Pet Turtle Care: 5 Tips For A Happy Turtle!

How To Care For a Pet Turtle – 5 Tips For A Happy Turtle!

Turtles make amazing pets. Learning how to care for a pet turtle the right way is certainly worth the time, effort, and money you may spend. Remember, there is no excuse for the premature death of your turtle based on neglect or lack of knowledge. The five tips I'm about to share with you can help you provide a long, healthy, and happy life for your little friend.

How To Care For A Pet Turtle - Tip One: Educate yourself. Learn about the specific breed of your turtle. Is it a Box Turtle, a Slider, a tortoise, or something else? Know its special dietary needs, temperature requirements, and social temperment. The more you know about your turtle, the better off you will be.

How To Care For A Pet Turtle - Tip Two: Prepare your home. There is much work at hand. You must purchase or build your turtle's tank. You would be very wise to seek out a vet with experience helping turtles. Do this in advance so you know exactly where to turn in case of emergency (and for insider tips). A little preparation now will lead to smoother sailing down the road.

How To Care For A Pet Turtle - Tip Three: Never use chlorinated water. This goes for your turtle's swimming water just as much as its drinking water. At minimum, pour your tap water into a large container and let sit for 24 hours before adding it to the tank. This will allow the chlorine to dissipate. Ideally, however, you will want to use spring water.

How To Care For A Pet Turtle - Tip Four: It is imperative that you provide your turtle with a mercury vapor UVB heat lamp for basking. This type of lamp will provide your turtle with sufficient amounts of vitamin D3, which prevents bone disease and premature death. Without this lamp, your turtle is in serious trouble, so please do not overlook its importance! Leave the light on for about half of each day.

How To Care For A Pet Turtle - Tip Five: You MUST maintain the proper temperature in your turtle's tank. Of course, this varies from species to species, but generally speaking, 80 degrees fahrenheit during the day and 70 degrees at night are generally accepted as rule of thumb. You will want to purchase an under water heater to achieve this. Again, knowing the unique requirements for your specific turtle's breed is absolutely necessary.

So these are five important guidelines for you to follow to ensure your turtle enjoys a long, happy life with you. Remember, turtles can live a very long time. In fact, some are known to actually outlast us! With this in mind, understand that your initial investment of time, learning, and money will be well worth it in the grand scheme of things.

A turtle is a wonderful pet. They have more personality than many people realize. You've made a fantastic decision to educate yourself on being a good turtle owner! And there is still much to be learned...

Too many turtles are killed by neglect and lack of owner knowledge. Do NOT let that happen in your family. Learn how to care for a pet turtle the right way.

Pet Turtle Care: How to care for pet turtle

How to care for pet turtles

Actually many people who want to take care of these cute animals. Besides unique and exotic shapes. The maintenance is also simple. Some steps when you care for pet turtles:

• Select turtles in trusted pet shop, why? because they usually sell good quality animals.
• Even though you still have to be careful when deciding which turtle that you want to take home.
• Do not forget to ask to the pet shop about food for your turtle. choose in pellet shape, because they are more practical.
• Prepare a container maintenance. You could them put in an aquarium or making a pretty small pond.
• You can also design the place as the natural environment.
• Beside you give a food for pet turtle, you should also give a drink. so you must also provide a drink container. If you design a pond for your turtle to the water available to him to have.
• Turtles also like fruit. So, you can give them as extra food.

You should know that if the maintenance of turtle is good. It will make life of turtles will be longer. So, house cleaning, food and beverages must be absolutely clean.

Pet Turtle Care: Happy and Healthy Turtles Can Be Easy

The care of pet turtles can be simple and fun but requires some forethought and planning, much like any other pet.

There are different kinds of turtles you can look into owning, including aquatic turtles (for example, sliders and painted turtles) and terrestrial turtles (box turtles, tortoises, etc.). To ensure the proper care of pet turtles, you need to pick a turtle that is most suited to your own household and your ability to provide it a good life.

Main concerns of a turtle keeper:

1. Enclosure/housing
2. Diet/food
3. Lighting

Lighting? Yes, lighting. Turtles require UV-B lighting for proper shell development. That is why you see them sitting on logs in the wild basking in the sun. This lighting can be provided by UV bulbs designed especially for reptile use. Mercury vapor bulbs are now available that will provide both the UV-B lighting and the heat required. Eliminating the need for a separate heat lamp.

Another important part of the care of pet turtles is diet. Most pet turtles' diets can include fresh vegetables, romaine lettuce being one of the most popular choices. (Avoid iceberg lettuce, it has limited food value and can cause digestive issues in some turtles.)

