Keeping Turtles can be one of the most enchanting experiences but many people keep them as pets not recognizing how to show them proper care. They can not survive unless you furnish them with the correct amount of space, light and shade and adequate moisture, so you ought to know exactly what they need to live, before you possess one. The best place to keep a turtle is in the open-air because they hibernate in the winter and if they are kept inside they won’t hibernate which can cause them to develop liver diseases. It is unwise to muddle up their regular way of doing things so when you create a pen outdoors, you are letting them live in the kind of surroundings they are used to.

Some people use refrigerators to keep their indoor turtles during their dormancy period. This is not warranted as the refrigerator might go through power fluctuations and their dormant period gets upset. This could be deadly so if you like to keep this pet indoors, never allow them to go into the dormant phase. In case you are very particular about holding the turtle inside, make sure that you build a tank with forty gallon capability where there are sufficient areas for land and water. Sixty six percent of the aquarium should be water and one-third should be land because you need a place where they can lay in the heat of a lamp. You should keep the tank around eighty degrees during the day and 70 degrees at nighttime. Because they are cold-blooded animals, they would need more time to acclimatize to temperature fluctuations. This is why never try to bring it out of the tank for playing as the temperature drop or rise adversely impacts on 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.

It is not a good idea to fill up the tank with water from the faucet, which contains chlorine, and fluoride and these puts the ph balance in disarray. The water in which they swim ought to be de-chlorinated and filtered out water must be provide to them for drinking. Although there are various types of turtle diets available in shops, but what they need to eat would mostly depend on the species, but they must never be given food 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 health issues 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 Ultra Violet lamp to provide the Vitamin D3, which one can get from sunlight. This is why we see them sunning themselves for endless hours and when kept indoors ensure that the tank is located at a place which does not see too many fluctuations in light and also provide them with a shady place for spending time when they need to. These are sold at pet stores, but you can also make one using wood or stones and if you decide to keep aquatic 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 amusement for the whole family.

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.