Red-eared turtles are also called yellow-bellied. They are so common among pet lovers. It should be noted that, unfortunately, such popularity has a flip side to the coin. In most cases, home-made red-eared tortoise is doomed to death or life in unsuitable conditions for it. In order to avoid this, the owner of a domestic turtle should know as much as possible about these amazing animals. In the article we talk about red-eared turtles, their maintenance and feeding.
Red-eared Turtles at home
A domestic turtle of this species is very hardy and great for those who are just starting to care for animals. However, in order for your pet to be healthy and happy, you need to properly care for it. Red-eared turtles need a shore (land), which should be warm, and water, warm and clean, in addition, the fluid should change regularly.
Character
Red-eared Turtles are strong, fast, and can be aggressive. They attack both other types of turtles and each other without any problems. In addition, they have charisma and personality, and this is what distinguishes them from other species. Red-eared Turtles are very skilled when it comes to theft of food from other animals. In the wild, they are an invasive species and destroy and displace endemic species.
Rubella and baby
Turtles of this species can be wonderful pets, for example, because allergies to reptiles are extremely rare. Caring for the rubella tortoise at home is not a big deal for an adult. However, if you decide to make it as a gift for a child, then it is worth remembering that all responsibility for the life and health of the animal lies solely with you. Children are not able to provide proper care for the house-eared turtles, moreover, they can quickly cool down to a new toy and forget about it. But it is necessary to feed, warm, wash and change the water in the aquarium.
Appearance
Red-eared turtles, the care of which requires some effort, are easily recognizable. They cannot be confused with any other kind. Characteristic for this species is a red or sometimes orange strip that starts from the eye and continues along the neck. The upper part of the shell is round and smooth. Color - olive green with yellow and black lines. The lower part of the shell is yellow, but with age it darkens. The spots on the shell also darken, and the red strip on the head loses its brightness.
Dimensions
The dimensions of this reptile are measured with a ruler from edge to edge, are not taken into account the roughness of the shell. The newly hatched little red-eared turtles are about 2.5 cm long, and after a year of life they grow up to 5-7 cm. The average reptile size is from 25 to 30 cm, depending on the conditions of detention.
Age
Dimensions may not be indicative of the age of the turtle. At home, these reptiles grow faster than in nature. This is the result of plenty of food and ideal conditions. However, if you care for rubella at home correctly, then it will delight you much longer. The wild reptile will not live longer than 20 years, and the domestic reptile can reach 40 years.
Appeal
You must remember that when you pick up the reptile in your hands, you need to be careful. It can be slippery, hiss, resist and empty the intestines. The trachea has sharp claws, powerful paws, it bites painfully. You need to hold the reptile with two hands. Many owners and many more turtles have been affected by abuse .
After you hold the turtle in your hands, they should be washed with soap. This is especially true for children. Reptile lives in different conditions and with other bacteria. It is especially important to monitor the freshness of food and the cleanliness of the aquarium, since turtles can tolerate salmonellosis.
The turtle should not have access to the kitchen and places where food may be. In addition, do not wash the reptile, aquarium and accessories in the kitchen sink.
Babysitting
In most cases, the turtles that appeared in the home aquarium are babies. They are very tender, and it is important to ensure that they are comfortable and eat well. Young tortoises have a high mortality rate, they can die without an external cause and are susceptible to disease.
If you notice something on the bottom of the tortoise shell , then this is most likely a gastric sac. The reptile that has just hatched uses all the necessary nutrients from it. Therefore, it should not be touched or removed. During the first time, the turtles may refuse to eat until the stomach bag has resolved.
It is better not to pick up small turtles, as they can be scared, hurt and become stressed. No need to stand near the aquarium, knock on the glass. Give them some time to get used to and start eating. It is important that the temperature of land and water is stable.
Never place the aquarium in a draft or in direct sunlight. Do not keep adults and small turtles together. Small reptiles must have access to land. Water temperature for keeping babies is 26-27 degrees, and sushi - up to 32. Water should be clean, and if there is no filter, then it should be changed every couple of days. You can feed turtles branded feed. Remember that most problems can be avoided by simply creating the necessary conditions.
Trachemys: care and maintenance
To maintain a red-eared turtle, you will need an aquarium or a terrarium. Its volume is 150-200 liters. Remember that your little turtle will grow larger over time. She needs such a height of water so that she can roll over freely, that is, no less than the width of her shell. However, this is the minimum water level required by the red-eared turtle. The more swimming space she has, the better.
In addition, she needs artificial land, on which the red-eared bug will crawl out to bask. The islet can be purchased at the pet store. Basically, this is all that is needed. The island should be stable, have a sloping rise, there should be no burr and sharp corners on it.
The land should occupy at least 25% of the surface of the terrarium and meet the following requirements:
- The island must be heated. The temperature on it should be at least 10 degrees higher compared to water. Remember that too high a temperature will lead to overheating of the reptile.
- The land should be half flooded (at least one of its sides is in the water).
- The island must be safe. The turtle should not be stuck between it and the glass of the aquarium.
- When heated, it should not emit toxic substances.
- Reliability and stability are important, as turtles of this species are very strong and can turn it over.
- The land should have a textured surface.
Feeding
Turtles are omnivores; they feed on various types of food. For them, diversity is important. You can feed the red-eared turtle with artificial feed, vegetables, food for aquarium fish, insects, aquarium plants, fish and invertebrates. In addition to variety, it is important to ensure that the reptile diet is balanced and high in calcium. They, like other pets, have a tendency to overeat.
Hibernation
Hibernation is the period in which the turtle falls during the winter. There is no need for the red-eared turtle to hibernate. In addition, it is highly discouraged! Therefore, do not stimulate hibernation! Why might this process be unsafe?
For example, because you may not have enough experience to care for reptiles during this period. You will not have the conditions for the turtle to normally hibernate. A reptile may not need it at all. Sick turtles or young ones may be too weak to tolerate this period.
Those reptiles that hibernate under natural conditions burrow into the vegetation and silt at the bottom of the reservoir, which has a large area and shallow depth. Turtles do not rise to the surface during this period: they absorb oxygen through the membranes that are located in their mouth, cesspool and pharynx. In this case, the depth of the reservoir, its temperature and the oxygen content in it are extremely important. The vast majority of artificial ponds do not provide the necessary conditions.
Thus, the red-eared turtle, which grew in captivity, is not necessary and should not be put into a state of hibernation. What is the key condition for this? The water temperature in the terrarium should not be less than 24-26 degrees. Otherwise, the low temperature will remind the red-eared turtle of the winter months, which must be spent in hibernation.