How to keep a pet turtle at home

Different regions and environments require the turtle's lifestyle to be adjusted appropriately. So the following pet turtle breeding methods are carefully recommended for everyone, I hope they can help you.

Pet turtle breeding methods

Details of handling new turtles: After getting a new turtle, don't rush to feed it, bathe it, put it in a tank, heat it, etc. First, check the turtle's health: whether there are new or old injuries on the head, eyes, carapace, plastron, limbs, and tail.

After the new turtle arrives home, put it in a bright and constant temperature environment indoors for more than two hours to allow the turtle to adapt to the indoor temperature and prevent temperature differences. At the same time, put water in a basin indoors (it is best to use water that has been standing for a few days). After two hours, divide the water into two parts, one part for soaking the turtle, and one part for adding salt to make light salt water (use with caution). After the turtle is soaked in shallow water in clear water for one hour (to replenish water for the turtle), pick it up and put it in light salt water for about 30 minutes (to disinfect the turtle's body). After disinfection, you can move the turtles into the environment you have prepared for them according to their species.

Eating for pet turtles

Just like people need a period of time to adapt to a new environment, turtles also need a process of adaptation when they arrive in a new environment. The best living and eating temperature for turtles is 23-28 degrees. Depending on the type of turtle (aquatic turtle, semi-aquatic turtle, land turtle), artificial and YS, the duration of this process varies. Relatively speaking, aquatic turtles adapt to new environments faster than semi-aquatic turtles and land turtles, and are easier to eat; artificially bred turtles adapt to new environments faster than YS turtles, and can generally eat in a few days; if it is a YS turtle, this process may take a few days, a month or even longer, which is all normal. You should know that there are no starving turtles, only turtles that die from various tortoises.

Environment of pet turtles

Generally speaking, the best breeding environment for turtles is to be as large as possible. Turtles under 5CM should be at least 40×30 (1-3 turtles). After all, raising turtles at home is not like raising turtles in a farm. They pursue weight gain and growth, and speed up the market rate. In a greenhouse environment, they sleep when they are full, poop when they are full, and eat after they poop. Turtles need to take a walk and swim freely. Occasionally, they can't resist their interest and want to trot or run wildly. If the environment is too small, they can only forget the box (tank) and sigh. Over time, they forget the leisurely trotting, the heroic and free running, and the full swimming. If the box (tank) is large, deep water, shallow water area, and sun terrace can be arranged to increase the three-dimensional sense of the environment and experience different feelings in each position.

Reference: Turtles under 5CM should be at least 40×30×20 (suitable for 1-3 turtles).

6-15CM turtles need an area of ​​80×40×40 (suitable for 1-3 turtles). If there are many turtles, the area should be larger.

15-30CM turtles need an area of ​​more than 80×40×40 (suitable for 1-3 turtles). If there are many turtles, the area should be larger.

Note

Do not use red turnover boxes or storage boxes, because red is a warning color and will make turtles feel uneasy. It is best to use cool colors such as blue or white.

My storage box cost reference 30×20×20 white storage box (replaced with a white box for jelly, free)

60×40×40 blue turnover box 35 yuan

Pet turtle sunbathing platform

Now many turtle friends keep grass turtles indoors. The function of the sunbathing platform is mainly to provide a terrestrial environment for turtles, not for sunbathing. It is more appropriate to call it a terrestrial platform. The sunbathing platform generally has a slope to facilitate the turtle to climb up the sunbathing platform. Grass turtles can live on land and water. If the turtle is uncomfortable in the water, it can climb onto the sunbathing platform, which helps turtle friends observe the health of the turtle. For turtle friends who keep turtles in deep water, the sunbathing platform also has the function of ventilation and rest for the turtle.

Sunbathing platform hardware

The stones picked up in the river are limestone and quartz, all free.

Arrangement of storage boxes and drying platforms

Large: 58×39 blue storage boxes, 8CM male grass, 9CM female grass, 6CM water depth, and a 30CM limestone river stone drying platform placed horizontally beside the box.

Small: 30×20 white jelly box, 3CM turtle seedlings, 4, 3CM water depth, no drying platform.

Water quality of pet turtles

At present, families raise turtles mainly with tap water. The chlorine in tap water is harmful to turtles and is a major element that causes turtle skin and shell rot, but it is not the original culprit (skin and shell rot is caused by the turtle itself, poor physique, trauma, etc., which makes it unable to adapt to water quality). Therefore, tap water must be treated first, exposed to the sun, left to stand for a few days, and dechlorinated with chemicals, etc.

My experience: When the big turtle came from the seedlings, it used tap water that had been exposed to the sun. I suspect that it was damaged during the delivery process. It was inevitable that the skin rotted. There were several yellow spots on the tail and neck, but it ate well and was active, so I increased the feeding amount (twice a day, morning and evening, to speed up cell metabolism, promote growth, and strengthen the body). No medicine or surgery was used. After a week, the yellow spots fell off, leaving only a faint scar. After more than ten days, the turtle was directly connected to tap water, without exposure, standing, or dechlorination. The water was changed every three days, and the food was changed to every two days. It grew well.

The few grass seedlings I bought in December last year were directly used with the water used to raise big turtles. They were heated and raised without any discomfort.

The back of pet turtles

The best time to bask in the sun is from 8 to 9 o'clock in the previous year, after 5 o'clock in the afternoon. During this period, you can avoid direct sunlight. If there is no one to watch over it, there should be a shaded place for sunbathing to prevent accidents. After the turtle comes out of the water, put it in the shade for a few minutes, then put it in a container with water (the water should cover the skirt), and put it in the sun for about half an hour. Do not put it directly in the water after sunbathing, put it in the shade for a while and then put it back in the water, so as to prevent temperature difference. When sunbathing the turtle, put some water in the basin. The benefits of doing so are not only to prevent the turtle from losing water too quickly, but also to clean the plastron, limbs and armpits of the turtle. Especially for turtle seedlings, putting some water in the basin can also prevent sunburn and drying of the turtle seedlings' tails, which may lead to tail breakage.

