What to feed a turtle in an aquarium. Caring for a turtle at home. Feeding with plant foods

Useful article for those who have a land turtle. I have been working with these animals for several years now and I want all the turtles to live in the right home conditions.

Many people are mistaken in thinking that turtles are unpretentious and the easiest animals to keep, but this is not true at all! If you are planning to get a turtle, then you urgently need to read this article!

First of all, you need to take care where land turtle will live in: a terrarium, an aquarium (without water, of course); for the first time, an eraser container or a spacious box will do. Under no circumstances should a turtle live on the floor, because it can catch a cold, swallow garbage, hide under the radiator and “dry out.”

The second thing you need to take care of when caring for a turtle at home is the soil for the house where the turtle will live:
1. Sawdust, if the sawdust is not scented, then it is quite suitable as a primer, but this primer gets dusty and sometimes creates an unpleasant odor.
2. Hay, hay is good as soil, even if the turtle eats it, nothing will happen to it. Some turtles like to burrow into the ground.
3. Stones or pebbles work well in combination with hay or sawdust. The stones should be flat and smooth, and the pebbles should be larger than your head. land turtle. The turtle grinds its claws on stones and pebbles.
4. Earth or sand are not suitable as substrate, as the turtle may swallow it.
5. Cat litter is also not suitable, because a turtle can swallow it and get poisoned, and it is very difficult to treat turtles.

With a home for land turtle We figured it out, but there must be lamps in the house. You say “why”, the first heating lamp (regular 40 or 60 watt light bulb), the second ultraviolet lamp (Reti Glo 8.0 or 10.0 lamp or another brand). 8.0 and 10.0 are the ultraviolet spectrum. You can take a compact one ultraviolet lamp, looks like a regular lamp. In summer, instead of ultraviolet radiation, you can use walks in the sun.

There should be a house in the terrarium where it will hide from the sun or from human eyes. Mine is a regular plastic one. flower pot. The house must match the size of the land turtle so that it can easily get in and out.

Feeding. You can use a lid from a jar for the feeder. Land turtles eat greens, fruits and vegetables. Turtles especially love: dandelion leaves (they can be dried for the winter), carrots (grated), zucchini (raw, grated), apples, lettuce, and so on.

The turtle drinks through its skin. Land turtles need to be bathed once a week. We take a basin and pour it in warm water(32-34 degrees, you can add chamomile decoction to the water) until the middle of the shell (about 4-5 centimeters) the turtle needs to be bathed for 20-50 minutes. Don't be alarmed if your turtle defecates while swimming, all turtles do this.

In pet stores or markets, mostly land turtles are dehydrated, so when you bought a turtle you need to bathe it every day for a week, and only then, when it gets drunk, once a week.

I wish you and your pets good luck!

There are more than 335 species of turtles that inhabit different continents. Some species are very popular and easy to buy in pet stores, some are rarer, and some species are difficult to see even in zoos.
The homes of animal lovers in Russia most often contain the following types turtles: freshwater red-eared, freshwater marsh, bland aquatic turtle Trionix and the Central Asian land tortoise. Found in the south of Russia Mediterranean turtle And marsh turtle, in the east of Russia the Far Eastern trionics is found, in Ukraine and Belarus the marsh turtle is found. Red-eared turtles in large quantities brought from nurseries in Europe and Asia, and then released by bad people American turtles into Russian ponds, so the chance of meeting a red-eared turtle in a river or pond is very high.

This is what the most popular types of turtles look like:

Land (lat.Agrionemys horsfieldii)

A yellow-beige turtle with dark spots on the shell, usually up to 25 cm long. The turtle is listed in the Red Book and the CITES list and is prohibited for sale without documents, which is ignored by pet stores and, of course, smugglers.

The Central Asian tortoise lives in the states Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan in steppe and semi-desert regions.

Like all land turtles, they feed on vegetation (field plants, dried forage grasses, houseplants, occasionally allowed vegetables). Meat, milk, bread and white cabbage, fruits are strictly contraindicated for it. Once a week, the turtle should receive calcium and reptile vitamin powder.

