The red-eared water turtle is native to the southern United States and northern Mexico and its species covers several habitats. Of all the turtles kept as pets, this is the best known and most adopted. If you are interested in having a lifelong friend, a red-eared water turtle is a wonderful animal. It is pleasant to look at and, with proper care, it will live a long time.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Decide if This is the Right Pet for You
Step 1. Learn what you can about red eared turtles
Borrow a suitable book from your local library and read about their habits, lifestyle, and longevity (websites run by owners and experts on red-eared turtles are also a good place to find information). While a turtle may seem like a simple animal, you will need to take care of it by feeding it, periodically cleaning the aquarium, and making sure it stays healthy. For more information, a good idea would be to join a local turtle or reptile lovers association and ask expert keepers for advice.
Step 2. Consider the time commitment
The average lifespan is around 20-30 years, with some specimens living even longer than this. Make sure your future lifestyle can adapt to including a long-term turtle. If you are simply thinking of a turtle to give your baby a pet, realize that this situation will go on for a long time.
Step 3. Think of all the necessary equipment and supplies
Just like any other living creature, red-eared turtles are born small but grow in size with age. A fully grown specimen needs a space with a usable surface area of at least four times the area of its shell: take this into account when buying a young turtle.
If you plan on getting more than one turtle, make sure you have enough aquariums to separate the turtles if necessary. Male specimens harass female red-eared turtles. This can lead to certain points that females stop eating. For this reason, it is best to keep males and females separate
Step 4. Think about the costs
This includes things like electricity to heat the aquarium, a thermostat to control the water temperature, pumps for water and aeration, a water filter, and last but not least, food. Even if the tortoise's price is low, it doesn't mean it's necessarily a cheap animal to keep.
If you are concerned about expenses, it may be helpful to prepare a rough cost estimate before purchasing the turtle. This can help you decide if you are willing to invest in this animal
Step 5. Consider the salmonella risk when touching turtles
Be aware that the turtle can be a healthy carrier of salmonella. The only safe way to keep a turtle is to assume it is carrying salmonella and then exercise scrupulous personal hygiene before and after touching it. Washing your hands is essential.
Due to the risk of salmonella infection, you need to have a separate set of utensils for anything related to the turtle, which should be kept washed and disinfected, away from other household items
Step 6. Think about the turtle's personality
Red-eared turtles are not naturally sociable creatures. In captivity they can be nervous and aggressive. While some captive-bred animals may learn to tolerate human contact, don't assume your turtle will be a very friendly pet.
Method 2 of 4: Preparations
Step 1. Purchase an appropriately sized aquarium
The tank must be large enough to hold a growing turtle. A good rule of thumb is to have 10 liters for every 2.5cm or so of your turtle's size, and 15% more space for areas where you can get hot in the sun. For a baby turtle, you can get a 200-liter aquarium for the first year. After that, you will need an aquarium of more than 400 liters. To choose the aquarium, take into account the following needs:
- Depth: turtles love to swim in deep water. They need enough space to dive, chase fish and play.
- Space: red-eared turtles feel the bond with the territory, they need to have enough space to feel as their own.
- Excrements: Turtles create a large amount of excrement and need to have enough water to dilute the waste and to filter it. Without enough water, toxins build up and can have detrimental effects on your turtle's health.
Step 2. Find a cheaper alternative
If a glass tank is too expensive to buy, try a plastic tank. Typically you can find a 400-liter or larger plastic tub for a relatively inexpensive price. You can decorate the tub and add walls to create a very comfortable indoor pond.
If you live in a warm enough area and have a backyard with a deep pond and good filtration, this is another, much more natural, turtle alternative. Also be aware that while acrylic resin offers a cheaper alternative to glass, it tends to scratch easily with the turtle's claws
Step 3. Add filters
Powerful filters specially built for keeping a turtle in captivity are a must - dirty water causes poor health and disease. As well as changing the dirty water regularly, adding a filter is an essential part of setting up a turtle tank (filters reduce the amount of water changes needed). There are different types of filters, depending on your current needs and budget:
- Under-sand filter. This needs a large surface and good oxygenation. It is only useful if you have one or two turtles, and if it is fed with an air pump, it will only be useful for babies. Use one with a mechanical head for older turtles.