Other foods that are good for certain turtles are earthworms, cut pieces of fresh fish, cantaloupe and dandelion greens.

Proper enclosures are dependent on what kind of turtles you intend to keep. Aquatic turtles need water that is deep enough to swim in as well as a dry area for basking under a UV light. terrestrial turtles do not need water to swim in but some clean water to drink is vital for the proper care of pet turtles.

While turtles are easier to care for than certain kinds of pets, they do still need love and attention as well as the proper environment and diet to be able to have a healthy life. Depending on the type of turtle you choose you will need to do a bit of research in order to know what kind of environment that they need to live in and what they require for food.

Keeping turtles doesn't have to be difficult. It can be simple and fun...with a little research and some good information you'll be well on your way.

For even more information: Care of pet turtles!

There are many good resources available on-line regarding the care of pet turtles. It's important to have the right info in order to keep your turtles happy and healthy. Having the correct knowledge could save your turtle's life!

Pet Turtle Care: 3 Things You Must Do When Setting Up a Pet Turtle's Home

If you plan to acquire a turtle as a pet you are sure to be pleased with this new addition to your household. Just remember turtles are the kind of pets you spend most of your time watching and not handling. These animals do need some special attention and you should learn the basics about pet turtle care before you bring one home. Here are 3 tips that will help you establish the perfect environment for a turtle.

1. Choose the Setting

You should make certain that you prepare the right type of home for your new turtle. This depends a lot on the species that you select as well as their size and their habits.

Turtles are fairly adaptable but they still are happiest in a setting that suits them. You can set up a glass terrarium by using any aquarium. Some turtle owners will even use a box or a goldfish bowl to house their new pet. One of the best homes for turtles is created outdoors with a wire pen.

If you choose an aquarium/terrarium for your turtle's new home it will give him room to move around and protect him from any predators. You can also watch your pet and observe his unique habits. This is a good home for all types of turtles.

A heavy box is an inexpensive choice and when the box becomes soiled you can always discard it and get a new one. However, it will not provide a great deal of protection if you have a dog or cat that wants to pay a call on the turtle. A goldfish bowl is also inexpensive, and easy to clean. However, a goldfish bowl is not a good choice for most turtles because there is not enough room for them to move around. Some people have even tried to put turtles in a fishbowl that is filled with water. Listen closely, turtles are not fish and they cannot swim 24 hours a day. You will drown your turtle if they do not have rocks or wood to climb on so they can come out of the water and rest.

An outdoor pen is an excellent home for turtles if you remember to follow a few simple rules. The pen must have wire in the bottom as well as along the sides so that the turtle can not burrow his way free and become exposed to predators and other dangers. You will have to clean this outdoor home on a regular basis to keep your turtle safe and healthy. The wire you use must be strong enough to provide protection for your turtle and the holes should be spaced closely together.

2. Basic Necessities

Turtles need fresh water daily. They should have water for both drinking and swimming. Flat bottomed containers that are weighted are good to use for a turtle. This will help prevent any accidental spills as the turtle climbs and crawls about in his home. Water should be changed every day and any container that you are using needs to be thoroughly cleaned. For proper pet turtle care you must have separate feeding and watering containers. Turtles can be given earthworms, lettuce, chopped carrots and commercial food preparations, but you need to make sure that they get enough calcium in their diet.

3. Extras

Turtles like to hide and a piece of hollow wood that they can climb into gives them a nice, private cave that they can call home. These hollow logs can be purchased at most pet stores. Clean straw is another nice touch that makes the turtle's environment more welcoming. Check at the pet store and see what they have in stock. If you want to make sure that you are giving your turtle good care you should also include proper lighting and temperature. These cold blooded animals will benefit from having consistency in their environment.

Pet Turtle Care: Basic Baby Turtle Care

Baby turtle care is quite different from adult turtle care. Babies of any species require a little more attention, and baby turtles are no different.

Wild Baby Turtles

Quite often baby turtles get waylaid or go off course and end up in our backyards, on the street or in other dangerous locations. When we see this, we naturally want to help the baby turtle. When we take a baby turtle out of its environment, however, we become responsible for its care, which can be a demanding project. If you do your research and become educated regarding what a baby turtle will need to thrive, it is your choice whether you want to raise the lost little turtle or not.

The same is true when your adult turtles lay eggs. While it is against the law to sell baby turtles that are less than 4 inches in length, you are well within your rights to raise your own baby turtles.

