Content

• Steps
• Advice

Some tortoises and water turtles can live much longer, even longer than humans. If you want to keep this gentle and enjoyable pet, you need to learn how to prepare the turtle with the right habitat for your turtle to be comfortable. You should also learn techniques for feeding, cleaning and caring for water turtles over the long term.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Preparation of habitat for turtles

1. 

   Make sure to buy the correct water turtle. Water turtles have webbed on the feet and are predominantly aquatic reptiles, while tortoises have round "elephant feet" and spend most of their time on land. Both water turtles and tortoises need similar habitats, but there are some distinct traits that you need to know to ensure proper care for your turtle.
   • The most commonly kept water turtles are sideneck turtles, wood turtles, painted turtles, pond turtles and slider turtles.
   • Popular species of tortoise are red-footed tortoises, Greek tortoises and Russian tortoise.

2. 

   
   
   Keep turtles in an aquarium. Water turtles are aquatic animals, so they need to live in water tanks. If your turtle is quite small, a 20-liter tank should be enough. Slightly larger varieties will need tanks of at least 40 liters or 80 liters. Every tank must have a mesh lid to allow air to circulate and prevent turtles from escaping.
   • In order for a turtle to live a long and healthy life, you will need more than a glass jar and a stone. The tiny "turtle lakes" sold in these pet shops are not enough for turtles, sometimes referred to as "dead lakes" by experienced turtle keepers.
   • Turtles will grow up, so you need to talk to the turtle vendor about the specific turtle breed you plan to keep and learn more about what other turtle species and sizes they can reach. Buy a tank that matches the maximum size of the turtle instead of just relying on its current size.

3. 

   
   
   Use ultraviolet heater and thermometer to control the temperature. Water turtles need 12-14 hours of sunlight a day to get the right amount of vitamin D. You should buy high quality UV lamps for your aquarium. Automatic timing settings make sure the turtle is receiving the required amount of light.
   • With most water turtles, you need to keep the temperature in the aquarium around 25 degrees Celsius, but some turtles can tolerate temperatures slightly lower or higher.
   • Usually you just need to hold the heating lamp over the top of the tank and tilt it down. Attach an easy-to-read thermometer to the wall of the tank to ensure a constant temperature.

4. 

   
   
   Provides a combined terrestrial and underwater environment. There are many ways to arrange and decorate a turtle's habitat, depending on the species. Water turtles primarily need a water environment, while tortoises require a lot of terrestrial space. However, both water turtles and tortoises need diverse environments.
   • Place a steep rock for the water turtles so they have a place to sunbathe and heat on the land. You should buy a large aquarium and a rock about 10 cm long. Wash the stone with untreated water.
   • A few wooden boards or bricks are also great materials for creating a terrestrial area for turtles because they are easy to clean. You just need to keep them dry and slightly sloping down to the surface to make them easy to access. Wood chips and bark can become contaminated with fungus, which turtles sometimes gnaw and cause problems. It is best to avoid these materials.
   • Plastic or clay shelters are also a good idea. Go to the pet store to find the right size or make your own with a few stones.
   • If you want to plant plants in the tank, you should quickly check to make sure the right plants do not harm the turtles if they eat and leaves. Real trees are great but will be eaten by the turtles within a few days. Unless you have a planted tank, consider decorating it with fake plants.

5. 

   Provide turtles with plenty of natural spring water and no chemicals. Distilled water has no minerals and is not sufficient for the health of turtles. Tap water contains chlorine and possibly fluoride, which causes pH imbalances in turtle habitat. You will need to use chlorinated spring water in the swimming area and filtered water for the turtle to drink.
   • One teaspoon of salt mixed with every 4 liters of water will help reduce the amount of bacteria bad and protect turtles against skin diseases and shells.
   • Regularly spray water over terrestrial areas to maintain moisture. Again, this will vary depending on the species of turtle.

6. 

   Buy a water purifier. Water turtles need a lot of water in the tank, and your job will be a lot easier if you install a water filter pump for regular water circulation and cleaning. Turtles eat, drink and excrete in the tank, so it is very important to keep the water as clean as possible to protect the turtle's health.
   • Water purifiers are generally quiet and inexpensive, and consist of a small tank that draws water in and filters the water through the filter, then back to the tank.
   • You still need to change the water and rinse the tank once a month, but without a water purifier you will need to change the water much more often (every 2-3 days).
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Part 2 of 3: Feeding the Turtle

1. 

