Trachemys is the most famous and popular species of waterfowl that are kept in home aquariums. But, before you make yourself a little friend, you should learn all about the features, habits, conditions of reptiles. In addition, it is worthwhile to find out exactly what size the red-eared turtle reaches after several years in captivity. Some sellers, faced with a naive buyer, may try to convince him that this is a dwarf animal that remains small throughout life. Disappointment will come in a year, when it turns out that the size of red-eared turtles is increasing rapidly. In order not to become a victim of unscrupulous people and with full responsibility to approach the purchase of a pet, we offer to get to know better this amazing creature.
Written beauty
The literal translation of the name Trachemys scripta from Latin sounds like “scribbled” or “painted.” The unique beauty of the pattern of the carapace, rolling on the head and limbs, attracts the eye of a red-eared turtle. Its size at first glance seems small and causes a desire to immediately pick up and settle the animal at home.
Indeed, the tortoise outfit looks bright and colorful: red oblong spots in the ears and an intricate pattern of rings on the shell. Some subspecies have yellow or orange spots. The outfit of young individuals is distinguished by saturated shades of green, yellow, brown. With age, the color of the turtles changes, losing their original diversity and richness of colors. In old age, a bright pattern can lose its shape and merge into one dark brown or black color.
Anatomy Features
The carapace maintains the skeleton and reliably protects the reptile from attacks and attacks of enemies. Under natural armor, a normal level of heat is maintained, in which the red-eared turtle feels comfortable. The size and shape of the shell depend on the lifestyle and are distinguished by a drop-shaped form, which contributes to the rapid movement in water and on land.
In the front and rear holes of the protective armor, the turtle hides its head and limbs in case of danger. Outside, the legs are covered with dense scales, and bone plates are located on the head.
Habitat and distribution
Trachemy turtle originates in eastern North America. Its habitual habitat is shallow lakes and ponds with low silt shores, wetlands and floodplains of rivers. Unpretentiousness and omnivorous nature allowed freshwater creatures to settle in places with more severe climatic conditions: North Africa, Central and Southern Europe, Asia and Australia.
Short hibernation is a typical natural occurrence to which the red-eared turtle is exposed (the size of this amphibian is average). Since these are cold-blooded animals, they fall asleep only at a temperature insufficient to maintain their vital activity: below 10 or above 40 ° C.
At home with a comfortable temperature there is no need for natural rest, so decorative reptiles are quite adapted to do without it. Refusal from hibernation did not at all affect their ability to breed in captivity.
Pond slider. Dimensions at home
At birth, all babies look the same: tiny green lumps with a shiny carapace and bright spots on the head. The size of the red-eared turtles at birth is about three centimeters.
Males and females grow and develop at the same rate, at first they are difficult to distinguish. Intensive growth during the first two years of life is a typical occurrence for an underwater inhabitant called the red-eared turtle. The sizes in captivity for this period reach 7-10 cm. During growth, a complete and balanced diet is a prerequisite. Otherwise, the turtles will lag behind in development from their relatives living in the wild.
Further reptile growth slows, but does not stop. They grow continuously during the first ten to twelve years of life. The maximum size of a red-eared turtle can reach 50 cm. But such "giants" are not a typical phenomenon, they live exclusively on the outside. The usual size of an adult red-eared turtle is approximately 25–32 cm in length, depending on the subspecies. Moreover, the male always looks smaller than the female. From the third year of life, their growth rates begin to vary. Adult males are usually less than their girlfriends by 4–5 cm. The body mass of a female individual exceeds the weight of the male by 2–3 times. Their jaws are also more developed, so the females feed on coarse animal feed.
We arrange a house for turtles
To make the new tenant cozy and comfortable with you, you should take care, first of all, about a comfortable house. The aquaterrarium is the most suitable housing for freshwater reptiles. In such a capacity, a red-eared turtle will feel comfortable and cozy. The size of the aquarium should be sufficient to accommodate 150-200 liters of water. It is necessary to change it at least once a month, allowing it to settle for five days. To maintain cleanliness in the aquarium, it is advisable to purchase a water filter.
The features of the existence of a freshwater turtle require the presence of a small land area nearby. Artificial islands with gently sloping shores can be freely purchased at the pet store. It is desirable that the slope had a rough uneven surface, then the reptile will be able to freely land.
The turtle loves heat very much, therefore it is necessary to arrange an artificial sun for it, which will illuminate the top of the island well and warm the air at its surface to 30-31 ° C. To maintain a comfortable temperature of the water (from 24 to 26 ° C), an adjustable incandescent lamp is installed .
It is desirable that the container for keeping reptiles had an elongated rectangular shape. The size of an aquarium for a red-eared turtle with a shell length of 25 cm can have such approximate indicators:
- volume - 150 l;
- length - 1000 mm;
- width - 500 mm;
- height - 900 mm;
- water depth - 500 mm;
- island length - 250 mm;
- island width - 120 mm.
Despite the deceptive slowness, reptiles are actually very agile. Therefore, when arranging sushi, it should be positioned so that the distance from the top to the edge of the glass wall is at least 30–35 cm. The proposed capacity parameters are optimal so that one adult red-eared turtle can comfortably accommodate in it. Dimensions at home are not always possible to withstand due to lack of free space in the apartment. For a comfortable stay of two adults, you will need an aquaterrarium with a capacity of at least 180-200 liters.
Propagation Features
Trachelis turtles grow up for a long time, therefore, the ability to reproduce offspring in vivo appears in them only after 6-8 years. In captivity, maturity occurs much earlier: in males - in four years, and in females - in 5-6 years. The mating season lasts from February to May, when the ponds are already warming well. At home with a uniform temperature regime, the frequency is not maintained, and the marriage can occur at any time of the year.
