Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Choosing the right fence
• Part 2 of 3: Setting up the habitat
• Part 3 of 3: Providing accessories

A terrapene prefers to live outside, where it has plenty of room to move. However, that doesn't mean you can't create a great habitat for your turtle if you don't have outdoor space. Choosing a large habitat, providing the right heating elements, and providing the right accessories can make your terrapene love its home.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Choosing the right fence

1. Make the fence big enough. Terrapenes need a lot of space to roam in the wild. Each turtle in your terrarium should have at least 3 feet of floor space for every 8 inches of its length. This provides plenty of space to move, dig and explore.
   • For example, a 12 inch turtle needs at least 137 floor space. If you have two of these turtles, you must provide at least two feet of space.
2. Try a turtle table. A tortoise table is a shallow, rectangular wooden box. You can buy these from a commercial seller or make your own. It only needs to have 4 sides and a bottom. Make sure the sides are high enough to prevent the turtle from escaping. About 45 cm should be high enough.
   • If you are building the habitat out of wood, make the insides of the bottom and walls water resistant. Non-toxic paint or sealant works well. This prevents the habitat from absorbing water.
   • Do not use treated wood as this can harm your turtle.
3. Use a plastic container. You don't have to buy an expensive turtle habitat or build one yourself. You can also use a plastic kiddie pool or storage container to create a habitat. These are cheap and easy to replace. They are also usually large enough for several turtles.
   • Children's pools are quite large, so you will need to have a lot of floor space available.
4. Consider a glass aquarium. Glass aquariums are not the best choice for turtles because they are clear all over. However, you can place your turtle in an aquarium if you set it up correctly. Put cardboard or paper over 3 of the 4 walls to make your turtle feel safe and secure.
   • Turtles don't like to be out in the open and constantly visible. It can cause them stress that can cause them to injure themselves.
5. Avoid cages with bars. Most cages designed for reptiles are not suitable for turtles. Never put a turtle in a reptile cage with bars, as they can injure themselves on the bars. Plastic reptile cages can accommodate a turtle, but they are often too small. You need to make sure the habitat is big enough.
6. Create a habitat that cannot be escaped. Terrapenes are known for escaping their habitats. This means you need to make sure your habitat is as safe as possible. The walls must be completely vertical so that the turtle can climb on them. They should also be so high that the turtle cannot climb over them, generally twice as long as the turtle.
   • Cover the habitat. You can place a mesh screen or construction mesh over the habitat.
   • Do not place objects along the edges or in the corners of the habitat. This will only make it easier for the turtle to escape.

Part 2 of 3: Setting up the habitat

1. Add substrate. Substrate is the material that comes around the bottom of the habitat. It helps to retain moisture and allows the turtle to burrow. You can use peat-based potting compost mixed with orchid bark. You can also use spruce bark, sphagum moss, or peat gravel instead of orchid bark. These materials help to maintain moisture. Spread about 5-7 cm over the bottom of the entire habitat.
   • The potting compost may not contain any additives, such as perlite, fertilizer or Miracle-Gro.
   • Avoid aquarium substrate and sand. These retain too much water, which can damage your turtle's shell.
2. Provides a heat lamp. Turtles need an external heat source to stay warm. In the wild they like to lie in the sun, so you have to provide them with a heat source. Half of the habitat should be warm while the other half should be cooler so your turtle can regulate its temperature properly.
   • Place a light bulb at one end of the habitat to create a warm side.
   • This should be set on a timer so that the turtle gets heat for 12-14 hours a day.
3. Test the temperature. You should test the temperature on the warm side of the habitat to make sure it's the right temperature. Place a thermometer under the heat source, roughly where your turtle will lie down to sunbathe. The temperature should be around 29 degrees Celsius.
   • Make sure the lamp does not make any part of the habitat too hot to touch. This can burn your turtle.
4. Place a heat stone in the substrate. Another option for a heat source is a heat stone. These heaters are buried under the substrate and provide heat to the turtle through its abdomen. Make sure to completely cover the rock with substrate to protect your turtle. He should not lie directly on the stone.
5. Try a bottom heater. If you have a glass tank, you can install an under-heater so that the turtle gets indirect heat from below. The heater can be attached directly to the aquarium.
   • These types of heaters should never be used on a plastic or wooden habitat.
6. Provide a UV source. Terrapenes need UV light to survive indoors. If you can expose your turtle to unfiltered UV light, on a patio or through an open window, for at least 1 hour a day, that should be enough. If not, buy a UV lamp. The UV lamp must provide both UVA and UVB rays.
   • Place the UV lamp approx. 45 cm from the turtle.
   • Pet stores sell lamps that are both a heat lamp and UV lamp in one, which can be handy.
7. Maintain the correct moisture level. Terrapenes need a moist environment to live healthily. The habitat must be between 60 and 80% moist. To achieve this, you must use the correct substrate so that the moisture is retained. You should also spray the turtles daily to keep the humidity high.
   • If your terrapene starts to burrow constantly, you need to increase the humidity, because they will look for it in the ground.

Part 3 of 3: Providing accessories

1. Add shelter. Your turtle needs a place where it can hide completely. Otherwise, he will become stressed and may injure himself or become ill. You can offer anything for shelter, as long as the turtle fits completely in it.
   • You can use a hollow trunk or commercial hiding place. Terrapenes are easily satisfied, so a plastic container, upturned flower pot or other solid object providing shelter will suffice.
2. Add obstacles to climb. Turtles love to climb and explore. They need things to stimulate, challenge and entertain them. Add obstacles to climb throughout the habitat, such as rocks and logs.
   • Use flat stones about an inch thick as climbing material for your turtle.
   • If your turtle is small, use something not too fat to make sure it can climb on it.
3. Provide a swimming area. Terrapenes need fresh water for drinking and bathing. They love to spend time in water, so place an area of ​​water in the habitat. Choose a water container that will fit the entire body of the turtle, but is not deep enough to cover the turtle's head. He must be able to stick his head out of the water.
   • A terrapene doesn't care what his swimming area looks like. You can use a large bowl from a pet store, or a paint tray, storage container, flower pot dishes, shallow ceramic bowls, or any other shallow container that can hold water.
   • It is best to use filtered water in the habitat. You can place a water filter in the pool to keep the water clean. If you don't have a filter, change the water every 2 or 3 days.