On sunny days with warm weather, make sure that the sun is not directly shining in the morning or afternoon, and put the turtle in a large basin (the basin is 80 cm in diameter and 18 cm high, because the sun cannot shine directly, the basin wall can provide shade, and the turtle likes the sun and the shade, two-way choice) and put it in the sun for about 30 minutes.

Feeding of pet turtles

Pork (some turtle friends have different opinions on pork. I would like to say that pork is raw lean meat, not fat, nor salty meat, cooked meat. You can keep this for reference only), fish as a supplement, turtle food snacks (if you have the conditions, you can refer to the opinions of Zhao Haoniao and Shan Kong Yuejing. Small fish and shrimp are the main ones. Thank you for the opinions of these two turtle friends).

Take the turtle out of the box and put it in a special feeding box (for feeding poop). Cut the pork or fish into dices and feed it with tweezers. The amount of food is based on the turtle's head. For large turtles, the amount of food for the head is large, and for small turtles, the amount of food for the head is 3/2 large. After feeding, throw a few turtle food soaked for two or three minutes into it and let the turtle eat by itself.

After feeding poultry, livestock, and fish viscera, I found that these things were easy to break, and seriously contaminated the food bowl, and the turtle body was easy to get dirty, so I stopped feeding them these foods.

Heating of pet turtles

In a large storage box, remove the sunbathing platform, the water depth is 6CM, and the Xilong stainless steel heating rod 100 watt is placed horizontally on the box wall. The heating element of the heating rod is separated by a strip of marble to prevent the turtle from direct contact. The temperature is adjusted to 24 degrees, and the water thermometer shows a range of 22-31 degrees (the highest is 31 degrees when heated, and the lowest is 22 degrees when not heated). Large turtles are directly placed in large storage boxes, and small turtles are placed in small storage boxes. They are placed in a box on the stainless steel heating rod heating element and fixed with stones at the bottom.

When the heating rod is not heated (pay attention to the temperature of the heating rod, be careful of burns), unplug the heating rod plug, pour out the old water in the storage box (use another basin to hold the old water), and put the turtle in the old water. Clean the wall of the storage box with a cloth (disinfect with light salt water once a week), test the water temperature with a water heater, adjust the appropriate temperature and directly use the water heater to put hot water in the storage box. After putting in the new water, plug it back in, let the heating rod work, and use a thermometer to observe the water temperature. After the water temperature is appropriate, put the turtle back to the new water in the storage box.

Hibernation of pet turtles

Shallow water over the back (the advantage of hibernation in this way is that there is no need to clean the intestines for a long time. The turtle will clear the feces during hibernation and ensure that the water in the turtle's body is replenished). It can easily lift its head to breathe. Cover the storage box with cardboard, leave a little gap, put it in a dark place, check it every ten days or half a month (whether there is white eyes, rotten skin, hissing, side floating, full floating, and back floating phenomenon) and change the water once.

Precautions for changing water during hibernation: The key is to pay attention to the temperature difference. The solution is to use a bucket to hold water and place it in the same place as the storage box for more than half a day, and then change the water. This can solve the temperature difference to the greatest extent.

Treatment of pet turtles

Under my influence, some friends also raised turtles. Due to the influence of the elders who were doctors in my family, I had some hands-on experience in treating some minor problems. In this way, any friend who had a problem with his turtle would come to me for treatment, and I had experience in treating turtles.

Note: During the treatment, the temperature and nutrition should be synchronized. The treatment is to regulate and strengthen the turtle's own physiological system and strengthen the turtle's immunity. Turtles are cold-blooded animals. Their own metabolism will decrease with the decrease of temperature, and their resistance to diseases will be relatively poor. Some bacteria and viruses can also reproduce and grow at low temperatures. Raising the temperature and increasing the amount of feeding can make the turtle eat more, absorb more nutrients, speed up the metabolism of turtle cells, promote growth, and strengthen the physique.

Skin and shell rot: Use absorbent paper towels to absorb the moisture of the affected area, and use cotton swabs dipped in gentian violet to repeatedly apply to the affected area several times to disinfect and clear the sores (the lesions on the surface of skin and shell rot should be cleaned). (The main purpose of applying the medicine is to reduce inflammation and fight bacteria, and destroy the growth environment of bacteria). After the medicine dries, put it back in the water. One course of treatment is three days.

The advantage of using gentian violet is that the medicine can quickly act on the lesion, reduce inflammation and kill bacteria. I saw that others used aureomycin ointment, which was slow to take effect, and had to be applied every day (it took more than a week, and I don’t know if the turtle’s immunity was good or the ointment worked, sweat). Do not use iodine or hydrogen peroxide. Iodine will amplify the pain of the wound and will not have a sterilizing and penetrating effect. Hydrogen peroxide has a large corrosive side effect. Most people only use it to reduce inflammation and wounds. These are very harmful to turtles. I heard that polyvinyl iodine is good and has few side effects. Turtle friends who are not sure about gentian violet can try it.

Pneumonia: Use half a capsule of amoxicillin, pour out the powder directly and put it into the water in the breeding box, change it every two days (use another box for feeding the turtle), and stop the medicine after two consecutive courses of treatment. Feed normally.

Gastroenteritis: Use half a norfloxacin capsule during feeding, pour out the powder directly into the water in the feeding box, and put it in the box after feeding. Do this once every two days for two consecutive courses.

Note: The amount of medication taken in this way is smaller than that taken by direct gavage, and it is easier to operate.

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