Caring For A Baby Turtle

Small turtles need space to move around in, but because of their size they can squeeze into areas that can end up being dangerous for them. To guard against this, if you have an outside pen, make sure your turtle pen does not have any areas where a baby turtle can get caught or get out. If you are using a tank, make sure the water filter system is attached on the outside of the tank, maintain a dish of fresh water for drinking, set up an area where the turtle can swim and soak and make sure there is adequate heat.

Baby turtles are smaller and will require special attention when climbing up out of the water or onto a basking platform. Check the turtles' habitat often to make sure nothing is amiss.

You'll also need to feed your baby turtle plenty of protein, along with green plant foods. Feed hatchlings farm-raised worms only, never worms that you found in the wild. If your baby turtle gets parasites from the worms, it may not have enough strength to fight off the parasites, and little can be done to help sick baby turtles. Choose soft-bodied worms such as waxworms and mealworms.

If the turtle pen is located outside, don't leave food dishes or food lying around for several hours, as the rotting food will attract insects. Some insects, such as ants, have the ability to kill a baby turtle.

Turtles And Salmonella

Approximately 90 percent of all reptiles carry the salmonella bacteria. Even if a turtle doesn't appear sick, it can still carry the bacteria in its feces. Follow these tips to avoid salmonella contamination from turtles in your home:

• Do not allow baby turtles or any reptile in the home where a child under the age of 5 resides, or anyone who has a compromised immune system
• Always thoroughly wash your hands after handling your turtle or any item from the turtle's pen or tank.
• Never bring a turtle into the kitchen area or any area where food is being prepared.
• Pet stores and veterinarians should provide information to anyone who purchases a reptile, especially a small turtle, or who brings a reptile in for medical evaluation.
• If you are expecting a baby, it is advisable to remove all reptiles, especially baby turtles, from your home immediately.

Holding A Baby Turtle

Because a baby turtle's shell is soft, it is possible to harm or kill a baby turtle by holding it incorrectly. If possible, do not pick up a baby turtle at all, and, if you do, make sure you wash your hands with soap and hot water afterwards. If you do pick up your turtle, do so in this manner: hold the turtle like you would hold a hamburger with two hands, or at least with your fingers beneath the turtle's shell and your thumb on the top of the shell not the way you would pick up a hotdog, with just one hand wrapped around it or with fingers on one side of his shell and your thumb on the other. And never squeeze.

Unfortunately, the incorrect way to pick up a turtle is also the easiest way, especially when you have your hands filled with turtle supplies and or turtle food. Alas, the incorrect way can harm the turtle's soft and still forming shell.

Baby Turtle Sales

It is against the law in many areas to sell baby turtles. In the United States, local law enforcement offices and health officials are working with the Food and Drug Administration to help persuade turtle distributors with action that includes, at times, fines of up to $100 for each baby turtle in their possession.

The reason for such vigilance is two-fold. First are the concerns regarding turtles and salmonella. The second reason has to do with the safety of the turtles themselves. Baby turtles are generally purchased illegally through the black market or obtained illegally as an advertising gimmick. Unfortunately, the welfare of the turtles is never taken into consideration, and many die due to mishandling. Even more die when the customer gets tired of taking care of them, passes them on to someone else who also doesn't have a clue how to take care of a turtle or lets them go in the wild. If you or someone you know is aware of illegal sales of baby turtles, turn the responsible party in to local authorities, the Humane Society and the FDA.

Pet Turtle Care: Tips For Raising Healthy Baby Turtles

The turtle hatchling is very cute and appealing to people, as are many baby animals. Nevertheless, it is illegal to purchase a hatchling turtle throughout the United States of America. (See U.S. Food and Drug Administration Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Subpart D, Sec. 1240.62--Turtles intrastate and interstate requirements). There are a few exceptions to this law however, for bona fide scientific, educational, or exhibitional purposes. The primary reason for this is because the hatchling turtle is deemed to be a greater risk for Salmonella compared to adult turtles. Turtle hatchlings are most likely to be handled by children who do not necessarily practice good personal hygiene; therefore the turtles' care must be properly and strictly observed.

To begin, you must be committed to caring for your turtle for a long time, as their lifespan is close to that of humans. If you take excellent care of them, they may even outlive you! Interested turtle keepers must first find out the species of turtle they want to keep. Not only must you provide suitable housing and the right kind of food to your pet; you must also know which species of turtle best suits your lifestyle and living conditions. There are some classes of turtle that grow extremely large, and cannot be kept as domesticated animals. Fortunately, there are a good number of turtle species that have docile personalities and grow to a manageable size as adults, making them suitable for captivity. Once you have purchased the turtle most suitable to your needs, you can move on to providing a good habitat for your pet.