- Internal biological filter. The bigger the better. This can be both convenient and effective. Look for one that allows for easy cleaning, such as the foam one. An internal biological filter recommended by many turtle owners is the Rena Filstar Xp3 or Xp4.
- External biological filter. This is located outside the tub. It is generally expensive, but it is excellent at filtering and reduces the amount of times the water needs to be changed.
Step 4. Decorate the aquarium
Decorations can add diversity and interest to your turtle's habitat. The base must also offer the turtle a way to move between the water and the rocks with ease. Purchase some river stones for the turtle to bask on. You could also use a plexiglass shelf glued to the side of the aquarium for this purpose. Check that the glue is non-toxic.
- Using aquarium pebbles for fish is a bad idea as it presents a health risk. If they are ingested, an intestinal blockage can cause your turtle to die. The larger the pebbles or rocks, the less likely the turtle is to eat them and have an intestinal blockage. Although aquatic plants can make an aquarium look nice, and help with filtration, the turtle can be tempted to eat them. If the turtle eats them, it means there is waste in the aquarium that needs to be removed.
- Insert a tightly fitting screen on top of the aquarium to prevent reckless escapes and to block anything accidentally falling from above.
Step 5. Set the water temperatures
The water should be 80-82 degrees Fahrenheit (26.5-27.5 degrees Celsius) for a sick baby or turtle, and 77-80 degrees F (25.5-26.5 C) for a healthy turtle more than a year. The basking area (dry land) should be 10 degrees F (6 degrees C) warmer than water, to entice the turtle to warm up in that area.
Step 6. Use the right kind of light
Turtles need UVB light as well as warm light; UVB lamps are an essential component of maintaining your turtle's health. This form of light does not travel through glass, so it is very important to get a UVB lamp of 5% or higher. The bulbs must be replaced every 6 months. Warm light is needed to keep the dry area temperature 10 degrees higher than the water temperature.
Lighting should not be accessible to the turtle, as light bulbs can burn it. Screw them out of the turtle's reach
Method 3 of 4: Buy the Turtle
Step 1. Buy your turtle
Never catch a turtle in the wild. Not only is this cruel and unfair to the turtle, it is also illegal in many states. Be aware that the kindest thing you can do is get yourself an adult turtle that someone no longer wants, as there is an oversupply of such turtles that need a new home. Find out about availability for adoption, reintegration or turtle rescue organizations. You can also try to get a turtle from reputable breeders.
Beware of pet shops that keep turtles in poor condition. Many turtles are sick before they are bought. Look around you and take note of the turtle's behavior
Step 2. Give your new turtle some space
Your turtle will probably be a little shy when you bring her home. It may take a few days before it feels safe enough to venture out of the shelter of its shell. Leave her alone and wait for her to feel safer.
Step 3. Determine the sex of the turtle
Sex cannot be determined until a tortoise is a mature adult. Males will have longer nails and a longer tail than females.
Method 4 of 4: Daily Care
Step 1. Feed the red eared turtle with appropriate food
A proper diet for these turtles (and similar aquatic turtle species) should have the following proportions: 50% aquatic vegetables and plants, 25% commercial foods, and 25% live protein. These turtles tend to favor protein foods, which can fool the novice owner, who may be pushed into offering a diet with too much protein. Do not do it. It can cause deformation of the carapace, damage to organs, and can shorten the life span of the turtle. Note that juvenile turtles tend to be more carnivorous, while adult turtles turn omnivorous.
- Good nutrition choices include: dandelions (those in your garden are fine, if you don't use pesticides), carrot tops, mustard, romaine lettuce, carrots, bell pepper, and squash.