For maintenance you need: terrarium from 100 l + UV lamp 10-12% UVB + incandescent lamp + soil (sawdust/hay/chips + pebbles) + house. The temperature in the terrarium should be from 25 in a cold corner to 35 in a hot corner (under a lamp).
Hibernation for turtles is optional, and also harmful and dangerous if not carried out according to the rules, so it is better to avoid it. It is recommended to bathe your turtle once a week.

Freshwater Pond slider(lat. Trachemys scripta)

This bright green (the shell becomes dark as an adult) turtle with red “ears” on its head has become very popular throughout the world in the last 25 years. The turtle can bite painfully, although it is not very aggressive.

This turtle is the most popular and the most “aquarium turtle” in our country and in many others.

The turtle lives in the USA and is brought to Russia from turtle farms. It is strictly forbidden to release it into Russian water bodies - this harms the ecosystem, and besides, the turtles themselves rarely survive the winter.

The turtle is freshwater and carnivorous (snails, feeding insects, raw freshwater low-fat fish with bones and entrails, occasionally dry food), but it also needs dry land and plant food (algae, or lettuce, dandelions).

You can read more about feeding turtles, aquariums and terrariums, and caring for turtles in the relevant sections.

It is important to know:

1. You cannot add new turtles to existing ones without prior quarantine.
2. If symptoms of disease occur or if you refuse to feed for a long time, you should contact a veterinarian-herpetologist.
3. If turtles in the same aquarium/terrarium are fighting or are too aggressive, they need to be separated.
4. Turtles should not be allowed to come into contact with other pets.
5. Land turtles (and sometimes aquatic ones) are kept on the floor like cats and dogs, as a result the turtles are stepped on, they are injured by other pets, they catch colds, and quickly develop rickets, vitamin deficiency, arthritis and kidney failure.
6. They buy a pair for the turtle so that it doesn’t get bored, but the result is fights and bitten off paws and tails. Turtles are loners! And they only need a pair for reproduction.
7. Feeding turtles the wrong food leads to major health problems. internal organs and even to death. Just because a turtle eats something doesn’t mean it’s okay for it.

WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE WE HAVE TAMED!

Turtles are not as cute and social as cats or dogs, but they also make excellent pets. Since turtles live for decades, before purchasing a turtle, consider whether you are ready for such a responsibility. To make the turtle comfortable in your home, you will need to arrange a home for it, provide food and care. Each turtle species has its own care requirements, so ask your breeder or pet store employee to tell you about caring for your turtle.

Steps

How to arrange a home for a turtle

Place the turtle in the largest aquarium possible. Buy a large glass aquarium. Select an aquarium based on the calculation of 38 liters for every 2.5 centimeters of shell length. Remember that each turtle species may have different housing size requirements.

• If you have a young turtle, find out what size it will reach as an adult. Let's say you bought a 150-liter aquarium for your ten-centimeter turtle. If the turtle grows to 30 centimeters, the aquarium will be too small for it.
• The aquarium should also have a lid to cover it to prevent the turtle from escaping.
• Aquatic turtles need water deep enough to swim. The depth should be at least the size of the turtle multiplied by two.

1. Cover the bottom of the aquarium with moss or soil. Mix equal parts of wood shavings and moss or sand and earth. Cover the bottom of the aquarium by 5–8 centimeters with the resulting mixture.

   • Don't use gravel. A turtle can swallow small stones and suffocate.

2. Provide a place for the turtle to bask. Fill a mixture of sand and earth or moss and shavings 1 centimeter more on one side of the aquarium. Press smooth, wide river rocks or pieces of wood into the surface in this part of the aquarium. This part should always remain dry and raised above the water.

   • Make the transition to the rocks smooth so that it is not difficult for the turtle to climb up there.
   • Buy a special shelter for turtles and install it in this part of the aquarium. The turtle will be glad for a place where he can hide.
   • Remember that if you have an aquatic turtle, the water needs to be deeper. To ensure that the resting area always remains above the water, raise it up two turtle lengths.

3. Pour water into the aquarium. Can be used tap water, if there is not too much chlorine in it. If you have box turtle, there should not be a lot of water. The turtle should be able to lift its head above the water at its deepest point.

   Install a reptile lamp. It is important to provide both a warmer and a cooler place in the aquarium. Buy a reptile lamp with a reflector from a pet store. Make sure it is a special lamp for reptiles. Install a thermometer in the aquarium and make sure that the temperature in the area where the turtle will bask remains between 29–32 °C.