Be sure to provide the turtles with a place to bask, swim, and hide, as these are the primary daily activities of your new pet. Not only do turtles enjoy these activities, they are essential to the turtles' overall good health. Turtle hatchlings can be best kept in plastic tubs or aquariums so you can monitor them more closely. Hatchling care requires constant temperature regulation. It is advisable to use a heater to maintain a controlled and sustained warm temperature within the area. If there are no heat or temperature-regulating devices available, place your pet's housing in a location where they can receive abundant natural lighting.

Feeding baby turtles may be the most challenging part of your hatchlings' care. At first, they may not even eat at all, no matter what type of food you offer them! This is just their normal behavior at this stage, so you need not worry too much. Although turtles are omnivorous, the young ones are most likely to behave as largely carnivorous animals. Hatchlings are very picky in the food that they approve of eating. Start off by feeding them small, live insects and worms. As they mature, you may find that their range of food preference also broadens. They then can be fed fruits and vegetables, or even the processed food intended for the mature turtle's diet.

If you are keeping more than one turtle, pay extra attention to your pets, in order to be certain that each one of them maintains optimum health.

If there are children in your household, teach them that observing good personal hygiene is a vital part of their pet hatchlings' care. Turtles have proven to be one of the best animals to keep, and once you get into the rhythm of excellent, responsible care for your hatchlings, you'll be a happy and satisfied turtle owner for years!

Pet Turtle Care : Learn How to Take Care of Turtles Before You Buy Live Turtles For Sale

Pet Turtle Care

Most potential turtle owners are unaware that most pet turtles require a dry as well as a wet habitat, and that the temperature of these should be conducive for the turtle's well-being. A turtle needs a lot of fresh food. Clean, fresh water should be kept in a shallow bowl and should be readily accessible to the turtle. You should have the knowledge to be able to recognize the difference between male and female turtles because of their different care requirements.

Feeding A Proper Diet To Your Pet Turtles -

One needs to be sure that they are feeding their pet turtle the proper turtle food to sustain its life and be healthy. Generally turtles require fresh vegetables such as lettuce to stay healthy. However, there are species of turtles that require a meat based diet too.

Your Baby Turtle Will Not Stay A Baby For Long -

Usually one gets a baby turtle and then is amazed to see of fast the baby turtles turns into an adult. Obviously the food intake of your turtle increases when it becomes an adult but more importantly if you didn't foresee the rapid growth of your turtle and purchased a turtle habitat that is too small be prepared to be set back by $200 to $1000.

Caring For Turtles -

You should also know that turtles require daily care. Another popular myth is that turtles hibernate for months. This is untrue, so making sure that somebody is taking care of your pet turtles if your planning to go out of town. Checking your turtle on a regular and systematic basis to detect any early signs of an illness is also a must.s

If you do eventually decide to keep turtles as pets its important that you stay committed to their care to have a happy, healthy pet turtle. I've prepared the most complete Turtle Care Guide that answers all the questions of any potential or current turtle owner: http://willed.info/turtle-care-ahreview

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Pet Turtle Care : How to Care For Turtles

Pet Turtle Care

A growing number of people worldwide are enjoying the experience of owning a pet reptile. When we typically think of reptiles snakes and lizards come to mind, but there is another unique reptile that is making many pet owners very happy: Turtles. Learning how to care for turtles as pets is a fun and unique experience.

How to Care for Turtles As Pets: Aquarium

Do you have enough space for a big enough aquarium? Turtles require a large area to swim and move around in. A good rule of thumb is 10 gallons for every inch of turtle shell. Keep in mind that the most popular types of pet turtle grow to about 12 inches. Alternatively, you may be able to keep your turtle outside, depending on the weather and the type of turtle. In this case you will need to provide a suitable pen for your turtles.

How to Care for Turtles As Pets: Feeding

Turtles eat almost anything they can fit in their mouths. They've been known to eat the gravel that some owners put in the aquarium. It's important to provide the right diet for your pet turtle, as they are omnivores and have specific requirements for nutrition. Feeding is not difficult, and can be one of the funnest parts of keeping a turtle. Different types of turtles have different nutritional requirements, so you will need to have a guide book or other resource for more specific information for your type of turtle. Turtles can be given a staple of pet store bought turtle food (usually called Turtle Sticks), but they also need some fresh food mixed in their diet every day. This will include various veggies and some meats. Occasionally a feeder fish to hunt is a good idea, this is great exercise for turtles.

