Many people dream of having a red-eared turtle, which comes from an American freshwater species. However, before you do this, you must carefully familiarize yourself with the basic requirements that must be met in order for the pet to feel good at home. The most important thing is the optimum water temperature for the red-eared turtles, proper care and maintenance. Now we will tell you in detail about how to create the necessary living conditions for a new pet.
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When buying a turtle, be prepared for the fact that you will need to take care of it for 30-40 years, because this is how many animals live in captivity on average. The first thing you should take care of is the equipment of the aquarium. Its volume should not be less than 100 liters for one turtle, if there are more, then the capacity should increase in direct proportion. It is necessary to acquire individuals of different sexes, but of the same age. With all this, you need to consider that they need both water and land, since it is there that they like to bask in the sun. Therefore, do not forget to arrange for your pets a small paradise island. By the way, the rise to land should begin from the very bottom of the aquarium. For proper development, you will need an ordinary incandescent lamp and ultraviolet. The second is necessary so that the turtle does not get sick and develops correctly. At first glance, it may seem that a red-eared turtle at home can cause you a lot of difficulties, but this is not entirely true, soon you will get used to everything.
Proper nutrition
If the diet of a red-eared freshwater turtle is well thought out, the pet will grow up healthy and will not hurt. Much depends on the age of the animal. If the turtle is young, then it feeds mainly on animal feed, worms, bloodworms, etc. are suitable. But we must not forget that the older the animal, the more it prefers vegetation. As for the frequency of feeding, it is first necessary to give food every day, and so for several years. After you can feed a little less often, for example, 2-4 times a week. You need to buy special food, preferably dry or frozen. Buy it in specialized stores and always pay attention to the expiration date. But it is recommended to cook the food mixture yourself. As a basis, you need to take gelatin and add there various ingredients (cabbage, apple, fish fillet, raw egg, etc.). If the nutrition is correct, then the red-eared turtle at home will grow large and healthy.
Optimum water temperature for red-eared turtles
How warm or cold the water in the aquarium must be monitored very carefully. There are many reasons for this. At low temperatures, the animal will cease to eat, therefore, immunity will drop, the turtle will become lethargic, and if it continues this way, it may die at all. If the temperature is too high, nothing good will happen either. In this case, the animal will spend most of the time on land, as it will feel uncomfortable in the water. This is fraught with the fact that growth and activity will slow down significantly. In order to avoid all this, you need to maintain the temperature in the range of 22-28 degrees Celsius. Perhaps a slight deviation of up to 30 degrees, but no more. To do this, you must use an aquarium heater with the ability to adjust the temperature. This is one of the most important content requirements. Do not forget that only the optimum water temperature for the red-eared turtles will make the animal healthy and cheerful.
A little more about the temperature and purity of water
Do not forget to ensure that no harmful organic compounds form in the water. They appear due to pollution. For this simple reason, it is necessary to periodically change 30-40% of the water in the aquarium. It is advisable to do this at least once a week, but you can two. Although it is also not necessary to speed up this procedure, because every time the tortoise suffers stress. It is safe to say that these animals are not the most ambitious, so their habitat will be polluted quite quickly. To slow down the process at least a little, install a filter, for example, one that is used for keeping aquarium fish. Since the water temperature for the red-eared turtles should always be constant, when you add a certain part (30-40%), make sure that it is the same as the one in the aquarium. This is done so that the animal does not experience hypothermia or, conversely, excessive temperature.
How to choose the right aquaterrarium
Often, along with a turtle, fish, snails, etc. live in the aquarium. Therefore, the standard 100 liters will not be enough for us. To solve this issue, it is necessary to increase the space. It is not necessary to do this proportionally, especially if there is one turtle, and the rest of the inhabitants are small fish. Although it is not recommended to keep fish and turtles together, as the latter are predators and can easily eat their neighbors. Do not forget that the thickness of the water layer should be at least 40 centimeters. This is done so that the shell is completely covered. A wide-bottomed container is best. Do not forget that your turtle can escape. To prevent this, you need to close the aquarium with glass or a special cover with backlight.
How to equip a house of turtles?
After we figured out the temperature of the water and the size of the aquarium, everything needs to be properly arranged there. To do this is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. First, create land. You can do this in several ways, for example, pour a small handful of special stones. It is desirable that there are no sharp edges, so the animal will not be able to get hurt. Another solution is to install the glass at an angle of 45 degrees and stick it with a non-toxic sealant. Pour stones on the glass, and so that they do not roll down, make a special side. You also need to decide whether there will be live plants in the aquarium. In principle, everything that seems edible to the animal will be immediately consumed in the daily diet, the rest of the turtle will simply vomit. Part of the issue is decided by the purchase of ornamental plants or driftwood, which are securely attached to the bottom. If you do everything right, then keeping the red-eared turtles will not be a problem for you.
Trachemys: how to care for and what to monitor?
We have already examined most of the information that, one way or another, relates to the care of this animal. But I would like to touch on a few more important points. First, soberly assess your capabilities. If you are not able to devote at least 10-20 minutes a day to your pet, then it is possible that you do not need to start it. But if you still decide, install a thermometer on the aquarium that will show how hot the water is. Of course, for this there is a regulator on the heater, but you do not need to rely entirely on electronics. What is also extremely important, try to periodically compare photos of red-eared turtles, which are considered healthy, with your pet. This will tell you a lot. Sometimes the carapace begins to horn and grow. Many grab a stiff brush and begin to rub the turtle to a shine, which is absolutely impossible. This will damage the surface, as a result of which the animal may lose its natural protection.
What to do when breeding turtles?
Despite the fact that at home these animals are bred quite rarely, anything happens, and you need to be prepared for this. Firstly, the bottom should be a small layer of soil, since it is there that the female bury her offspring. It is necessary to raise the minimum temperature threshold slightly. Water should be heated to 25 degrees Celsius - only in such conditions will the masonry ripen. You can use sand as a soil or mix it with something else. After the clutch appears, rush to move it to another place, since it is likely that the eggs will be damaged by adults. In a separate aquarium, it is necessary to maintain the temperature of the soil at least 21 degrees. Please note that the red-eared turtle, especially small, requires good nutrition. So you can significantly accelerate its development.
Conclusion
So we talked about who the red-eared turtle is, how to care for the pet, and what conditions need to be organized. If everything is done correctly, the animal will not be sick. For example, the content of red-eared turtles at low water temperatures is fraught with pneumonia. It is necessary to raise the degree to 28 or even 30 ° C. If the eyelids and eyes are swollen and turned red, then it is necessary to quickly plant the individual in a separate aquarium. It would be preferable to be on land, you can only let it into the water for a few hours a day. Again, if you are a beginner, periodically view photos of the red-eared turtles, kept in optimal conditions, and compare them with your pets. So you can determine if everything is in order. But even with proper care, the carapace of the animal can become soft, resulting in peeling. In this case, it is recommended to give more varied food. You should also be aware that the turtle should not be allowed to walk on the floor, as it can get sick from a draft.
Well, that’s all that can be said about such a pet as the red-eared turtle. Care, water temperature, its purity and other factors directly affect its health, so you need to carefully approach the maintenance of such an unusual pet.