Pet Turtle Care: Spoil Your Pet Turtle With 4 Treats Turtles Love

The most important part of owning a turtle is to make sure that you fully understand pet turtle care. When you know how to care for your turtle properly, you will be able to enjoy many long years with your little friend. You of course want to make sure that your turtle is a happy turtle, since it is bringing you so much joy into your life. To ensure that yours is as happy as a turtle can possibly be, make sure that you are providing him or her with little treats.

1. Outside Play Time
If your turtle is pinned up inside the house all day long, try making sure that he or she gets the opportunity to visit the outdoors once in a while. Take your turtle out into your yard, away from cats or dogs that may attack, and let him or her roam around the yard a little. The natural sunlight is a wonderful way to bring health and happiness to your turtle. You may also find that your turtle finds little pieces of grass or tiny bugs that he or she will enjoy munching on. These fresh snacks are very nutritious and are a nice treat that your turtle will love.

2. Yummy Snacks
If there is a favorite treat that you do not normally buy such as freeze dried shrimp, wax worms or an expensive fruit, depending on the type of turtle you have, you might want to add some into your turtle's food dish for a special treat. You want to make sure that you do not go overboard with the treats though because you have to be careful that the diet you give your turtle is a balanced one.

3. New Cage or Aquarium Furniture
Whether it is a floating ledge for a water aquarium or a nice little cave to hide in for a dry cage, there is something out there that your turtle would love to have added to his or her little enclosure. By adding a little something special to the enclosure of the turtle, you will allow him or her to have something new to explore and make use of.

4. A Play Mate
You can introduce a playmate, such as another turtle of the same breed, into the home of your turtle. It is wise to make sure that you are bringing in the other gender to make sure that there will not be any territory fighting. You also want to make sure that the turtle you bring in is about the same size as the one you already have in order to make sure they are good companions.

In the end, proper pet turtle care is all about doing what is best for your turtle. This includes diet, exercise and cage cleaning but also should include providing love, affection and treats every now and then. You will feel joyful knowing that you are providing everything you possibly can to make sure that your turtle leads a happy life.

Pet Turtle Care: Important 5 Tips For Caring Pet Turtle

Having a turtle as a pet means you may have more responsibility then you planned. They need more care then most people are aware. Female and male turtles need separate care. It's important to do your research and make sure you understand how to care for your turtle properly!

The first step in caring for your turtle should be to understand how to tell the difference between female and male turtles. They need different kinds of care so this is important!

Here are the 5 most important tips you should know and understand about caring for your turtle:

1. Environment - It is very important that you understand what type of environment conditions your turtle needs. Different types of turtles need separate kinds of environments. For example -- some may need wet, dry, or both types of habitats! It is critical that you now what is suitable for your turtle to make sure he stays happy and healthy!

2. Diet - Another very important thing to understand is what type of food and diet your turtle needs to stay healthy and happy. Your turtle's food and water should always be fresh. His water should be served in a shallow bowl for easy access. Do your research because different types of turtles need different diets. You should also make sure you don't feed any food that may make your turtle sick!

3. Living Conditions - Some turtles prefer to live alone, while others need company. Turtles with living conditions that aren't correct may become unhappy, unhealthy, lonely, and/or overcrowded. You should read up on your type of turtle to make sure you have this correct.

4. Daily Care - Your turtle needs daily care from you. Most people don't realize that turtles DO need a lot of care. It's important that you realize this and care for your turtle every day. Buying a pet turtle requires a lot of commitment and dedication. They also have a very long lifespan, so you should definitely read into these considerations before buying one.

5. Life Expectancy - You and your turtle may be together for around 30-50 years. If you are not fully committed that number may not be realistic for your situation. This is why it is so important that you completely understand your turtle's needs.

Turtles are really wonderful pets and I'm sure that you'll have a long, amazing life together!

Pet Turtle Care: Your Turtle Source

What Should You Ask Before Buying a Turtle?

Turtles can be bought in pet shops or from breeders. If someone wanted to purchase a turtle, he could go directly to a store, visit the breeders he knows, or even find online sources. But have you ever asked yourself where your pet turtles (and the rest of the turtles in pet shops) come from? Have you ever taken the initiative to find out? Sometimes it helps owners-whether prospective, beginning, or experienced-to know where the turtles come from, to be able to take extra precautions against disease or even illegal trading.