How to Care for Turtles As Pets: Get a Guide Book

As a multiple pet owner, I know the value of a good guide book. You simply cannot properly care for a pet without tapping into the vast experience of those who have gone on before. The only real alternative to buying a guide book is to constantly fish around for information on the internet. While there is a lot of information out there, it is difficult to know how reliable it is, and it takes too much time to track down any information in an organized format. A good guide book will typically include pictures and diagrams that cannot be found in articles online.

This article is basically just a primer of the most important things to consider when learning how to care for turtles as pets. If you cannot meet the above requirements, then a pet turtle is probably not for you. However, if you are willing to invest in the aquarium, the feeding efforts, and a good guide book, then a turtle will be a great choice for you.

Unfortunately many pet turtles die in captivity because owners have not learned the simple fundamentals of turtle care. Keeping turtles is not difficult if owners know the basic requirements of turtle health and happiness.

As an experienced aquarium enthusiast, Kevin Bauer strongly recommends the Turtle Guide Book as the complete resource for choosing, housing, feeding, breeding, and training pet turtles.
Click here for more tips on keeping turtles as pets.

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Pet Turtle Care : Taking Care of a Turtle

Pet Turtle Care

If you have decided on a turtle for a pet, then you are going to love it!

A Pet Turtle has, in my opinion, a personality, and are fun, compared to a fish tank. They see you when you come to feed them or to talk to them.

For a tiny commitment of time each day, you can really enjoy your turtle as a pet, with a few simple rules.

First of all, you need to identify your pet turtle and what type it is, and where it is from, and purchase it from a reputable dealer or pet shop.

But here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Turtles are social, and if you can afford it, it is best to buy at least two, but make sure you know what their maturity size will be.

2. Do NOT use those little plastic containers the pet shop sells, you need to invest in a good 10 gallon tank, if not bigger.

3. You need to have a heater that can work in shallow water, and preferably a filtration system that is installed under the gravel. If you have a filtration system, you still should change the water every month. If you do not have a filtration system, then you need to clean the tank twice a week, and make sure to wash your hands well after handling your turtle.

4. Make sure they have an island that they can easily climb onto to bask and dry their shell. You can purchase islands for turtles in a pet store. You can use a large stone, but be careful not to damage the aquarium, a lightweight one is better.

5. Lighting is very important. You can use a UV light, which is beneficial to a turtles health, Keep them on a light and dark schedule, just like yourself, and they will be happy and perky when you are awake.

It is not too hard to take care of a pet turtle, and they can give you hours of fun. Pet Turtle care is important, but if taken care of properly, then can live to 25 years or more. They are great for apartments, and smaller spaces. Have fun with your new friend!

http://www.turtle-care.info

Did you know, that by making certain little changes each day in your turtle care, will save you time and money? Want to know more?

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Pet Turtle Care : Tips on Turtle Care

Pet Turtle Care

Turtles are very delicate creatures and once you decide to have them as pets there should be a form of commitment on your part. Since turtles are animals they are prone to disease and stress among other things. It is therefore very important that you care for your turtles. The following are tips on turtle care that will help your turtles to stay healthy and enjoy a pleasant environment.

• Turtles are not very comfortable with being touched so it would be ideal that you do not always touch them as this may stress them.
• It is always ideal that you keep your turtles outdoors or at least they should be allowed to go outdoors at one point in time.
• Do not allow you turtles to roam around freely as they may leave your home and go on the road and can be harmed.
• Always make sure that you turtle is not going to areas such as flower beds as it may end up eating plants that are poisonous there.
• Do not allow your turtle to eat plant from the garden that have been sprayed by chemical pesticides.
• If you are keeping your turtle indoors always make sure that you provide some heat source in the cold months.
• If your turtles are kept indoors always make sure the area they are staying in is free from rats as rats can bite turtles and also help spread diseases.
• Provide a good diet that constitutes different kinds of food such as insects, plants and fruits this allows the turtles to get a good supply of some of the essential nutrients they need for growth.
• Feed your turtles with some of the turtle canned foods that are available on the market. These foods are good for they have some added vitamins and some antibiotics that ensure your pets get a balanced diet and stay healthy.
• Turtles can become fat, so if you see that your turtles might be getting too fat make sure you reduce the amount of food you give them.
• Always allow your turtles to bask in the sun as this is essential in the formation of vitamin D3.
• Turtles can hibernate in winter, but if you do so wish you can take them inside during winter and provide them a source of warmth then there is no need for them to hibernate.
• When turtles are living indoors and not in the wild their toe nails and beaks tend to grow very long, so you can trim the beaks and nails of your turtles. This can be a difficult procedure so always get assistance from someone that is experienced.
• Always look at your turtles eyes, skin and shell. This will help you detect when your turtles are sick.
• If you determine that your turtle is sick make sure that you consult a veterinarian who deals with reptiles.

