Content
- Aquarium or Water Turtle Terrarium
- Temperature and sunlight for the water turtle
- Feeding water turtles
- Most common diseases of water turtles
THE water turtle it is a very common and common pet, especially among children, since the popularity of these reptiles has increased a lot during the last few years. There are many reasons to have a turtle as a pet, despite the fact that they are easy to care makes many parents think of them as a great choice for their children's first pet.
For all these reasons we decided to talk about water turtle care.
Aquarium or Water Turtle Terrarium
The turtle needs to have its own habitat or space, which can be a aquarium or terrarium. The habitat must meet the following requirements:
- A pool deep enough for them to swim calmly without bumping into the decor they may have.
- a dry part that is above water in which the turtle can dry and sunbathe, as well as rest.
The size of the terrarium of the water turtle must be enough for the animal to have space to swim, we must have a size of at least 3 or 4 times the length of the turtle itself. The bigger the space, the better living conditions you will have.
In addition, so that your turtle does not develop any disease due to lack of hygiene, it must maintain its as clean water as possible, emptying and filling the aquarium every week. You can also choose to purchase a filter system from your pet store so you don't have to clean the water.
You can add elements to your terrarium such as palm trees, castles or plastic plants and create an original and unique environment.
Temperature and sunlight for the water turtle
The turtle's environment is very important so it doesn't get sick, so we must take into account that:
- The water temperature should be warm, among some 26°C and 30°C, and as mentioned before, in the dry part of the aquarium or terrarium, they must reach the sun's rays so that the turtle can dry out and keep its bones and shell healthy. It is important that the water temperature does not vary too much with the temperature of the environment, as a sudden change is not good for the turtle. Under any circumstances, we must make them withstand temperatures below 5 degrees or above 40, nor locate them in places where there are drafts.
- Must receive sunlight. If you cannot find a good position for the aquarium to receive sunlight, you can choose to buy a light bulb that simulates the effect and points to your small island or dry part of the aquarium.
Feeding water turtles
You can find it in any pet store turtle feed normal, enough for your diet. You can also vary your food by incorporating other foods such as raw and low-fat fish, vegetables, crickets, larvae and even small insects.
If you want to feed some of these foods, first ask a specialist who can advise you. If you see that you accept raw fish but that you don't adapt to the food you can find on sale in stores, mix both and try to get used to it.
shall feed the water turtles depending on their age.: if the size is small, you should feed them once a day and, if on the contrary, it is big, you should do it three times a week, following the instructions on the product packaging. Remember that you should remove all the food left over from the terrarium to prevent it from getting too dirty.
Most common diseases of water turtles
A large part of the diseases of water turtles are due to the ignorance of their basic needs, such as providing sunlight into the environment or inadequate power.
In case a turtle becomes sick and there are others in the aquarium, you should separate the sick from the other companions, at least for a month or until you see that it is cured.
Turtle diseases:
- In case the turtle has any skin lesion, go to the vet to recommend a cream to cure it. They are usually water-soluble antibiotic creams that help with healing and do not harm the turtle. If they are wounds, you should also keep them indoors to prevent flies laying eggs on them.
- carapace: O softening of the carapace may be due to lack of calcium and light. Sometimes small spots may also appear on it. We recommend that you increase your exposure to the sun. On the other hand, we find the carapace discoloration of the turtle and, the causes are the presence of chlorine in the water or lack of vitamin. Finally, if we observe a white layer on top of the carapace it could be because your turtle has fungus, too much moisture or too little light. To prevent this, add 1/4 of a cup of salt for every 19 liters of water. And if the turtle already has fungus, buy a fungus medicine that you can find on sale at any store. It can take up to a year to heal.
- Eyes: A eye infection it is also a common problem in turtles, seen to have their eyes closed for long periods of time. The origin is the lack of vitamin A or poor hygiene in the environment, in this case add vitamins to your diet.
- Respiratory: If we observe that the turtle secretes mucus from the nose, breathes with the mouth open and has little activity, we should move the terrarium to a place without currents and increase the temperature to 25ºC.
- Digestion: A constipation of the turtle is due to the food we give it. If you are lacking in vitamins and fiber you will be prone to this problem. Put it in a container of warm water and modify your diet. THE diarrhea is favored by excess fruit, lettuce or eating food in poor condition. Offering less hydrated food and sanitizing the water are possible solutions.
- Anxiety or stress: If you notice restlessness in your behavior, move it to a quieter area so your immune system is not affected.
- Egg retention: It happens when they break inside the turtle and the causes are lack of vitamins or food shortages, old age, etc. In this case you should consult a specialist quickly as the turtle could die.
- Prolapse: That's the name of the fact of reproductive device leave your site. It usually returns to its place alone or with help, but if the prolapse is the result of a bite or being torn, it may be necessary to amputate.
Also read our article on caring for an aquarium turtle.
If you've recently adopted a turtle and still haven't found the perfect name for it, check out our list of turtle names.
