drag everything into the water.

It is very important to know that the turtle breaks solid food (meat, raw vegetables) with its claws - you don’t need to cut them! They have blood capillaries in their claws, this can kill them. If you nevertheless undertook to cut, then cut only the very tips of the keratinized part of the claw.

Diseases of the red-eared turtle

The red-eared turtle requires no less grooming than any other pet. They may experience the following diseases:

1. Inflammation of the lungs, aka pneumonia. The most visible symptom is that the turtle cannot dive no matter how hard it tries. She is lethargic and doesn't eat well. It happens from hypothermia. For treatment, we hold the turtle over the steam of the chamomile decoction, but at a distance so as not to burn (we check with our own hands). At the same time, the water in her home in the aquarium should also be heated to 28 degrees;
2. Eye disease. Swollen eyelids, inflamed eyes. For treatment, isolate the turtle from other animals (the disease is contagious), the entire period of treatment, it should be only on land. You can only immerse in warm (up to 28 degrees) water for a couple of hours, no more. Drip the infected eye with an eye antibiotic three times a day until the disease recedes (about 3 days);
3. Soft shell. Yes, you are already familiar with this disease - it is rickets. Also, the softness of the shell, but to a lesser extent, can develop from a deficiency of ultraviolet radiation;
4. Skin disease. open areas are starting to peel off. As a rule, there can be many reasons, from flesh to mechanical damage, it also depends on age. But still, there is a very high probability that the animal's vitamin balance is disturbed, especially vitamin A and vitamin B groups. Add vitamin supplements to the diet (be sure to read the instructions before use!).

Determine the sex of an individual

Finally, we left the most interesting - how to determine whether you bought a girl or a boy? We can only learn with age: boys have longer claws on their front paws, a longer tail, and a more elongated muzzle.

Determine gender by claws

A fun fact is that when a female lays her eggs, the embryos are not gendered. The mother has no instinct to care for the clutch, she leaves and does not return. While the turtles are developing inside the egg, their gender directly depends on the air temperature - if the temperature is below 27 degrees, then the entire masonry will consist of boys, but if it is above 30 degrees - only girls. If the temperature is between 27 and 30 degrees - the floor will be mixed.

And remember - we are responsible for those we have tamed!