Once you follow some of these tips on turtle care you will find that looking after your turtles will be so much easier.

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Pet Turtle Care : Six Turtle Care Tips

Pet Turtle Care

When you decide to get a turtle for a pet, you have made a wise choice. Turtles can provide years of enjoyment. Some of them can even live up to forty years, if cared for properly. If you have children, this is a great pet for them to learn responsible pet care. While knowing how to care for turtles is not rocket science, it will take some instruction to do it correctly. You must ensure you have enough time to care for your turtle properly, as neglect will cause a stinky habitat and a very unhealthy, unhappy turtle.

1.Choose a good habitat: Turtles will require quite a bit of space in order to move around freely. You'll need a good size tank or aquarium, such as a forty gallon fish tank. You will need to provide a swimming area for your turtle and an area for them to sunbathe in. Foliage and stones on the bottom will make the turtle feel as though it's right at home.

2.Find a good source of heat: You will need to find a good source of heat for your turtle. In order to know how to care for turtles, you need to learn that a turtle maintains its body temperature through its surroundings. A heat lamp or other heating source will provide a place for your turtle to sun themselves.

3.Fresh water is a must: When you learn how to care for turtles, you will realize how important fresh water is to the reptile. Not only do turtles require fresh drinking water daily, they also need frequent water changes in their swimming area.

4.Know how to feed your turtle: Turtles require specific vitamins and minerals in order to stay healthy. If you want to know how to care for turtles, you might consider purchasing a diet book for your turtle. These reptiles can eat many different things, such as cooked meats like turkey or chicken, worms, fruits, and vegetables. There are also many nutritional supplements available at your local pet stores. You may also wish to purchase bone meal to add calcium to your turtle's diet.

5.Keep your turtle safe from harm: Other pets may be very interested in your turtle; however, they can really cause it problems. Small children may not understand that dropping a turtle can have deadly consequences. Turtles must be protected from these kinds of hazards. This is another specific area that needs to be addressed when you are learning how to care for turtles the proper way.

6.Caring for multiple turtles: If you decide you want to have more than one turtle, you need to learn how to care for turtles that live together. You will need a much larger habitat and swimming area. You may have to feed each turtle separately and at different areas of the tank. Sometimes turtles will fight when put together. You may also end up with babies if a male and female are housed together.

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Pet Turtle Care : Top Five Turtle Care Tips

Pet Turtle Care

When you bring home a turtle to have as a pet, you need to have some knowledge of turtles and how to care for them properly. There are many different breeds of pet turtle and each one has its own specific needs and special care. Here are five tips that can, regardless of its type, help you provide your pet with the best care and help make sure that it lives a long and healthy life:

Providing the right environment - it is extremely important that you provide a suitable environment for your turtle. Turtles have different environmental needs depending on their type; some will need a wet environment, some a dry environment and others may need both. You need to provide your pet with a proper aquarium or habitat and make sure you always regulate its temperature carefully; the wet and the dry regions of the habitat must be kept at an appropriate temperature. This is key to your pet staying healthy.

Proper diet - make sure that you are feeding your pet turtle with what it needs to sustain its life and be healthy. Most kinds of turtles need fresh vegetables such as lettuce to stay healthy. However, you should do a bit of research to find out the specific dietary requirements of your pet

Types of groupings - knowing what your turtle prefers in its living conditions is important. Some kinds of pet turtles prefer to live in groups while others like it solitary. For those breeds that do groups, you should be careful to make sure that they are all the same size and similar proportion.

Proper care and maintenance - like any other kind of pet, turtles need to be cared for daily and you need to be aware of any changes in behavior and health your turtle might be presenting. A change that your turtle is experiencing in order to know if something could be wrong or not. Spend enough time around your turtle to be able to notice any changes.

Be committed - pet turtles have a long life expectancy. In many cases it can be between thirty to fifty years, occasionally up to a hundred years, so you need to make sure that you are going to be committed to the care and nurturing of your pet turtle for many years to come.

Turtles can make wonderful pets as long as you are aware of the needs and care that they require.

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Pet Turtle Care : How to Care For Your Pet Turtle

Pet Turtle Care

Tips on how to care for your pet turtle

Some people are fond to watch the turtles especially when they swim. However, without proper pet turtle care your turtle may have lesser lifespan because of health-related problems. But by these turtle care guide, you may know some of the basic ways on how care for your turtle.