   Install a filter to purify water. Buy a filter that can purify a volume of water twice the volume of the aquarium. Let's say you have an aquatic turtle and it lives in a 380 liter aquarium where half is filled with water. Since the aquarium holds approximately 190 liters of water, buy a filter that can hold 380-570 liters.

   • Ask a pet store employee to help you choose a filter.
   • Even if you have a filter, you will need to clean the tank every day using a net. To keep the water cleaner, feed your turtle in a separate aquarium.

4. Buy a small spare aquarium. You will need it to transport the turtle. In addition, you can put a turtle in it while you clean the main aquarium.

   • Since the second aquarium will not be used regularly, it does not need to be large. But make sure the turtle can move around freely inside. To keep the turtle from freezing, move the lamp to the spare tank while the turtle is there.

5. Offer your turtle fish, invertebrates and vegetables. Buy fresh or frozen guppies or other small fish, worms, grasshoppers and crickets. Chop vegetables (cabbage, lettuce, dandelion, carrots) and add them to your turtle's food.

   • Alternate food so that the turtle does not get bored of the same thing. You can give your turtle prepared food 1-2 times a week and offer fresh food 1-2 times.
   • Live fish and insects will make the turtle think.
   • To prevent the turtle from suffocating, cut the vegetables into small pieces. The size of the piece should be smaller than the turtle's beak.

6. Feed your turtle 3-4 times a week. Many species of turtles that are suitable for keeping indoors should be fed every other day, but it is best to check with the seller to be sure. The animal should be fed in the morning, since turtles are more active at this time. Determining serving size is quite difficult, since there are no clear recommendations.

   Add calcium to your turtle's food at every feeding. Calcium carbonate is available in powder form online and in pet stores. Sprinkle calcium on your turtle's food 1-2 times a week to prevent the animal from becoming calcium deficient.

How to monitor your turtle's health

1. Check your turtle regularly for signs of illness. Check your turtle every day or every other day (for example, during feedings). The skin and shell should be smooth. They should be free of stains, calluses and other defects. Inspect the eyes, nose and beak - there should be no discharge or discoloration. Pay attention to unusual changes in behavior.

   • Turtles usually have good health, but they can pick up infections, suffer from poor nutrition and eye problems. If you notice warning signs (softening of the shell, clouded eyes, blisters on the skin), take your turtle to a herpetologist as soon as possible.
   • Look for a doctor on the Internet or ask the breeder to recommend a specialist for you.

The vast majority of diseases of land turtles are associated with improper husbandry. Insufficient heating and humidity, improper diet, lack of ultraviolet irradiation, vitamins and mineral supplements, disrupted wintering regime - all this leads to a gradual, often very slow progressive development of disorders in the animal’s body.

Not all wild animals are able to adapt to captivity conditions. Even in professional turtle collections, disadaptation syndrome is one of the most common reasons their death in captivity. For some reason, we consider land turtles practically pets. In fact, these are quite “wild” reptiles, and only a few species breed successfully on farms. Most turtles taken from the wild take many months to adapt to captivity conditions. However, their behavior remains outwardly quite normal. However, this does not exclude the possibility of stress. As a result, any acute effects on the body can cause a shift in the precarious balance achieved during the adaptation period. For example, after receiving milk, some turtles can survive this stress quite calmly, while others will die within 24 hours with a clinical picture of acute colitis. Some apparently normal land turtles will survive several months of hibernation when room temperature, while others will die or “wake up” with severe pathology of the lungs or kidneys.

There can be a lot of discussion about correct conditions for keeping land turtles. There is also an “anti-terrarium” approach to keeping turtles (that is, keeping them “free grazing” in an apartment). It is based on the positive experience of keeping many animals in such conditions. Indeed, firstly, in such an area the turtle can navigate and choose conditions suitable for it independently (if the range of proposed conditions “fits” within the boundaries of its environmental requirements). Secondly, they exclude negative influences closed small volume (relative constancy of environmental conditions, etc.). however, such content has many more disadvantages. Almost always, light, temperature and humidity will be too low, and dust, allergies and the risk of injury will be too high. in addition, the turtle must dig the soil, gnaw on some abrasive material (and not collect wool, garbage and small objects from the floor) and spend the winter in necessary conditions(or not winter at all).

