Posted by admin | Posted in Pet Turtle | Posted on 13-07-2011
Tags: aquarium, sea, turtle, turtle water, turtle water bear, turtle water filter, turtle water temperature, turtle watermelon, turtles, water
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tortoise shell and Tortoise? (Red Slider water turtle)
Mating Turtles and Turtle Care
Similar to most reptiles, turtles always fascinate children. However, many parents buy a turtle because of this fascination, but never take into account the needs of the turtle! Turtles are not complicated to care for, but many die in captivity because they aren't treated with the same degree of care and attention that we use for, say, cats and dogs. If they are properly cared for, turtles can live for many decades, but this requires you pay close attention to their diets, living arrangements, and treatment.
Making sure a turtle has enough room to live in, enough light and shade, moisture, clean water, and a basking lamp are just a few of the things that you need in order to keep your pet turtles healthy.
It is a good idea to try to recreate a turtle's natural habitat, and this usually means having a turtle pen outside. This will also allow your turtles to ibernate in the fall - a wonderful idea if you plan to breed turtles, since their natural annual living cycle remains unchanged. In addition, turtles which do not hibernate sometimes develop liver disease. If you have small children, don't let them dig them out - you should not see your turtles until late spring.
It has been known to use refrigerators to try to create and ideal conditions for hibernation. I really feel this should not be recommended because of possible power failure - a sudden rise in the temperature could be fatal. If you are keeping your turtles indoors, it is better that they do not hibernate at all.
There are certain considerations when you keep turtles indoors:
The tank must be above 40 gallon capacity with room for a land area, a water area and an area for basking under a sun lamp. The temperature will depend on the breed, but in general about 80º during the day, and 70º at night.
Also, remember to wash your hands before AND after handling your turtles, in order to avoid contamination. Not all turtles carry salmonella, but it is safer to maintain good hygiene when dealing with any pet and it's habitat. You should keep the tank clean, with fresh water and free of waste. Use spring water for your turtles, because tap water contains additives.
In addition, do not use tree bark or wood chips inside the turtle's tank as these can cause problems with your turtles digestive system. Try to place the tank natural light where the room lighting does not change. Turtles generally require 12 hours of sunlight, so using a proper UV lamp will help the turtle get the amount of vitamin D3 and light it requires to stay healthy.
You should also have a shelter for your turtles made from wood, or stones. If you want to add vegetation to your turtle's tank, there is a strong chance they will try to eat it, so make sure these plants are non-poisonous to turtles.
Please also remember your turtles are living beings, and also intelligent enough to know it's friends and enemies. A happy turtle can provide years of enjoyment for your whole family, and is a great way to help teach younger children about responsibilities.
And finally, I strongly recommend a superb book, which is available to download which covers every aspect of mating and owning turtles. Please see my Author details below.
About the Author
Michael Cartwright is an animal therapist and has over 25 years experience in working with both pets and wild animals mainly in the UK. Michael is also a turtle owner and has owned "Freddie" for over 10 years, he recommends visiting this site www.matingturtles.blogspot.com to learn more about the complete Turtle Guide Book and breeding book. You can also reach this same information by clicking Here!
