How to Care for a Pet Turtle

Turtle keeping can be one of the most fascinating experiences but many people keep them as pets not recognizing how to show them proper care. They can not live unless you supply them with the right amount of space, light and shade and sufficient moisture, so you ought to know exactly what they need to survive, before you possess one. Because a turtle hides and remains dormant during winter months, they should be kept outside, as they cannot do this if you keep them inside, which may result in liver complaints. Never tamper with their natural habits, so building a pen outdoors would help you create a perfectly regular surroundings for them.

Some individuals use refrigerators to keep their indoor turtles during their dormancy period. This action is not wise as there could be a power outage and the temperature inside the refrigerator could rise, this would come in the way of their regular hibernation. This can be fatal for them so if you plan on keeping your pets inside, don’t let them hibernate. In case you are very particular about holding the turtle indoors, make sure that you build a tank with 40 gallon capability where there are sufficient areas for land and water. The aquarium should be made in such a way that there is water occupying two-thirds of the capacity and the balance is land, where they would just lie down under the heat of the lamp. The temperature of the aquarium ideally should be approximately 80 degrees during daytime and 70 degrees during nighttime. Because they are cold-blooded animals, they would need more time to acclimatize to temperature fluctuations. This is why it is best never to bring them out of the tank, as the abrupt temperature fluctuation negatively impacts their immunity from disease. Not only should you ensure that you clean your hands after handling turtles, as some carry salmonella, but keep their living environment well sanitized too. Keep the water fresh and free from waste matter, so it could be a good idea to invest in a water filtration system to make this happen. Never use water from the faucet for filling the tank as it contains chlorine and fluoride both which upset the ph balance. Use filtered out water for drinking purposes and de-chlorinated water for their swimming needs. There are many commercial diets available for turtles but dietary demands differ depending on the species, however, you should not feed your pet more than two to three times a week.

Do not put any wood chips or tree bark in your tank because if a turtle eats this, it can cause problems plus it will also foul the water very quickly and cause molds or fungus to grow. Remember turtles need 12 hours of sunlight, so if you are holding your pet indoors, you have to put up a UV lamp to supply the Vitamin D3, which one can get from sunlight. This is why you will often see them sitting out in the sun so try to keep the tank in a room where the light doesn’t alteration that much but at the same time they also need a shelter to go in. These are sold at pet stores, but you can also make one using wood or stones and if you decide to keep plants in the tank, just make sure they aren’t poisonous to them. The behavioral pattern of a turtle is very absorbing and then can provide good entertainment for the whole family.