As a result, the unfortunate ones end up at the reception ugly creatures, taken to the limit, sometimes with the best intentions. Most often, they regret putting a land turtle in an aquarium because it scratches “plaintively” there, they don’t feed carrots because it “doesn’t like them,” they don’t turn on the heating because it hides from the light, they drip oil vitamins into the food (the more, the better). better) etc. Once again we consider it necessary to emphasize: we insist that the conditions of detention must comply with the rules, especially during the period of treatment.

So, for keeping land turtles A terrarium is required. The terrarium should be spacious. Better rectangular. For one medium-sized turtle (7 - 12 cm), a volume of 60 -100 liters is sufficient. The width of the terrarium should be 2-3 times the width of the largest turtle living in it, so that the animals can easily move around in it.
It is convenient to use an ordinary electric light bulb (for example, a table lamp) as a heat source, which should provide uniform heating of the area where all the animals living in it could simultaneously sit. The temperature range in the terrarium should be 25 – 35 ˚С.

Many turtles in captivity willingly lie in the water. Drinking bowls and trays with water must be sunk into the ground so that their edges do not put pressure on the animal’s neck from below while drinking. Deep trays should have convenient ladders to facilitate the exit of turtles from them, and the water level in them should not exceed half the height of the shell of the smallest of them. It is good for turtles to take warm baths (35 C) 1-2 times a month, which helps cleanse the intestines and stimulate the appetite. After bathing, turtles are wiped dry so that they do not catch a cold from random drafts.

There must be soil in the terrarium. It is best to use river gravel or a mixture of sifted earth and rounded pebbles. Layer thickness 3-10 cm. sand, granite chips, peat and shavings – bad view soil.

All land turtles need shelter. Often for these purposes they use upside down wooden boxes with a cut-out entrance. Half a flower pot, sawn lengthwise, is also suitable.

Shallow ditches, bowls and plates can serve as feeders. They should be clean, not placed directly under the lamp and filled with food only for 2-3 hours.
It is better to spray adult turtles once a day with water from a spray bottle, but so that the soil in the terrarium does not get wet. The air humidity in the terrarium should be low, except in the spring season.

Food for land turtle is a finely chopped mixture of herbs, vegetables, fruits and vitamin and mineral supplements. In summer, turtles willingly eat dandelions, clover, coltsfoot, duckweed, plantain, lawn grass, etc. offer them berries: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and summer fruits. In winter, feeding a land turtle is a more difficult problem. Ideally, the diet should consist of 70% greens and vegetables, 25% fruits, and the rest - various protein, vitamin and mineral supplements. As a mineral supplement - glycerophosphate, carbonate, borogluconate, calcium palmitate, bone meal or ground eggshells at the rate of 100 mg of “pure” calcium per 1 kg of turtle weight. The main components of the mixture should be green salad or cabbage (preferably young, with dark green leaves), carrots and apples.
The turtle should not be given milk, bread, citrus peels, cut apples, pears and stone fruits, cherries, poisonous plants(nightshades, ranunculaceae, medicinal plants, containing alkaloids, and from indoors - Diffenbachia spp., Euphordia spp., Azalia spp., and some others), canned and dry pet food, cereals and other “human” food. IN large quantities You should not give cucumbers, grapes and sweet fruits, onions, garlic and spicy herbs, spinach, cruciferous vegetables (except cabbage), rhubarb and asparagus.

It is necessary to install lamps above the terrarium, produced by foreign industry specifically for ultraviolet irradiation of reptiles. Products from one of these companies can be found in pet stores (you should choose No. 8.0 for 20 W + No. 5.0 for 20 W, or No. 8.0 for 20 W two pieces, or No. 8.0 for 40 W - one piece). Keep in mind that ultraviolet light does not pass through glass.
The most convenient way is to connect all the lamps to a special timer, which can also be found in pet stores. It will automatically turn them on and off at the set time. Since most animals have internal clocks and sense time to within minutes, this can be especially important for establishing well-trained circadian rhythms.
Despite any lamps, what animals need most is the present. sunlight, so in the summer you definitely need to walk with turtles. In this case, the temperature outside should not be lower than 25 C. During a walk, you should avoid straight sun rays(it's best to place turtles in the shade), crows (they can carry your turtle away), and walking dogs of any size to avoid injury.