1. Turtles From Their Original Wild Habitats

Wild turtles are caught to be sold to the pet industry. This can be quite an unlucky fate for these turtles. From the very moment they are captured and taken from their natural habitats, stress and fear can cause them terrible consequences. It is not surprising then that some of them die or are injured en route to captivity. In their natural settings, turtles do not follow a fixed time and schedule for their feedings and water consumption. When captured, they may become lazy or listless. This process of capturing and taking turtles from their original environment also affects the population of the turtles in the wild, and may even present damage to their natural habitat. It has been reported that the search for gopher tortoises had unscrupulous turtle collectors wrecking the natural habitats, like rock crevices and bogs, of the animals. These actions can greatly damage the ecosystem as a whole.

2. Ranched Turtles

When wild-caught turtles are raised to a marketable size in captivity, or their eggs or hatchlings sold, we consider them to be "ranched." At least 10% of adult ranched turtles will die from overcrowded conditions, and ranchers will have to resort to making up the balance by taking even more turtles from the wild. Baby red-eared sliders are said to be the biggest number of ranched species raised for export on farms in Louisiana.

3. Captive-bred Turtles

Captive-bred turtles, raised by pet owners or small retailers, are animals caged for a long time, which are then mated with other captive turtles. The eggs they lay are then sold through on-line dealers or pet stores.

4. Turtle Farming

Turtle farming means that the turtles are born in captivity and have had 0% exposure to the natural environment. According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service studies and reports, a very large percentage of the total turtle importation in the US is almost always of animals seized from their wild habitat.

If you know the source of your pet turtle, the novice owner should go to his veterinarian to have his turtle examined. This is especially true for turtles that initially originate in feral locales. These turtles may carry very serious diseases or illnesses that can be dangerous to you and your loved ones. Remember, turtle ownership should be an enjoyable endeavor for you and your family. It should never place you or your loved ones in danger of compromising your health. You cannot, simply by looking at a turtle, determine if it has an illness or is carrying a disease. Only your veterinarian can tell. This is why it is so important to purchase a turtle from a reputable breeder or store, and to have an independent examination by your veterinarian.

Pet Turtle Care: How to Buy a Turtle

Pet Tips You Need to Know

Turtles make delightful pets for children, teens and adults. Not only are they fascinating to observe, but they have the added benefit of living for fifty or more years-yes, even a Red-eared Slider four inches long will live half a century! It can be your family mascot for generations. But anyone wanting a turtle should be aware that, contrary to what you might think, turtles actually require a great deal of care. For this reason they might not make the best pet for a young child. But if your child is responsible and won't simply neglect his or her pet when the novelty wears off, and truly has her heart set on one, we will give you some tips on how to buy a turtle.

You can buy turtles all over the place-even in a flea market. Animal shelters sometimes have abandoned turtles as well, though they might be diseased and require the care of a vet. The most recommended places to buy a turtle are in a pet store or from a turtle breeder. These outlets are more likely to house and care for their turtles in a professional, sanitary environment. Just the same, check that their animals aren't being held in grimy tanks under overcrowded conditions.

Also, very importantly, the salespeople at a pet store or breeders will be knowledgeable about turtles and be able to answer the many questions that you should ask before purchasing a pet and bringing it home. For example, you should first ask about the different types of turtles-aquatic, semi-aquatic or land tortoises-and decide which kind is best for you. Once you've settled on the species you want, you'll need to ask what kind of food that particular turtle eats, what kind of living conditions it requires, how often its tank needs to be cleaned out, etc. Be sure to get the exact name of your breed so that you can look it up on the Internet later to find out more feeding and care tips.

Select a turtle with bright eyes that aren't milky looking. Clear eyes are a sign that it's healthy. Don't pick a turtle that has a soft or discoloured shell, or cracked and dry skin, as those are sure signs that the animal is ill. In addition, a healthy turtle should squirm and try to get away when you pick it up, wiggling its little legs and head. (Some turtles carry the disease salmonella, but you can't really tell if your choice is infected or not-so just make sure to always-always!-wash your hands with soap after handling them.) It's also best to buy a young turtle rather than an old one, as a young turtle will be more adaptable and be able to change to a new diet easily. Finally, if your choice appears to be quite little, have the vendor measure it, as it's illegal to sell a turtle less than three or four inches long.

