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Fresh Water turtles are small, yet amazing creatures to have and care for in your home. River Cooters, Red Eared Sliders, and Painted turtles are all common pets found in America. Though turtles are fun to have around they do require special care just like any other pet would. In most cases they make great pets but turtles arent the easiest pets to have so depending on your lifestyle you should think about how much time youre willing to put into a turtle.
They are usually cheap to buy yet the equipment for your turtle can get expensive. Along with cost you must find the time to put into this pet. They need nice set ups to live in as well as attention and proper handling. A turtles habitat is vital for their health. Depending on the size and type of turtle you need to make sure you have an adequate home for it. If you decide to keep the turtle inside you need a large aquarium, no smaller than 20 gallons and if you have a baby turtle this will allow a little more room for growth so it will last you a bit longer than a smaller aquarium would.
Filters are needed for this aquarium so you do not have to clean it out every day. A clean aquarium is very important for the turtles health. Water turtles like to bask out of the water in the sun or under an Ultraviolet (UV) light, which provides the same effect as the sun would, so for this you need a place they can climb out and bask. This is also so they can rest from swimming in the water. These basking rocks, or even floating cork for younger turtles, are very important, they have to have a place to bask and get out of the water. Yet if you decide to keep it outside be sure to provide a place to bask, plenty of water, filters, and a covering so other predators can not harm or eat your turtle.
Equipment will be different for indoors or outdoors. If you keep your turtle indoors be sure that it can occasionally get fresh air and sun light, but do not keep an aquarium next to a window! Also, make sure your aquarium or pond is clean, this is extremely important to maintain good health for the turtle and provides them with a clean habitat. Try to clean an aquarium once a month but a large filtered pond can go for up to 6 months. If you notice the turtle swimming at the side a lot and constantly acting like it wants out it is probably unhappy with its environment and you should check the temperature of the water and make sure their habitat is clean. A clean and large habitat is very important to its health.
Feeding your turtle, just like any other pet, is a daily task. Water turtles are omnivorous; they eat plants and meat. In pet stores they sell pre made turtle food such as Reptomin, and Purina Turtle chow. There are many different brands and types of foods. The best kind to get are the kind that float, water turtles quickly find this type of food floating at the surface. You can also make mixtures of food yourself.
Ground beef and vegetables, lettuce and other leafy greens are good source of vitamins and nutrients that your turtle needs. A long with the food you feed it, additional vitamins should be given which can also be found in pet and specialty stores. You usually feed your turtle twice day and in the water, this is the only way water turtles will eat. Your turtles health is extremely important to watch and take care of. For their skin make, sure they dont get dehydrated and check them for mites weekly. To do this look for any dead cells in the cracks of their skin and if you see and red pinpoint dots those are mites.
Also check for ticks, which are larger, and can be found anywhere on the turtles skin. If you notice any deep open wounds and anything very unusual take them to the vet of find an antibiotic that can be painted onto their skin for treatment, if the wounds do not go away with in the prescribed time take them to your vet. The turtles shell should be smooth and rounded and hard or firm. If you notice that it is soft in places and have growth on it, there is treatment found in most pet stores and be sure they are getting the proper vitamins. A runny nose or mucus found around the mouth and nose is not normal and your turtle could be sick and needs to see the vet or make sure its environment is clean and you are feeding them properly. If they have inflamed eyes and / or funny breathing they probably have a respiratory infection and should be checked out by the vet.
You need to collect stool samples about once every 6 months to have examined by the vet if you are worried about infections or diseases. Check ups with the vet and a supply of medicines for the typical problems turtles have, such as inflamed eyes, in your home. Taking care of your turtles health is vital for them and you also because they can carry contagious diseases. If you decide to breed your turtle it is one to take careful measures with and can be quite costly. Turtles dig their eggs into sand to keep them incubated and dont play any role in the babies lives after they lay their eggs. Be sure you have enough room for the turtle to lay her eggs in soft sand and then when shes done transport them to a better incubated aquarium in sand.
Be sure not to turn or rotate the eggs at all, just lift them and then set them back under the sand. Turning the eggs will cause the embryo to crush the yolk. When the eggs hatch be sure to separate them from their parents and raise them in a separate aquarium and then proceed to take care of them just like you would the adults. Just make sure their food is small enough for them to get a hold of and eat. To determine the sex of your turtle you can check their front claws and the males will be extremely long compared to the females and the males tail is also longer than the females. Turtles can live for up to 60 years depending on how well you take care of them, so if you take good care of your turtle it will live for a very long time and could very well out live you.
Turtles are fun and interesting pets as long as you have the time and can afford proper care. Turtles become accustomed to people and are usually very tame. They are curious creatures and very interesting to watch and are actually a good learning experience. I know I certainly have learned a lot from my turtle just through observation. Keeping your turtle healthy and clean can be very rewarding for they are quite active reptiles and make a great pet.
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