With proper, stable maintenance, a land turtle can live for decades without stress.

We recommend the following books as a guide:
S.V. Kudryavtsev, S.V. Mamet, V.E. Frolov. “Reptiles in a terrarium”, Hobbikinga, Selskaya Nov, 1955.
D.B. Vasiliev. “Turtles. Maintenance, diseases and treatment", Moscow, "Aquarium", 1999

The main mistakes that are made when keeping Central Asian turtles, as, indeed, other land species in the net:

1. There is no need to keep the turtle on the floor. With this method, drafts, dust, dehydration, infectious diseases(including deep mycoses), ingestion foreign bodies and injuries.
2. You cannot bathe a turtle and then release it to the floor. A temperature difference of just 10˚C can cause colds.
3. You cannot make a nest for a turtle out of woolen fabric.
4. No contact with other pets is allowed.
5. You cannot immediately plant a “friend” or “girlfriend” in the terrarium. If they are purchased for the company of a healthy turtle, quarantine is required for at least a month.
6. You cannot leave a turtle outside unattended.
7. Do not use sand, sharp stone chips, small sawdust as soil, or simply keep the turtle on a smooth surface.
8. There is no need to feel sorry for a turtle planted in a terrarium if it scratches “complainingly” there. Digging is an urgent physiological need for a turtle. In nature she does this most of your "free time".
9. If a turtle moves away from the light, this does not mean that it does not need to be warmed.
10. Turtles drink only if they do not have enough water in their food. But they prefer to swim and “go to the toilet” in water. Water should be in the terrarium at all times.
11. You cannot feed your turtle milk, bread, or minced meat.
12. You cannot give only one type of food. Food sources provitamins A – carrots, tomatoes, red peppers (for landlubbers) and raw liver(for aquatic animals) must be fed at least occasionally.
13. Feeding containing calcium salts (ordinary calcium gluconate tablets are almost not absorbed) must be given necessarily and constantly.
14. You should not give vitamin preparations (primarily those containing vitamins A, D3, B12) and selenium “by eye”. Vitamin D2 should not be given.
15. There is no need to smear the turtle with oil preparations, much less vitamin A.
16. Incorrectly carried out hibernation for turtles it is very harmful and dangerous to life and health.
17. After handling the turtle or cleaning the terrarium, you should wash your hands, as the turtle may be a carrier of salmonella. With very rare exceptions, turtle worms are harmless to humans.
18. If the turtle does not seem completely healthy, you need to contact the veterinary clinic. Many diseases in the main stage are difficult to treat.

Place furry pets and feathered pets in our families Lately The area is increasingly occupied by wild reptiles, including land turtles. Their main difference from the usual vertebrates is their cold-bloodedness, sluggishness, and slowness. This must always be taken into account when caring for a land turtle at home.

The family of land turtles has 40 species. The Central Asian (steppe) tortoise is more often kept at home due to its low cost and dimensions suitable for apartments. This species is characterized by a rounded shell of dark olive, reddish or yellow-brown color, up to 25 cm long. In nature, they live in the arid steppes of Central Asia, where they live up to 50 years.

At proper care The lifespan at home can be forty years. Despite their relatively cheap and easy care, land turtles require careful attention. They need to be carefully looked after.

Caring for a land turtle requires the following:

• terrarium
• soil
• house
• feeders
• drinking bowls
• UV lamps

Proper maintenance of a land turtle at home requires the presence of a terrarium. He can be:

• glass (an ordinary aquarium will do);
• wood;
• plastic.

Its size should be 2–3 times the size of the animal for a comfortable existence. Minimum size– 60x40x40. For a 12 cm turtle, the volume of the terrarium should be approximately 80 liters. Place the terrarium above the floor at a height of at least 20 cm.

Important! Turtles do not tolerate drafts, so at home they should not be kept on the floor, where they may also be stepped on or swallow debris from the floor.

Fill the terrarium with soil, the layer thickness is 4 cm. The following are suitable as soil:

• hay;
• sawdust without flavoring;
• pebbles or stones, combine them with sawdust or hay. Choose smooth and flat stones. The pebbles should be slightly larger than the pet's head.