Before actually buying your pet turtle and bringing it home, make sure that you have something to bring it home to. Turtles-especially aquatic breeds like Red-eared Sliders, etc., require a rather complex habitat, and you can't simply bring it home and keep it in a glass bowl for several days. You need to have your pet's happy home set up and waiting for it when it comes in the door. You will need to buy an ample-sized aquarium, some pebbles and plants for the bottom, flat rocks or brick to stack on top of each other (to create a dry area above the water), and turtle food. You will also need to buy a reptile lamp for your pet to bask under, as that's what keeps its shell healthy and firm.

Now you're ready to buy your pet turtle and bring it home!

Pet Turtle Care: Buy a Pet Turtle

What You Need to Consider Before

Turtles make great pets, which is why you will find lots of pet owners prefer to buy a pet turtle and raise it as their pet. They are fascinating creatures that can live for half of a century or so. We may think that turtles do not need utmost care but actually, they also require enough attention from their caretakers. Some of the species may not be appropriate for little kids who are not yet responsible.

Mostly, a turtle enthusiast may buy a pet turtle among reliable pet stores which are found in every location. Also, a highly recommended source of healthy pet turtles is a breeder of different turtle species. Essentially, breeders are recommended and most preferred because they have room for these animals and they have facilities to care for baby turtles in suitable and sanitary environments. But one thing that should be ensured is that the turtles should not be confined in overcrowded tanks and containers.

Those who buy a turtle from breeders or pet stores have to ensure that the store/breeder is a lot knowledgeable regarding turtles. For instance, you have to let them differentiate the characteristics of turtles and tortoise to avoid confusion. Once you are done choosing the species to bring home, inquire about the pet's diet in order to provide the appropriate nutrition.

Find out the breed or species whenever you buy a turtle for more reference should you have to look for additional feeding and care tips. When choosing a pet, pick one with bright and clear eyes being a sign a hale and hearty turtle. Never choose one with faded or soft shell as well as dry or cracked skin. These can indicate an ailing pet.

To efficiently buy a turtle, you have to consider some characteristics of turtles that will indicate that it is a healthy one. A vigorous turtle should wriggle and try to flee from grip and that it should wiggle its head and legs considerably. Beware of risky salmonella when handling turtles. After handling them, thoroughly wash both hands with soap and clean water.

Buy a pet turtle which is young. Prefer them over adult turtles since younger ones can easily adapt. Arrange an appropriate tank for your turtle. Plus, you can grant it with additional plants and stones inside the tank. And of course, do not fail to supply your pet turtle with sufficient amount of food and fresh water.

Pet Turtle Care: The New Turtle Tub Experience - Herpetologist Approved

Many are zoned in on the pond experience, and well they should because it is a natural setting for turtles and reptiles alike. It consists of a swimming area and a nesting area.

The Typical Aquarium

Typically owners of aquariums develop there own styles of systems which include a swimming area and a nesting area. The simplest and lowest cost method is to change an aquarium to a pool-nesting combo. A piece of glass is siliconed in between the sides of the aquarium. This provides a swimming area and a nesting area, just by siliconing a piece glass in place.

The Turtle Tub: Pond Experience

The second most popular method is to abandon the aquarium setting altogether and use a tub that is either made with partitions in it, or owners again develop their own style of partition.

A third alternative is to actually combine the two systems into one. I will talk about the third system in a minute, but I want to discuss the first two in a little bit more detail so we understand the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Each System

The aquarium system is nice because it allows a visual of the turtles or reptiles from the side. Not all animals appreciate the viewing of themselves, water dragons for example, but most are not affected too badly by it. You will find that animals have personalities and if treated right, the visual experience is not hurting them.

Some times a reptile likes to retreat, so a hollowed out log, or a rock with a space behind it offers a "get away" or a concealment for the pet. The aquarium systems can offer this variety, but have a distinct down fall, and that is water changes and overall cleanliness of the aquarium. Cleaning the environment is very important for pet health and it must be done frequently.

Any pet owner worth his salt working with an aquarium system must devote at least an hour to cleaning and reassembling the aquarium tank system. Just in case you are wonder, wont a filtration system work? Yes it will, but the water still needs to be changed.

Mega Turtle Tank

The turtle tank, or mega turtle tub has been developed that offers the pond experience. This particular design basically removes the drudgery of siliconing in a partition. It allows one side to be a pool and the other side to be a nesting area. The down side is that the tub is only useful for viewing from above. So the tub must be placed on the floor for viewing. Additionally, placing the unit on the floor is not optimal especially for pet enthusiasts who want to conserve space, and also use the conventional aquarium systems.