Try to create an almost-natural habitat for your pet turtles. Make sure that you maintain a temperature between seventy up to 80 degrees. This of course, depends on the breed of the turtle pet. Aside from that, place your turtle in a tank where he can move comfortably. It should not be less than 30 gallons.

Don't fill the whole turtle tank with water. Divide it in two sections so there will be a dry part for the land. The water that you would put in the tank should not also come from your faucet. This would upset the Ph level of your turtle and may cause it to be ill. What you need to do is to ask the person at the pet store so they can tell what type of water should you use.

Try to clean the tank every week. If not, the tank would be filthy and may lead to health problems on your turtle. And since you need to maintain the temperature in the tank, you might also want to get a submersible heater as well. The UV lights are also essential to create an artificial sunlight that is beneficial to your turtle.

Make sure that you feed them the turtle diet that they need. In order to have strong shells they must consume foods rich in Vitamin D, protein, as well as calcium. Have them munch on live crickets, vegetables, earthworms, and turtle sticks.

Don't treat them like puppies. They are not the type of pets that can be cuddled and can be passed from one person to another. Turtles are considered as amphibians. And unlike mammals, they are usually having a hard time adjusting to the changes in the temperature. Furthermore, you must wash your hands after you hold a turtle or the tank where it lives to avoid spreading of germs.

Turtle Care Guides are usually available online or in pet stores. Allocate enough time to read any turtle care guides so you would know how the proper pet turtle care is.

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Pet Turtle Care : Getting Pet Turtle Care Right

Pet Turtle Care

When it comes to keeping a turtle in your home, you really need to take a lot of things into consideration before purchasing one. Just because turtles as pets seems to be a popular trend right now, does not mean that a turtle is the right pet for you. Make sure that you are researching the different types of turtles out there as they all require different set ups and diets. You want to make sure that you will be able to afford what is required to make the turtle happy and that you will be able to maintain everything. Pet turtle care is a lot harder then most people think and it would be a shame to find that out after you have already brought the little pet home.

In order to make sure that you have all of the knowledge you need you will first to first decide if you want a land turtle or a water turtle. Water turtles are a lot harder to maintain because of the filters and such. You will want to decide what kind of turtle is the best for you and then you should have no problems finding out a lot of information on that particular kind of turtle. Make sure that you are making a list of everything that will be needed in order to provide proper pet turtle care. Once you add everything up you will probably see that it is going to be rather expensive but it is important that you not skip out on anything that the turtle needs to be happy and healthy.

Shopping For The Turtles

Once you have purchased everything you need for your turtle then it is time to go purchase one. There are various ways you can go about buying your new pet and you should consider all of them before you decide which route to go. Turtles in the pet stores are generally over priced and they are sometimes not that tame as they were not held all that much which means they could bite. You can always purchase your turtle online and have it shipped to you but then you are trusting someone you never met to send you the turtle you actually wanted.

Then there are the popular reptile shows that circulate the country from time to time. This is a great way to purchase your turtle as you usually have the chance to speak directly to the breeder and ask any questions you may have on pet turtle care. Even though you should have done plenty of research by this point, it never hurts to seek out additional information. This will also allow you to pick the turtle that you want and you will have plenty to pick from.

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Pet Turtle Care : How To Care Pet Turtle

Pet Turtle Care

Keeping a turtle as a pet has come a long way from the plastic palm tree set-ups of old. From the common box turtle to the less-common Ornate Wood Turtle to the extremely rare albino soft shell, there's a turtle for every lifestyle, budget, and personality. Turtles make fascinating, peaceful pets, but their penchant for longevity means you must be prepared to devote as many as thirty or forty years of care and attention to your new reptilian friend. If you're ready to share your heart and home with one of nature's most ancient and mysterious creatures, then read on for some great pet turtle care advice.

The type of care your turtle will require depends, for the most part, on the type of turtle you plan on getting. While you will certainly want to learn as much as you can about the specific breed of turtle you select, there are some basic rules that apply to pet turtle care, and these rules are different for the two main categories of turtles-water turtles and land turtles. To ensure your turtle's long life and happiness, you should strive to give him a comfortable, home-like environment. For water turtles (such as sliders, coots, and map turtles) this means providing at least 20 gallons of tank space complete with a small "island" for basking, a heat lamp for simulating sunlight, and a UVB light to help the turtle absorb maximum nutrients from his food. Water turtles are graceful, speedy swimmers, so the more swimming room they have, the better! Land turtles (such as box turtles) require plenty of room to roam with hollowed logs or flowerpots to hide in, natural vegetation, a basking area with a heat lamp, and a shallow dish of water for soaking. Many people choose to keep their land turtles outside in specially designed pens. This enables the turtles to not only enjoy the great outdoors, but to hibernate in the winter just as they would in the wild.

