Turtle keeping can be one of the most fascinating experiences but many people keep them as pets not recognizing how to show them correct care. They can not exist unless you provide them with the correct amount of space, light and shade and enough moisture, so you ought to know exactly what they need to exist, before you possess one. Because a turtle hides and remains inactive during winter months, they should be kept in the open-air, as they cannot do this if you keep them inside, which may result in liver ailments. Never tamper with their normal habits, so constructing a pen outdoors would help you create a perfectly normal surroundings for them.
Some people who keep turtles indoors use refrigerators to make them hibernate. This action is not wise as there could be a power outage and the temperature inside the icebox could rise, this would come in the way of their regular hibernation. This could be lethal so if you like to keep this pet inside, never allow them to go into the sleeping phase. In case you are very particular about holding the turtle inside, make sure that you build a tank with 40 gallon capability where there are sufficient areas for land and water. The design of the aquarium should be such that two-thirds of its capacity should be water and the balance land, where they can rest in the heat of the lamp. The most ideal temperature of the aquarium are about eighty degrees and seventy degrees during daytime and nighttime respectively. Being cold blooded, these pets usually take long to get used to changing temperatures. For this reason, you should not take them out of the tank to play with it as this abrupt change in temperature can affect their immune system. It is essential that you wash and clean your hands thoroughly after handling turtles as some of them carry salmonella and it is very important to keep the environment where they live clean too. Keep the water fresh and free from waste matter, so it could be a good idea to invest in a water filtration system to make this happen. It is not a good thing to fill up the tank with water from the faucet, which contains chlorine, and fluoride and these puts the ph balance in disarray. The water in which they swim ought to be de-chlorinated and filtered water must be provide to them for drinking. Though there are various types of turtle diets available in shops, but what they need to eat would for the most part depend on the species, but they must never be fed more than two or three times a week. Do not put any wood chips or tree bark in your tank because if a turtle eats this, it can cause health issues plus it will also pollute the water very quickly and cause molds or fungus to grow. It is a fact that turtles need twelve hours of sunlight to remain healthy, so in case you are thinking of keeping the creature inside, make sure that you have a UV lamp for the tank, which provides the essential vitamin D3. This is why you will often see them sitting out in the sun so try to keep the tank in a room where the light doesn’t change that much but at the same time they also require a shelter to go in. Although available at most pet stores, you could also make them at home with wood and stones but if you keep plants in the tank, make sure that they are not harmful to the creatures. Try to pay attention to your turtle’s conduct and take care of it the best you can because they are very interesting to watch and will provide lots of enjoyment for your whole family.
Posted in Family Life