How to care for tortoises. Domestic land snails. How to care for snails

Instruction

The land tortoise needs a certain space, which will create an optimal ecosystem for it to live in. Install a terrarium or a special aviary in the apartment. The place should be well lit and heated, the turtle should not freeze. Optimum temperature air for keeping a land tortoise - 21-31 ° C during the day, 16-19 ° C at night.

The humidity level should not be too low. In the period from November to March, these pets need wintering at a temperature of 3-8 ° C and an air humidity of 90%. The soil in the terrarium must also be appropriate. Since land turtles live most often in desert areas, the soil must also be sandy.

Make the right diet for your pet. Land turtles are herbivorous, so the main diet should consist of fruits and vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, apples, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, dandelion, plantain, quinoa, coltsfoot, sorrel, nettle). It is allowed to give a little hard-boiled egg.

Before feeding, wash fruits thoroughly, do not give the turtle moldy and rotten foods. Finely chop solid food with a knife or grate, mix. Serve the mixture of vegetables and fruits on a wide and low tray. Periodically add barley or oat sprouts to your food. In small portions, add seaweed to the feed.

A useful article for those who have a land tortoise. I have been dealing with these animals for many years and I want all turtles to live in the right home conditions.

Many are mistaken, considering turtles to be unpretentious and the simplest animals to keep, but this is not at all the case! If you are considering getting a turtle, then you need to read this article urgently!

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

The second thing 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 flavored, then it is quite suitable as a soil, but this soil is dusty and sometimes creates an unpleasant odor.
2. Hay, hay is good for soil, even if the turtle eats it, nothing will happen to it. Some turtles like to burrow into the ground.
3. Rocks or pebbles work well with hay or sawdust. The stones should be flat and smooth, and the pebbles should be larger than the head of a land tortoise. On stones and pebbles, the turtle grinds its claws.
4. Earth or sand, not suitable as ground, as the turtle can swallow it.
5. Cat litter is also not suitable, because the turtle can swallow it and get poisoned, and treating turtles is very difficult.

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

The terrarium should have a house where she will hide from the sun or from human eyes. I have a regular plastic one. flower pot. The house should fit the size of the land tortoise so that it can easily get in and out.

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

The turtle drinks through the skin. Land tortoises need to be bathed once a week. We take a basin, pour warm water there (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 a turtle defecates while bathing, all turtles do this.

In pet stores or markets, most land turtles are dehydrated, so when you buy 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!

Turtles are one of the most common types of reptiles that live in terrariums and have an unusually attractive appearance. This animal has inhabited our planet for more than two hundred million years. Judging by the fossil remains, today they look almost the same as in ancient times. It is not surprising that in modern world many people want to acquire such an ancient species of reptiles as domestic turtles.

Basic information

The types of these reptiles living now are divided into two groups: marine (intended for living in large pools that are filled with sea ​​water) and ground. The latter species has many varieties that differ from each other in size and methods of care and maintenance.

Domestic turtles are most often land animals. They use water only for bathing and drinking. You can have almost any reptile as a pet, but future owners should remember: the larger the pet, the larger the terrarium it will need.

About 40 species of turtles are protected by law, as a result of which such a thing as illegal import, export and sale has appeared. Basically, illegal immigrants put reptiles in unbearable living conditions, because of which some do not reach the pet store, while others die after purchase or even transportation. Therefore, be more careful when choosing the place where you are going to buy your future pet. To make sure that the sale is legal, ask the seller to show the relevant documents. This will ensure that you get a healthy animal.

Kinds

To learn how to take care and what to feed domestic turtle, it is enough to find out to which group it belongs. Most popular species land reptiles that can live in houses under specially created living conditions:

● Central Asian steppe - listed in the Red Book, despite the fact that it is the most common among pets. The length of her shell is no more than 30 cm, and the limbs have four fingers.

● Mediterranean Greek and Caucasian. The breed has about twenty subspecies that live in different climatic zones and landscapes. These reptiles differ from each other in color (usually dark yellow) and shell size (no more than 35 cm). They have five toes on their front paws and spurs on their hind paws.

● Balkan - outwardly similar to mediterranean tortoise, but her shell size is much smaller (no more than 30 cm). It has a yellow-brown color with dark spots. When young, the colors are bright, but will fade over time.

● Egyptian turtles are the smallest - 12 cm is the length of the yellow shell. The scutes have dark borders. Its behavior resembles an ostrich - at the slightest impending danger, it has a habit of digging into the sand.