While the housing needs of water and land turtles differ dramatically, their diets are actually quite similar. As you learn to take care of a pet turtle, you'll discover that turtles, like most people, are omnivores. This means you'll probably be adding some groceries to your list! There are several varieties of pre-made "turtle chow" available at pet stores, but it's best to use those products sparingly and offer your turtle a wide range of foods. Most land and water turtles alike will happily devour crickets, earthworms, and snails. Water turtles love chasing feeder fish such as minnows and goldfish around their tank and many will also eat cooked chicken, shrimp, and tuna Never feed your turtle hamburger meat, as it's far too high in fat for your turtle to digest properly. Turtles also enjoy a nice salad or fruit plate from time to time. They're particularly fond of Romaine lettuces (never feed iceberg or spinach), dandelion greens, carrots, cantaloupe, strawberries, blackberries, tomatoes, and apples. Who knows! Having a turtle might just help you on your way to healthier eating habits (though we probably can't say the same for exercise).

While you may not feel like a pet turtle care expert right now, you'll hopefully have many happy years to become one! Caring for a pet turtle can be an experience that is both unique and rewarding in a pet-keeping culture dominated by dog and cat owners. While a turtle may not greet you at the door or curl up purring on your feet, it provides a lower maintenance option for busy people who don't have time for a dog or cat. At the end of a long, hard day, a turtle's gentle, peaceful, low-stress personality will surely be a calming influence and inspiring refuge in a speed-driven society. Take some time to relax, munch on a piece of fruit, and enjoy time well spent in the company of your new turtle!

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Pet Turtle Care : How To Take Care Of A Turtle - Important Points

Pet Turtle Care

You might want to know how to take care of a turtle. After all, turtles are among the cutest, most adorable pets around. Make no mistake though. They may not seem as demanding as other common house pets but they do have crucial needs. Since turtles do not bark and jump around, you usually have to anticipate what your turtle needs. Here are a couple of important considerations when taking care of your turtle.

Consider Different Species

You should never forget that not all turtles are alike. There are different species and sub species. This means that each one could have different housing, feeding and water needs. There are differences in how to take care of a turtle even within similar species. Box turtles for example are divided into American and Asian turtles. Each group has different care requirements. Your first concern should therefore be to clearly identify what species your pet turtle belongs to. Only after you have identified your turtle can you recreate the perfect conditions for raising it.

Outdoor Habitat

Turtles do not normally live in solid indoor habitats. As much as possible, the home that you prepare for them should closely resemble their natural homes. That means they should ideally be kept outdoors. This is the main secret to how to take care of a turtle successfully.

Outdoors, they should have a wide enclosure that is at least 15 feet from side to side. An enclosure should have a water source in which they can use to dip in. They should also have a basking area as well as a shaded area.

Indoor Home

You may not be able to supply a fully protected outdoor enclosure. In this case, you do have to settle for an indoor turtle home. Take note that there are aquatic turtles that love to swim in deep water and there are also turtles that prefer shallower areas. You should find out what your turtle is so you can prepare the right indoor home.

Aquatic turtles should be kept in aquariums with deep water, a basking area, heat source and a light source. Those that are mainly terrestrial with some need for water should be kept out of aquariums. They would do better in wide wooden or plastic homes with the right substrate and a wading dish. The ideal substrate for a lot of turtles is potting soil. Wood shavings may result in some health problems. Pine is particularly poisonous. Your turtles wading and drinking water should not contain chlorine.

Feeding

Turtles are generally omnivores. Turtle species however can be predominantly plant eaters or animal eaters. Again, you have to find out what your turtle is before you will know how to take care of it. In general, turtles benefit the most from a variety of mixed foods every meal time. You can mix worms with vegetables and fruits. Some turtles do not eat everyday while others may not eat at all for a string of days. You therefore do not need to panic right away. Just keep an eye on your turtle's physical activity. If it is active and moving about, then there might be no need to worry.

These are only basic tips on how to take care of a turtle. There may be other important points that you need to take note of. Just remember to find out first about your turtle species before doing anything else.

Visit http://www.TurtleTanks.Org to find out everything you need to know about Pet Turtle Care.

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