Aquarium systems again have their benefits, and they are primarily the fact of space and aesthetics: ie it is not an eyesore. Everyone has seen a fish tank in a doctors office, or even in a home. The bottom line is they look like a piece of furniture, not a sore thumb sitting in the middle of the floor.

The Optimum Turtle Tub

So the optimum situation would be to use an aquarium as the setting. Have it provide both the swimming and the nesting area. Trouble is that siliconing in a partition makes cleaning difficult.

Several reptile enclosure accessories have come up with ideas that include the tank. Usually the idea is something that straddles the tank. There is another idea however that used, such as floating logs for basking.

The third idea involves a pool converted into a basking area. Kind of like a floating island for basking. In other words, the reptile can nest on an island while swimming around it, or next to it. This can be accomplished by using pool as a nesting area, and the rest of the aquarium as a pool. The ease of maintenance is much simpler this way. The pool can be removed, and then the tank can be drained (or even use conventional filtration systems), while the nesting section is removed and placed on the side.

Once the tank is cleaned, the nesting section can be put back in place.

So to recap,

There are three methods:

1. Aquarium Tank Siliconed Partitioned Nesting Section
2. Turtle Tub Enclosure
3. Aquarium and Nesting Section

All three methods have their merits, but the third seems to combine the best of both worlds: viewing, aesthetics and cleaning.

Pet Turtle Care: How to Design a Turtle Terrarium

A turtle terrarium is ideal if you want to show off your pet and decorate your house at the same time. You will be providing your turtle a habitat, and adding to the natural feel of your home.

Step 1: Get a tank

You will need to get a tank large enough to accommodate your turtle when it reaches its maturity. The minimum turtle terrarium dimensions should be 3-4 times the length of the turtle, twice the length of the turtle in width, and 1.5-2 times the length of the turtle in height. Add 8-12 inches above the highest level the turtle can reach inside the tank so it cannot escape.

If you have more than one turtle, increase the tank dimensions by 40-60% per turtle.

The tank for your turtle terrarium should preferably be Plexiglas, since regular glass produces glare.

Step 2: Prepare the water and land area

Try not to obstruct the water area so that the turtle can swim freely and not bump into or be stuck on decorations. Place the decorations along the corners instead, covering other turtle terrarium equipment like filters.

Turtles love to bask, so they will need land area to rest on. This can be made of acrylic, glass, thick wood, plastic, or a large stone. Anchor the land area above water level, with a ramp sloped so the turtle can climb on.

Avoid sharp edges or decorations that will block the turtle's path. Also, do not use gravel or other materials that are less than 2 centimeters in diameter.

Step 3: Make sure the water you use is clean

Turtles spend a lot of their time in the water. It is where they swim, eat, drink, and release their waste. Over time, the water will become dirty, and this will make the turtle susceptible to diseases if left unchanged.

Changing the tank water in a turtle terrarium is a tedious job, and is recommended to be done every 45 days, at least. To keep the water clean between each change, you can use a water filtration system instead.

You can also add a teaspoon of salt in every 4-5 liters of water to prevent harmful bacteria, and shell and skin diseases.

Step 4: Decorate the tank

Make the turtle's habitat a bit more homely by adding decorations to it instead of leaving it bare.

Remember to wash and sterilize things you pick up from the road before you put them in the tank. Do not add decorations that are sharp, pointed, or so small that the turtle can swallow them.

You can add commercial decorations, driftwood, gravel, plants, shells, and stones to your turtle terrarium.

Step 5: Provide proper lighting

Turtles also love to bask, which is why you will need to fit a heating or basking light onto the tank. There are several basking lights available in stores. When you install the lights, make sure they focus on the land area where the turtle will rest.

Aside from heat, turtles also need UV light rays for their calcium metabolization. UV lamps are also available in stores.

Step 6: Situate the tank in a convenient corner

Do not place the tank beside a window. Even though turtles need natural sunlight, windowpane glasses filter 95% of the UV rays. Exposing the tank water to direct sunlight will also cause algae to grow faster, which means you will have to change the water more frequently.

After you have followed those simple steps, your turtle terrarium is now ready. But before you put in your turtle, test the environment first by letting small fish live in the water for a while. This is to check if the water is clean and free of diseases. If all is OK, you can set your turtle inside the tank.