Aquarium turtles. How and what to feed a small red-eared turtle at home

Before purchasing a water turtle, you should learn about their characteristics and living conditions. Although turtles do not require as much attention as cats or dogs, it is important to understand that their lifespan is almost 40 years, which means that the animal will live with you for a long time. In addition, it is necessary to ensure special conditions and caring for aquarium turtles.

Aquatic turtles must live in an aquarium, which must have a piece of dry land. Such a bank needs to be conveniently arranged so that the turtle can easily climb it. In addition, the land must be made so that the water that drains from the animal does not stagnate. water turtle requires conditions for caring for the lower part of the shell. On dry land she can dry it. Place an incandescent lamp (approximately 40-60 W) at a height of at least 30 cm above the shore.

The size of the aquarium depends on the size of the animal itself and, of course, on their number. One adult turtle requires that its housing be at least 400 liters. It is also worth considering that the turtle will grow. Therefore, it is better to immediately buy a large aquarium. Not only a glass, but also a plastic aquaterrarium is suitable for a turtle. Be sure to buy a water heater and an aquarium filter, which are selected according to power and water volume. The temperature in the aquarium must be at least 26 °C. Don't forget to purchase an ultraviolet lamp for your aquarium. Ultraviolet radiation replaces sunlight for the turtle and promotes the absorption of calcium, without which the reptile cannot live.

When arranging a home for your pet, you need to remember that aquatic turtles need care. They need to be fed and the aquarium cleaned with them. In addition, they must be constantly in the aquarium so as not to get sick or injured. Turtles are placed in a bowl of water only for feeding and cleaning the aquarium.

The actions of a turtle, as well as their habits, are based on instincts. The main ones are self-preservation and reproduction. This explains the reaction of animals to various external stimuli. Turtles are more intelligent than other reptiles. They can find hidden food and look in the right direction. If you feed them at the same time and in a constant place, they will quickly learn to get there on time.

Feeding turtles must take place in water. Small turtles are fed every day, but adults will only need to eat 3 times a week. For this they use low-fat varieties fish, cut into pieces. Alternate it with seafood, aquarium snails, beef liver and earthworms. Sometimes you can give chicken or beef. All foods for turtles should only be raw. Adult turtles usually begin to be fed plant food as well. Sometimes you can give them dry turtle food.

It is necessary to periodically care for your turtle's shell. Remove algae that has grown to its shell. It is also necessary to clean it from the salts that are deposited on the shell. To do this, wipe it with lemon juice.

Feeding turtles at home must be done in a separate container so as not to clog the aquarium with food debris.

Since most turtles lead daytime look life, then they should be fed in the morning or afternoon. Better in the morning, because The normal biorhythm of a reptile of temperate latitudes is as follows: warmed up - ate - started the digestion process BEFORE the cool of the evening.

The metabolic rate of reptiles directly depends on temperature. And by feeding the turtle shortly before turning off the lamps, there is a risk of creating conditions for the food to settle in the stomach as dead weight, without complete breakdown by digestive enzymes.

This applies to land-dwelling fish and those freshwater fish that are characterized by regular basking (red-eared and marsh fish among them). For most silt, trionics, two-clawed, etc., mainly aquatic species- if the water temperature is stable throughout the day, the issue is not fundamental.

Dry food is only an addition to the main food. It can be given once a week instead of or together with the main natural food. Dry food should only be of high quality and made abroad, for example, Reptomin.

Young turtles (up to 10 cm in length or up to 3-5 years old) are fed daily once a day in the morning or afternoon, adult turtles are fed 2-3 times a week.

Turtles can only be given good vitamins in powder and no more than once a week. Typically, a piece of food (fish or shrimp) is dipped in vitamin powder and given with tweezers to the turtle so that it swallows it before the powder is washed off with water. If you feed your turtle fully (that is, you give it fish with entrails, shrimp with shells, beef, chicken or fish liver), then there will be no need for vitamins.