Mating games in turtles are not like other animals. The male, seeing the female, swims close to her muzzle and scratches her chin with her sharp claws. When mating, the partner is placed on top of the partner. Its plastron (abdominal shield) has a slight bulge. The concavity in the carapace (dorsal shield) in the female is also a specific feature of the carapace, which distinguishes the red-eared turtle. The size of its deepening and bulge of the male coincide perfectly. So nature made sure that as close as possible contact between animals occurred during mating.
Trash-eared turtles lay eggs twice a season, from April to June. The female arranges masonry on land, digging a deep hole in the hind legs. The equipped nest has a spherical shape. In it, the turtle lays about a dozen eggs, the size of which does not exceed four centimeters. Having thrown the nest with soil, the female leaves and never returns here. The cubs are born in about four months. It is noteworthy that the gender of the red-eared turtles depends on the level of heat during the incubation period. If the temperature did not exceed 27 ° C, then exclusively males will hatch from the eggs. In the case when the nest warms up to 30 ° C and above, female individuals are born.
Balanced diet
In nature, red-eared turtles eat not only plant, but also animal food. Therefore, at home it is very important to organize a balanced diet for them, corresponding to the natural composition. For active growth, turtles need a lot of protein, so once a day they must be fed animal food. Young individuals are given dry fish food, earthworms, bloodworms, wood lice, sea crustaceans (dried or live).
Adult red-eared turtle, the sizes (photo - below) of which exceed 10-12 cm, can eat liver, raw or boiled beef, chicken. It is also useful to treat it with raw low-fat fish, squid, shrimp. You can run several small fish into the aquarium so that the turtle itself hunts them. Various insects (beetles and larvae) must be introduced into the freshwater menu. For convenience, you can prepare a mixture of several feeds based on gelatin with the addition of raw chicken eggs. The finished composition can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time.
As you grow up in the diet of reptiles should be introduced plant food. In the aquarium, aquatic plants that the turtle can eat are planted: algae, duckweed, water hyacinth, edogonium, ludwig and some others. Turtles with pleasure eat fresh greens: mallow, basil, dandelions, clover, peas. From vegetables, you can give slices of carrots, fresh cucumber, white cabbage, lettuce. Bone meal is an indispensable source of calcium, which is required for the growth of the skeleton and strengthen the shell. Once a week, it should be added to the food of turtles. It is periodically useful to add a couple of drops of an oil solution of vitamin D.
If it is not possible to create ideal living conditions for the tortoise and organize proper nutrition, it is worth taking care to introduce mineral supplements and vitamin supplements into the diet.
Feeding is carried out in the daytime, as freshwater during this period of the day is most active. All food for turtles is poured simply into the water. Food needs to be given little by little so that the animals have time to eat it. Excess products will settle to the bottom and, decaying, pollute the water in the aquarium. Young animals are fed daily, and for adults it is enough to give food 2-3 times a week.
Features of care and maintenance
You can keep several turtles in the house separately or together. When grouping, it is important that the animals have enough room for free movement. Turtles often get dirty in the soil, which is scattered on the bottom of the aquarium, the remnants of food stick to their faces. The purity of turtles should be monitored by regularly bathing them in warm water with the addition of baking soda. Algae, which periodically grow on the shell, should be carefully cleaned with a soft sponge.
When caring for a turtle, you need to be careful because it can bite painfully. Individuals of the same size living in the same territory usually peacefully coexist. When an ornamental red-eared turtle is kept in the aquarium , its size does not matter. But when there are several reptiles in a group, you need to remember that large ones can bite and even cripple someone who is smaller than them.
Getting ready to make a new friend.
Before you buy a new tenant, you should think carefully about whether the red-eared turtle is really needed in the house. What size does the animal grow, how much food does it eat, how long does it live? These and many other questions need to know the exact answer. It should be understood that the turtle requires special attention and great patience. In inept hands, an animal can simply die. Trachemies love affection and are distinguished by their responsiveness and peacefulness. You should not buy reptiles from strangers: attachment to previous owners can cause anguish and illness in animals. For selection and advice, it is better to contact specialized stores. There you can get competent advice on the maintenance and care of turtles.
If you decide to acquire young individuals that are several months old, then remember that at this age they are very susceptible to various diseases. From the first day of the appearance of a young turtle, it is necessary to organize proper nutrition and vitamin supplements for it.
How to choose the right
The most suitable season for buying a red-eared turtle is spring. It will be easier for the animal to settle in at a new place and adapt to the conditions of existence. Having bought a turtle in the fall, you risk its health. This is due to the fact that the adaptation period in the cold season can be too long. In winter, reptiles eat very little, so a fragile organism can undergo various diseases.
When choosing a turtle, pay attention to its appearance. Examine the skin of the animal for ticks - they often hide in the numerous folds of the neck, at the tail, around the eyes. Sometimes you can even find a leech. In a healthy turtle, the skin should be smooth, without cracks and dark spots.
Pay attention to the integrity and hardness of the shell. It should not have any deformations, scratches or soft patches. In a healthy turtle, the eyes do not have swelling and discharge. If the eyes are sunken, and dark circles have formed around them, then this indicates a strong dehydration of the reptile's body. The mouth and the area around it should be clean without discharge and sores.
In addition to physical integrity, pay attention to the behavior of the turtle. A healthy individual is characterized by calm measuredness and normal coordination of movements. If you take the turtle in your hands, it will actively resist, moving its limbs and turning its head. At the time of excitement, the animal defecates, so in order not to get dirty, it is better to keep its head to itself.
When there are already turtles in the house, the newcomer should be kept for about two months in a separate terrarium. All this time, you should regularly inspect the reptile, monitor its behavior and condition. It is possible to add a new tenant to relatives only after the successful end of quarantine.