The water turtle is a very common pet, especially among children, as the popularity of these reptiles has increased like foam during the last years. There are many reasons to have a tortoise as a pet, although the fact that they are easy to care for and take responsibility for makes many parents think of them as a great choice for your children's first pet.
For all these reasons we have decided to talk about the care of water turtles.
Fish tank or turtle terrarium
The turtle needs to have its own habitat or space, which can be a fish tank or a terrarium. The habitat must meet the following requirements:
- A pool Deep enough for them to swim safely without bumping into any decorations you may have.
- A dry part that is above the water where the turtle can dry off and sunbathe as well as rest.
The size of the terrarium of the water turtle must be enough so that the animal has space to swim, we will have a size of at least 3 or 4 times the length of the turtle itselfThe larger the space, the better living conditions it will have.
Also, so that your turtle does not develop any disease due to lack of hygiene you must keep the water as clean as possible, emptying and refilling the aquarium weekly. You can also choose to purchase a backpack or filter system at your pet store and forget about cleaning the water.
You can add elements to your terrarium such as palm trees, castles or plastic plants and create an original and unique environment.
The temperature and sunlight for the terrapin
The environment of the turtle is very important so that it does not get sick, for this we must take into account that:
- The water temperature should be lukewarm, between about 26ºC and 30ºC, and as we have mentioned before, in the dry part of the aquarium or terrarium, they must reach the sun's rays so that the turtle can dry off and keep its bones and shell he althy. It is important that the temperature of the water does not vary too much with the temperature of the environment, since a sudden change is not good for the turtle. Under no circumstances should we make them withstand temperatures below 5 degrees or above 40, nor place them in places where there are drafts.
- They should get sunlight. If you cannot find a good position for the aquarium to receive sunlight, you can choose to buy a lamp that simulates the effect and points towards its small island or stretch of dry land in the aquarium.
Water turtle feeding
You can find in any pet store conventional turtle food, enough for their diet. You can also vary his diet by incorporating other foods such as low-fat, raw fish, vegetables, crickets, grubs, and even small insects.
If you want to feed any of these foods, first ask a specialist who can advise you. If you notice that he accepts raw fish but does not adapt to the food you can find in stores, mix the two and get him used to it.
You will feed the water turtles depending on their age: if they are small you will feed them only once a day and if On the contrary, they are great, you will do it three times a week, always following the instructions on the product packaging. Remember that you must remove all the leftover food from the terrarium to prevent it from getting excessively dirty.
Most common diseases of water turtles
A large part of the diseases of water turtles are due to ignorance of their basic needs, such as the provision of light sunlight in the environment or inadequate diets.
In the event that one gets sick and you have others in the aquarium, you must separate the sick one from the rest of the companions, at least for a month or until you see that she is cured.
Turtle diseases
- In the event that the turtle has any lesion on the skin go to the vet so that he can recommend a cream to cure it. Normally they will be creams with water-soluble antibiotics that help healing and do not harm the turtle. In the case of wounds, you should also keep them indoors to prevent flies from laying eggs on them.
- Shell: The shell softening is due to the lack of calcium and light. Sometimes small spots can also appear on it. We recommend increasing sun exposure. On the other hand we find the discoloration of the shell of the turtle, and the causes are the presence of color in the water or vitamin deficiencies. Finally, if we observe a white layer on top of the shell is because your turtle has fungus, excess humidity or lack of light. To prevent it, add 1/4 of a cup of s alt every 19 liters of water. And if your tortoise already has fungus, buy a fungus medicine that you can find at any store. They can take up to a year to heal.
- Eyes: eye infection is also a common problem in turtles, it is observed that their eyes are closed for long periods. The origin is the lack of vitamin A or poor hygiene in the environment, add vitamins to your diet.
- Respiratory: If we observe that the turtle secretes mucus of the nose, breathes with its mouth open and has little activity, we must move its terrarium to a place without drafts and increase the temperature to 25ºC.
- Digestion: The turtle's constipation is due to the diet that we provide. If you are lacking in vitamins and fiber you will be prone to this problem. Place it in a container with warm water and modify its diet. The diarrhea is favored by too much fruit, lettuce or eating spoiled food. Offering less hydrated food and sanitizing the water are possible solutions.
- Anxiety or stress: If you notice concern in her behavior, move her to a quieter area so that her immune system is not affected.
- Retention of Eggs: It happens when they break inside the turtle and the causes are lack of vitamins or nutritional deficiencies, age advanced etc Go to the specialist quickly because the turtle could die.
- Prolapse: This is the name given to the fact that the reproductive system comes out of its hole. It usually reintroduces itself or with help, but if the prolapse is the result of a bite or tear, it may require amputation.