   Feed the turtles 2-3 times a week. The dietary needs of turtles vary widely depending on the species of turtle, so research and ask the turtle seller. Most water turtles need to be fed no more than once every 3 days.
   • Most water turtles are carnivores, while terrestrial turtles are predominantly herbivores. Water turtles love to eat meal worms, rice worms, snails, maggots and many other insects. Turtles like fruits and vegetables, including dark green leafy vegetables like kale and turnips, corn and watermelon.
   • Overfeeding a tortoise or eating the wrong food can have serious consequences for the turtle's health. Turtles usually live a long time, so it is important that you get them right and all the right nutrients.

2. 

   Feed the water turtles and tortoises with additional food. Different species of turtles have their own unique needs, so you need to find out exactly what your needs are. The turtle care guide that pet stores often provide will help you with more information.
   • Dry food for turtles is also good. Turtle feed is usually pellets, a mixture of dried shrimp, crickets, and a variety of vitamins and minerals that are essential for a turtle to live a healthy and happy life. Any turtle food sold at a pet store will work. The amount of food will depend on the size of the turtle.
   • Do not feed turtles with food scraps. However, sometimes it is fine to feed turtles and water turtles with green vegetables, as it is a healthy snack. And if you don't mind, water turtles are very happy to have occasional worms or maggots you throw in your tank.

3. 

   Prepare the turtle's feeding area. In most turtle tanks, you can use a small plastic plate in the feeding tank. These plates are usually available at pet stores, but you can also use pre-made plastic or glass plates.
   • Many species of water turtles excrete immediately after eating. If you leave the turtle in the feeder for a while after eating, it will excrete it into the plate. Thus, there will be less waste in the water. Not overfeeding is also a way to reduce the amount of waste in the turtle.

4. 

   Provide squid shells for turtles. Like birds, some species of water turtles love to nibble on squid shells, a food that provides good calcium for turtle teeth (beaks). Cuttlefish is available in most bird, crab and turtle stores. advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Taking care of turtles

1. 

   Change the water and remove food scraps every 2-3 days. Use a racket to remove waste and any leftover food particles suspended in the water from the tank. You need to keep the turtle's accommodation and eating areas clean so that they are comfortable.
   • Regularly change new drinking water for turtles. If you use a water filter, you only need to change the water every 2 weeks.

2. 

   Wash the turtle tank once a month. Every few months, remove the turtles from the tank and put them in a controlled temperature area while you rinse your tank with spring water. Usually you do not need to wash with soap, just scrubbing thoroughly with a brush and scraping off the algae on the tank walls.
   • Replace the water, reinsert the lights, thermometer and other equipment, then release the turtle back into its clean place.

3. 

   Groom the turtle a few times a year. When washing the tank, bathe the turtle and check for any signs of injury or illness. You can buy a tortoise shell product at a pet store and apply it to the shell with a toothbrush.
   • Gently brush off the algae or other organisms on the turtle's shell with a toothbrush. Many tortoises enjoy being brushed, so this is a delightful experience for your turtle.

4. 

   Only move the turtle out of its environment into the same temperature range. Turtles are cold-blooded, meaning it takes a long time to adapt to changes in temperature. If you are going to take the turtle out to play, make sure the temperature in the room is about the same as the tank.Sudden changes in temperature stress the turtles and can damage their immune systems.

5. 

   Always wash your hands before and after handling turtles. Turtles often carry salmonella, so it's important to wash your hands after touching them. Keeping the water in the tank clean and getting rid of waste right away are also ways to control the amount of bacteria in the tank. Installing a water filtration system also helps.
   • Do not put your hand near the turtle's mouth for each handling. You can be hurt by a tortoise, even if it is just unintentionally.

6. 

   Leave the water turtles alone most of the time. Turtles don't like dogs and cats. They also do not like to walk and be held in their hands. Many people keep turtles for turtles to crawl around on the floor, take them outside or take them out. This causes unnecessary stress and can ultimately lead to turtle health problems.
   • How to help turtles live happily? Keep the turtle in its environment and watch the turtle swim, eat, heat and crawl around the house you have prepared for it. They will be much happier, and so will you.
   • Most people will find that tortoises enjoy being outdoors and crawling around, while water turtles prefer to stay in their accommodation and dislike people to hold hands. However, you should still limit handling of tortoises.
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Advice

• Wash the tank and bathe the turtle about once a week.
• Use cotton swabs and untreated water to clean turtles. Never press on a turtle.
• If you do not provide heat for the turtles, the shells will quickly rot.