Turtles can be given foreign calcium in powder or spray, no more than once a week. It is also recommended to place a cuttlefish bone in the aquarium. If you feed your turtle fully (that is, you give it fish with entrails, shrimp with shells, beef, chicken or fish liver), then there will be no need for calcium.
It is recommended to place a calcium block in the aquarium or terrarium so that the turtle itself, if it lacks calcium, can bite off pieces of it. Both turtle and bird calcium blocks are suitable for turtles. Only their composition should not contain anything other than calcium itself, usually this is the bone or shell of cuttlefish - a natural source of calcium.

Yes, pink shrimp can be fed to red-eared turtles, even though they are cooked. But it’s better to give completely raw green ones if you can buy them.

Often this question is answered with a categorical “no”. This is not entirely true. In nature, aquatic turtles feed mainly on fish, but in addition to fish they eat aquatic plants, fallen fruits, insects, and amphibians. Gammarus is an amphipod crustacean; it is not poisonous to turtles, but it also does not contain anything particularly useful. Therefore, it cannot be used as the only food, but it is quite acceptable to mix a bag of gammarus with a package of dry food for turtles (for example, Reptomin) and feed them together once a week, as an alternative to fish, liver and seafood.

No, turtles should receive a varied diet. Therefore, it is advisable that the food be different at each feeding. For example, one day you feed fish, another - shrimp, the third - liver, the fourth - dry food, etc.

A turtle may not eat because it is cold, stressed, or sick. If you only have her for a couple of hours or days, then she just needs time to get used to the new place. If she does not eat for more than 3 days, but is active and looks normal, check whether you are following the conditions for keeping her at home correctly. If your turtle is inactive, has a runny nose, swollen eyes, or is sneezing or blowing bubbles through its nose, take it to a veterinarian-herpetologist.

To prevent the water in the aquarium from spoiling, you can feed the turtles small pieces with tweezers or place the turtles in a separate dining container with water at 25-27 C, where you can feed them. After feeding (after about half an hour), the turtles can be transplanted back into the aquarium.

Give the turtle as much food as he can eat in half an hour. Remember this amount and give her that much every time. The approximate amount of food per feeding should be no more than half the turtle's shell.

A healthy adult turtle can go up to two weeks without eating without significant health effects. A young turtle (adolescent) may not eat for up to a week. Baby - from 3 days to a week. Therefore, nothing bad will happen if you leave an adult red-eared turtle for a week or 1.5 during vacation. However, it is very advisable to add live fish, snails and algae to her aquarium, so that if she gets hungry, she can get food for herself.
Aquatic turtles are more dependent on water than land turtles, but they can go up to a week without water. Therefore, if you lost a turtle in an apartment or are taking a turtle with you to another city by car, then the turtle will survive quite normally for several days. Fully aquatic turtles For example, it is better not to leave Trionics without water for more than a couple of days.

Turtle eats too much IN different times Turtles have different activity levels throughout the year; with the onset of spring and summer, turtles begin to eat more in order to store fat...

At different times of the year, turtles are active differently; with the onset of spring and summer, turtles begin to eat more in order to store fat for the winter, when they should be in biological hibernation. However, overfeeding is fraught with obesity and health problems. So how can you tell if your turtle is eating too much?
Normally, a young tortoise (up to 10-12 cm) should receive food once daily. An adult turtle should receive food once every other day or two. The approximate amount of food is half the size of a turtle's shell. Aquatic turtles are given as much food as the turtle eats in an hour. The remaining food is removed or the turtle is returned from the nursery where feeding took place to its aquarium.
Exhausted turtles (the skin is very loose from the paws) should be given food daily, bathed regularly (every day or every other day) and as much as they eat, you can add more protein (for land turtles this is a bean). For turtles that are thick (bulge out of their shell and cannot hide in it) - food should be given every other day and food rich in proteins should be avoided.

Imagine for a moment if you could live not in a house with a roof over your head, but in a dwelling with open sky? Likewise, pets, especially reptiles, do not tolerate lack of proper attention towards themselves. When arriving at a pet store, it is unlikely that every buyer expects to purchase all the essentials at once, since keeping a pet costs a tidy sum.