Not suitable as a primer:

• Earth;
• sand;
• cat litter.

It is necessary to care for the soil and clean it daily.

It is useful to place a bathtub in the terrarium as a pool for the turtle, where it should fit entirely. The water level is no more than half the height of the shell. The reptile must be able to get in and out of the pool on its own. There she will happily spend part of her time.

Proper care of a land turtle involves the constant presence of water in the terrarium. There should be a drinking bowl and a feeding trough. A flat plate, bowl, or even a jar lid can be used as a feeder. Do not place the feeder under a lamp, fill it with food for 2 hours a day, then clean it.

The optimal habitat temperature for a land turtle is +20-30C. In winter, reptiles need additional light. Illuminate it with a UV lamp. In pet stores you can choose a special lamp for terrariums. A regular incandescent lamp will also work. The lamp power is calculated as 1 W per liter of aquarium volume. Position it so that the space under the lamp does not heat up above +32C and the turtle can go into the shade. Turn on the lamp in the morning and evening for 2 hours.

Walks

In the summer months, when the outside temperature is at least +20C, your pet can be walked outside. At the same time, do not forget to closely monitor the turtle so that it does not eat anything or get injured. To avoid overheating, provide shelter from direct sunlight. It is optimal if the turtle is outside in an enclosure or in a bird cage.

House

A turtle at home requires a house where it can hide from human eyes or take shelter from the sun. Choose a shelter that matches the size of the reptile so that it can easily get in and out of it. A regular flower pot or an upside down box will do. Place the house in the terrarium.

Feeding

The land turtle is a herbivore. Her diet should consist of plant food 90%, from animals - 10%. At home, just chop up a green salad from:

• dandelions
• clover
• plantain
• lettuce leaves
• vegetables: carrots, cabbage.

Apples are suitable fruits; you can also give some berries, bran and seaweed.

Feed an adult turtle once every 2-3 days. More frequent feeding can cause problems with the digestive tract. A turtle under 2 years of age must receive food daily. Animal food in the form of ground beef should be added to the animal's food once a week.

Not suitable for feeding turtles:

• potato
• fruit seeds
• citrus peel
• dry food for cats and dogs.

Proper care should include vitamin-mineral complexes and supplements, for example, Reptilife. It is better to purchase vitamins in powders - they allow you to avoid mistakes with the dosage. Calculate the required dose according to the instructions and add it to the food once a week. You can simply put a piece of chalk in the terrarium. If a reptile lacks calcium, it will begin to consume it on its own.

How to bathe and water a land turtle

In addition to cleaning the terrarium, you need to care for and monitor the cleanliness of the pet itself. To do this, bathe your turtle regularly (at least once a week). Pour warm water (30-36C) into a container up to 2/3 of the height of the animal. It is recommended to add chamomile solution to the water. In case of bowel movements, change the water.

Soap can be used only if the pet is heavily soiled and no more than once a week. Do not use a brush to remove dirt. Use a soft sponge or cloth. Wash the neck and head with your finger without putting pressure on your pet.

The optimal duration of bathing is 30 minutes. After removing the turtle from the water, wipe it dry with a dry cloth and place it in the terrarium.

Attention! After bathing, you should not leave your pet on the floor, otherwise he will catch a cold.

While swimming, the turtle absorbs water through its skin. Immediately after purchase, it is recommended to bathe your pet at home every day for a week until it is saturated with water, and only then switch to weekly bathing.

Possible problems and illnesses

Careful care of a turtle can extend its life at home to 40 years. The main mistakes in care that shorten the life of a pet:

A common problem that occurs in turtles at home is the development of rickets. The main difficulty lies in the early detection of symptoms of the disease, the obvious signs of which are noticeable only at a late stage.

With rickets, the bones and shell of the animal become deformed. The cause is usually a lack of calcium and vitamin D. If you notice a concave or convex shell, swollen, reddened eyes in your pet, then the disease has been going on for a long time.

To care for a turtle with signs of rickets you need to use medicines, appointed by a specialist. Add calcium and vitamin D to your reptile's diet and irradiate it with a UV lamp. These same elements are necessary for the prevention of rickets.

No treatment ends fatal for an animal.

With proper and sufficient care, a happy inhabitant of your apartment will delight you with companionship for many years.