- The best vegetables are aquatic plants such as elodea, water hyacinth, water lettuce, frog bite, common waxweed and duckweed. While they are expensive in a pet store, they are easy to grow in a separate tank or pond, and are cheap when bought in bulk online.
- Red-eared turtles don't usually eat fruit in the wild, so avoid it, except for a special treat. If you want to treat her to a treat, bananas are a good choice.
- For commercial food items, look for something low in protein and low in fat. Absolutely no to dried shrimp! They are like candy for turtles. They are delicious, have zero nutrients, and turtles who eat them can refuse other foods for weeks.
Step 2. Check the turtle for signs of health problems
Recognizing the absence of these signals is part of keeping your pet healthy. With turtles, there are various conditions and diseases that can occur if the water is dirty, if the diet is inadequate, or for other reasons. Some common concerns to look out for include:
- Eye infections. These are caused by bacteria. The eyes will appear closed, enlarged, swollen or with secretions. The turtle should be seen by a veterinarian and likely needs a topical antibiotic and aquarium filter system update.
- Soft shell. If your turtle's carapace is softer than it should be, your tortoise may be suffering from soft shell disease. This happens when the turtle does not get enough light in the aquarium. If this happens, the turtle dock may be too small, the water may be too deep, or the turtle is too weak to step onto the dock. If this happens, contact your vet or a pet store.
- Mouth sticky and refusal to eat. Caused by bacteria. See your vet immediately for antibiotic treatment.
- Weakness, wheezing, sluggishness, and head held at an unusual angle. This can be a respiratory infection, such as pneumonia. Immediate veterinary check-up is required.
- Wounds. Look for sharp objects or an opponent the turtle may have struggled with in the aquarium. Remove the cause, treat the wound with povidone iodine solution and keep it clean. Consult your vet for further advice.
Step 3. Take your turtle out from time to time to expose it to direct sunlight
You need to be vigilant outdoors, to avoid excessive exposure. One method is to get a kiddie pool, fill it with some water, and provide something for the turtle to bask in. It is also important to provide some shade for the turtle so that it does not overheat.
Step 4. Spend time with your turtle
He is your pet and you will form a bond, as with any pet, if you spend time together. Handle it with care; not all turtles like to be taken by people.
Some turtles love having their shells scratched. Just like "scratching" on the back, or like scratching behind a dog's ear. However, be careful, as not all turtles like it and may try to bite. Also, know that shells have nerve endings and can sense everything - be gentle
Advice
- Make sure the turtle is very clean! A clean pet is a happy pet!
- Know what kind of food you feed the turtle. Consider a mix of vitamins; has all the vitamins your turtle needs. It should be available at the local pet store in the turtle department.
- Give her plenty of room to bask.
- Red-eared turtles should have enough space in their tank to swim.
- It is a good idea to limit yourself to one turtle until you have experienced it. You may decide you don't want turtles anymore or you may find only one turtle quite challenging!
- Turtles consider crickets a delicacy.
- When a turtle is sick, you assume that all the other turtles may have been exposed to something contagious. Take them to the vet, as they may also need treatment.
- Turtles like the onisco, a crustacean commonly known as "S. Antonio's pig" (armadillium vulgare).
Warnings
- The red-eared turtles Not they should be cared for by children, for example aged 10 or less, without the help of a parent everything the weather. It is too risky for the baby and the baby of tortoises or tortoises of any age. The tortoise's claws are very sharp and can injure the baby, which would cause the tortoise to fall as a result.
- Never abandon a pet. If you are having trouble keeping and caring for your red eared turtle, talk to your local animal protection association to find a new safe home for your pet. Abandoning animals is not only cruel, it could also turn a pet species into an infectious species, and cause a disease to spread to native and local animals.
- Suppose all turtles have salmonella. It is not possible to guarantee a salmonella-free turtle, as it can become infected. They live in their own system. Don't be fooled by those who claim that a turtle is "salmonella free". After touching your turtle or its accessories, wash yourself always hands with warm soapy water. If you have small children or older people in the house, use an antibacterial soap as well.