Having bought a sea turtle, at first glance it may seem that it will feel great in a shallow jar, basin or trough. From this first illusion that the potential owner creates for himself, his irresponsibility is born. If you decide to get a turtle, immediately provide it with an aquarium of the required size. The place must be vulnerable from sunlight. Stable surface – the most important condition, otherwise, with slight disturbances, the aquarium with a turtle may collapse and break.

Who is a sea turtle suitable for?

In nature, there are many species of sea turtles, which differ in size and habitat characteristics. Not all are suitable for keeping in home aquarium: A turtle that is too large will not be able to live for long outside of the wild without a lot of space, but small and medium-sized turtles adapt perfectly to life in a house or apartment. They are bred for the purpose of keeping them outside of nature, so from the moment of hatching they, as a rule, practically cannot be in the sea or ocean. Thus, for keeping at home, you can purchase a marsh, red-eared or Caspian turtle. The first type can be found in the nearest body of water, the other two can be purchased at a pet store.

At first glance, a sea turtle causes more trouble for the owner than a land turtle, because weekly cleaning of the aquarium and changing water becomes prerequisite. But the owner of the turtle quickly gets used to it and performs all actions automatically. Pets require a lot of space, so the owners of a cramped apartment are unlikely to be able to give turtles a decent corner. But this is not a reason to give up your dream pet: miniature turtles will feel quite comfortable in a small aquarium.

Psychologists say that the presence of any pet makes a person more caring and balanced. Quiet creatures, turtles will give peace and tranquility to their owner, as soon as he looks at their peaceful and carefree existence. Unlike a cat or dog, they practically do not make themselves known, but this is not a reason to forget about their presence: leave yourself reminders to feed the turtles and change the water on time.

What kind of aquarium should a turtle have?

It is an aquarium, and not a terrarium, that should be chosen for a sea turtle. Most of They stay in the water for a while, and sometimes they don’t come out onto land at all. For a large turtle, you should buy a large home in which it will not lack space and will be able to swim. Small turtles can get by with a small aquarium. An important condition in maintaining proportions: the width of the aquarium (or length) must be twice the height. Even the smallest turtle requires an aquarium with a volume of at least 10 liters, while for a large one it is necessary to stock up on a capacity of 400 liters. Since the water must be changed at least twice a week, this creates inconvenience for owners of apartments and private houses, because not every area is supplied with clean water. In this case, you should stock up on a cleaning system and use an aquarium filter.

Keep in mind that turtles grow quickly, so you will have to be patient and change the tank as your pet grows. Remember that you can always return your pet's property to the pet store where you are served, or change the equipment to more spacious one for an additional fee. A small turtle will not feel comfortable in an overly large container, so you will have to buy turtle friends for it or choose a small aquarium.

Arrangement of the aquarium

Despite the fact that sea turtles are in the water almost all the time, they occasionally go onto land, so the design of the aquarium should include a so-called shore. The material from which you plan to make the ledge should not be slippery, otherwise the turtles may have problems climbing onto it. Try to use natural or close to natural material, such as stone.

Being in a deep aquarium, sea turtles do not even think about escaping, but at the first opportunity they do not deprive themselves of the pleasure of crawling out. Take this into account when making the bank and leave at least 30 cm of height to the edge of the aquarium. The projection area should not exceed 25% of the total space. Newborn turtles will develop best in a warm, dry place, such as a box. The so-called maternal instinct is developed only in one species of turtle; the physiology of the rest does not provide for caring for the offspring. A water temperature of 31˚C is considered the most optimal. To monitor, you will have to install a thermometer. Heating the water is not necessary if the incandescent lamp is constantly on above the bank.

What is an ultraviolet lamp for?

In the wild, any sea turtles, after a long stay in the water, love to bask in the sun's rays. At home, it is not recommended to choose a place near a source of bright sun rays. An ultraviolet lamp is an excellent alternative for sea turtles, which require ultraviolet radiation for full development. This personal “home sun” should not be located closer than 30 centimeters above the aquarium. In the first days after you have one or more sea turtles, ultraviolet irradiation is carried out a couple of times a week for 5-10 minutes. The duration of the procedure should gradually increase. It is important to know that an ultraviolet lamp, which is used in medicine, is absolutely not suitable for turtles as a source of ultraviolet radiation.

Sea turtle nutrition

Before you decide to get a pet, it is important to find out what sea turtles eat in advance. Turtles are not the most capricious reptiles, but if they refuse their usual food, you should offer them another treat, for example, guppy fish. Having these and other fish will prevent you from having to visit the pet store at inopportune times, and it is much more fun to raise fish and turtles at the same time. Little turtles require food every day, which has a positive effect on their growth and development. Older individuals can go without food for three days.

Sea turtles' diets should include chopped vegetables and lean beef and chicken. The ideal option is crushed boneless fish, sea cocktail, snails. All food must be served exclusively raw. Dry food, which is cheaper in cost than fresh food, should not become the main food for turtles. It is recommended to add vitamins and minerals to the diet for variety, which will ensure the healthy development of your pets, because being outside the will, turtles do not have the opportunity to get all the necessary elements.

Sea turtles feed not in an aquarium, but in separate place. If food is given in an aquarium, you cannot avoid contamination of the water. The amount of food eaten necessary for the development of a turtle is determined in the first days after its appearance. To do this you need to leave the turtle with large dose stern. The amount that your pet eats in the first half of the day will become the daily norm.

Caring for baby turtles

Addition to a family of pets is always a joyful event that requires a responsible approach on the part of the owner. Caring for newborn turtles falls entirely on the shoulders of the owner, since the maternal instinct in turtles is not developed. Despite having a strong shell, small turtles are incredibly delicate, so any damage will outside may have a negative impact on their health. Among sea turtle hatchlings there is high level mortality, therefore, in the event of the first signs of change appearance or your baby's behavior, you should take him to the veterinarian.

Little ones sea turtles so shy that death may be the result of severe fright. It is not recommended to pick up the cubs or knock on the glass of the aquarium. After arriving at a new place, the pet should get used to it, so for the first few days it should not be disturbed. If you have not previously dealt with turtles, you should study the features of their anatomical structure. On yellow belly Turtles have a small pouch called the “plastron” that contains nutrients for the baby. It disappears as the turtle grows up, this usually happens in the second month, when the turtle begins to eat fully. Baby sea turtles are more susceptible to waterborne diseases, so they should not stagnate in the aquarium for more than two days. The water temperature should not be 5˚C higher than the norm, which should be taken into account when keeping adult turtles, that is, on average it is 26-27˚C.

What to do if a sea turtle gets sick?

There are two sources of colds in turtles. In the first case, the turtles bring it home from the pet store, in the second, they begin to get sick for the first time in their new home conditions. The first symptoms of a cold include refusal to eat, cough, and low activity. In some cases, your turtle may experience swelling in the head area and flaking of the skin. If these or other signs of illness appear in a sea turtle, it should be immediately taken to a veterinarian, who will determine the cause of the illness and recommend methods to combat it.

Small turtles suffer from colds especially hard, since against the background of the first symptoms, some others may develop that are not related to the disease. A turtle with a cold stops taking care of itself and shows passivity when having fun. Remember that you cannot save on your pet’s condition if you want the money invested in care to always be worth it and for your sea turtle to always be with you. Care at home can extend your pet's life up to 50 years, although on average turtles live about 30 years. By the way, 150-year-old individuals were often caught in nature.

The amazing world of sea turtles

Scientists are still searching for an answer to the question of the origin of turtles. From the myth it is known that globe held on giant turtle, whose ancestor remains unknown. The mystery of 220 million years remains unsolved - that’s how long turtles have inhabited planet Earth.

Sea turtles have excellent memory and, after long journeys, can return to the place where they were born. This is due to their ability to navigate magnetic field Earth.
100 million years - this is exactly how much time has passed since the emergence of leatherback sea turtles, which are recognized as the oldest.
Leatherback turtles are capable of living in waters more than a kilometer deep.
Green turtles and turtles can weigh up to half a ton.
In order to find a suitable place to lay eggs, turtles can swim 20 thousand kilometers.
A female sea turtle can lay 1,000 eggs in one breeding season.

Residents of a place near the Melaya River still believe that the turtle Manoi was the creator of the world.
The leatherback turtle has the most high temperature body, which allows her to live in northern latitudes. However, to do this, she needs to constantly receive adequate nutrition, otherwise she will not tolerate such living conditions.
When in danger, the turtle makes a sound reminiscent of the hissing of a Levantine viper.
Sea turtles reach full maturity by age 30. Before this, they are considered cubs incapable of reproduction.
The smallest sea turtles do not exceed 75 centimeters in length.
The largest leatherback turtle found on land weighed 960 kg. The length of the turtle turned out to be just as impressive – almost 3 meters. The discovery was made recently, and the male turtle cannot claim to be the largest. The real giant Archelon weighed about two tons, and the length and width of its shell were 4 meters each.
Leatherback turtles are recognized as the fastest, capable of moving at speeds of up to 35 km/h. This is almost 2.5 times the speed of the first car, invented in the mid-18th century. By the way, their running speed on land is also quite high - 10-15 km/hour. However, large turtles are not able to reach speeds of more than a kilometer per hour.

What should you avoid when keeping a sea turtle?

The sea turtle is not the most capricious creature, but in some situations it can unexpectedly begin to show its character for its owner. If you decide to get one or more sea turtles, you should be prepared for all sorts of embarrassments that can happen to your pet.

Turtles in an aquarium should be the same size. Of course, this rule applies to turtles different breeds. With age, turtles rapidly increase in size, so they very soon catch up with adults.
Having two male turtles in the same tank can lead to a fight. Turtles, like people, do not tolerate competition, so they can use all the tricks to neutralize their opponent. Turtles can fight for supremacy and injure each other.
Some species of turtles in nature fall into what is called “hibernation.” However, outside their freedom, their lifestyle changes rapidly, especially if the sea turtle was caught and not born in a store. You should not forcefully try to euthanize your turtle. The pet will hibernate only if it considers it necessary.
You should not select toads, newts, crocodiles, snakes, snails and frogs as aquarium neighbors for turtles. Some of them your pet will certainly eat, and some may cause harm to him. Fish, plants and other turtles are ideal company for sharing.

If you have just decided to become a turtle breeder, then the question of what aquatic turtles eat at home should inevitably arise before you even before purchasing these pets. After all, you need to weigh the pros and cons and decide whether you can provide your new pets with a suitable and healthy diet.

What do aquatic pet turtles eat?

Domestic turtles are now the most popular, so we will look at the issue of nutrition using this example (their diet is almost the same as the diet of turtles of other aquatic species).

So, what do aquatic red-eared turtles eat? The diet of red-eared turtles should include, first of all, a large amount of animal food, since they are predators. The ratio should be approximately 70% for animal feed and 30% for herbal supplements. Suitable foods for this type of food include lean meat, fish, seafood (shellfish, shrimp), freshwater snails. Some owners also give boiled sausage and frankfurters, as well as cat or chicken, but such food cannot be considered healthy. Various types of algae, dandelion leaves, cucumbers or tomato slices, and various types of salads are suitable as plant components. It is also worth paying attention to ready-made feed mixtures for turtles. They contain a diet balanced in terms of components, vitamins and minerals, but it is still not worth keeping your turtle on a diet of dry food all the time; it is better to add it from time to time to prevent vitamin deficiency.

Feeding regimen of aquatic turtles

There are recommendations that small turtles should be fed once a day, and large ones – 3 times. However, experienced breeders recommend monitoring your pets. They will let you know how many times a day they need to be fed. For some it is once every two days, for others twice a day. Usually, when turtles are hungry, they begin to move objects in the aquarium, loudly fall from the island into the water, and push the glass walls. You need to feed turtles at the same time each time, and give as much food as the turtle can eat at one time. This will protect you from the development of putrefactive processes in the aquarium associated with decomposition food waste, the water will remain clear much longer, and the turtle will not face many dangerous infections.

This turtle is also called the yellow-bellied turtle; it is considered the most common among pet turtle lovers. But there is also a bad side to this - a large number of turtles are doomed to live and die in captivity. Sellers often do not know or do not disclose the conditions of detention. We will tell you how and what to feed a small red-eared turtle at home.

What to feed a small red-eared turtle

Various types feed However, it is important to maintain variety to maintain turtle health.

Young turtles are omnivores. But still they are predators, you can also keep small fish in the aquarium for keeping them, which they will eat, and you need to add algae that is edible for turtles. You can give non-fatty varieties of fish: pollock, blue whiting, bullheads and others. You can also feed earthworms, raw gammarus, crickets without legs, snails, frogs, and daphnia crustaceans. You can feed once a day, no more. But over time, growing and maturing, they give preference to plant foods. The fact is that adult turtles do not have such a need for protein.

What to feed red-eared turtles when they reach sexual maturity

Adults need to be fed less often than young ones - once every 2 - 3 days.

Adults eat everything, but the main food is considered artificial food for aquatic turtles, specially created taking into account all the necessary components. Large quantity protein indicates that commercial feeds are used in small portions.
For a balanced diet, add calcium and plant groups to your diet.
The red-eared turtle needs water to swallow, because it cannot produce saliva. She is capable of eating on land, but will still look for water to eat. You can use this to your advantage by feeding your turtle in a separate container so as not to contaminate all of the tank water.
The turtle should be given fresh vegetables at any time - lettuce and carrots, watercress, beet and carrot tops. Nice set Vegetables contain a sufficient amount of fiber, calcium and vitamins. Fruits and berries: apricots, melon, bananas, zucchini, cucumber, turnip pumpkin, sweet pepper, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, watermelon are given only occasionally.
It is also allowed to give aquarium plants: duckweed, ludwigia, hornwort, spirogyra, ceratopteris, because they are very similar to those that the turtle feeds on. You can give non-poisonous meadow flowers such as daisies and dandelions, plantain, clover, and creeping wheatgrass.

Plant foods are useful for turtles of any age; their amount should be at least seventy-five percent of the total diet.

Red-eared turtles small conditions of detention

To keep a turtle, you need to find a suitable container and purchase special equipment. If all conditions are not met, the turtle will die. The aquarium should be large enough to keep the turtle healthy and active. The water level should be such that the turtle can turn over freely.
It is necessary to provide artificial land in the form of an island where the turtle will crawl. It must occupy at least twenty-five percent of the entire area and be heated, which is very important. His temperature regime should be ten degrees higher than the water. You should not get too carried away with heating, so that the turtle does not get hyperthermia.
You don’t need to add soil to the turtle; it doesn’t need it. To keep the aquarium from being too dreary, you can use large stones. Only be sure to be large ones - the turtle can swallow small things and die.
In wildlife, a turtle appears on the shore to warm itself. Such conditions should be created for her at home. To keep the shell temperature within thirty degrees, a lamp is placed above the turtle. It is very important to monitor the temperature here so as not to cause burns.
The turtle spends a lot of time in the water. For this reason, carefully monitor its quality and replace it often. Turtles get sick and even die from the mud in the water.

What should you not feed red-eared turtles?

It is forbidden to feed any minced meat, sausage, sausages, pork, beef, chicken, lamb, etc. Bread, citrus fruits, spinach, legumes, rhubarb, cabbage, tomatoes, radishes, radishes, cheese and fatty fish prohibited for feeding turtles. Fruits and berries are given rarely and in limited quantities.