Habitat

If you are allergic to the fur of cats or dogs, but the desire to have a pet does not become less because of this, then domestic turtles will help you with this. Caring for them is not so difficult if you take care of your pet all the time. The first step is to think about the terrarium. First of all, it should be as close as possible to natural conditions. If you are unable or for some reason do not want to do this, then domestic turtles are not for you. Living in an empty box for these animals means a slow death.

If you are still confident in your abilities, then proceed to the arrangement of the terrarium. Usually this is a spacious pen (you can buy it or make it yourself) with low sides so that the animal can walk around the house on its own. In the "apartment" there must be a drinking bowl, a feeding trough and a shelter house. An example is the photo posted in this article. Pet turtles, like any other living creature, should be kept so that they have enough space for free movement. Over time, your pet may grow up and, perhaps, then she will need a new, more spacious terrarium.

Here it is also necessary to place a heater, an ultraviolet and sufficiently bright lamp for lighting. Such measures are necessary because the domestic tortoise in the wild lives a twelve-hour daylight hours. During the day, the temperature should be at least 24°C on one side of the terrarium, on the other - about 30°C, and at night - not lower than 22°C.

The bottom of the dwelling is usually lined with soil. Pressed or large chips, hay, earth, smooth small pebbles are also suitable. The shelter house and bath should be on the cool side of the terrarium, and on the warm side, a flat stone or tile area where the turtle will bask.

Get ready for the fact that you need to clean the feeder, soil and change the water daily. If your turtle is a representative tropical species so she needs high humidity air. To do this, it is enough to spray the terrarium with water from time to time.

Vegetation arrangement

In order for the dwelling to be safe for the life of a turtle, it is necessary to know its breed and what natural conditions are inherent in it. Stones and plant roots should be placed so that your pet can easily get around them or climb on them if desired.

The corners of a reptile terrarium are the hiding places in which they rest, so it is not necessary to place any vegetation there. This is usually done to decorate with safe flowers such as sheflera, echmea, sansevera, gusmania and aloe.

Plants are best placed in pots, and the earth is covered with stones so that the turtle does not get to the roots. Climbing plants also look spectacular.

Do not forget about the safety of the animal. To do this, avoid poisonous flowers, do not spray them with pest control, and securely hide wires (for example, lamps and heaters) from the turtle so that it does not bite or scratch them.

Nutrition

You will be a great host if you ask in advance what to feed domestic turtles, especially since it is not difficult to follow a diet. Basically, all reptiles are herbivores. Therefore, experienced owners advise not to give their pets dairy and meat products, dry food and bread. by the most the best options are vegetables, fruits and herbs.

An adult turtle needs to be fed once every 2-3 days, and a small turtle needs to be fed daily. Finely chop different types of vegetables and give them as a salad so that she does not consume one product. Don't forget to remove the pits from fruits.

The source of protein for turtles is beans. A good vitamin top dressing will be greens - dandelion, vetch, coltsfoot, parsley, carrot tops and more. You can also buy supplements from pet stores.

Bathing

Pet turtles should be subjected to cleansing baths once a week. Those who are not yet three years old - once every three days. Used for bathing boiled water with a temperature of about 32-34°C. In the drinking bowl, it must be changed daily, because it often gets dirty.

The liquid in the container where you are going to wash the animal should be at the level of 2/3 of the height of your turtle. The head must be on the surface. Gently run a soft sponge or hand over the shell, paws and muzzle. If it is too dirty, you can use baby soap. After bathing, carefully dry your pet and release it into the terrarium.

Exercise

The rules of perfect care also include walks in the fresh air. best time the year for this is summer. Turtle domestic land can walk under open sky, but only under a number of conditions that must be strictly observed. On the day when you are going to take your pet outside, it should be warm (air temperature - not lower than 25 degrees Celsius), the soil is warm and dry. The surface for this can be both soft grass and gravel with shallow sand.

Be extremely careful when choosing suitable places. Domestic turtles are almost always herbivores. Therefore, the plants in which you walk your pet must be edible. Avoid debris and sharp objects. Choose quiet and cozy corners for walking with turtles. Being in a noisy place, they get nervous and hide in their shells.

hibernation

If you do not know anything about this, then it is better not to try to stack it. This work should only be done knowledgeable people. Especially if you have created all the necessary for normal life conditions, then hibernation is not necessary for your pet.

In the photo of homemade land turtles, you can see what they look like before wintering. Usually, these reptiles hide in a warm, dark corner and put their head forward. This happens when the longitude of the day is shortened, that is, in October.

If you decide to provide a turtle winter rest, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian. Before hibernation, a number of procedures must be performed, namely: to control weight before and during wintering, completely empty the intestines from food, gradually reduce the temperature in the terrarium, etc.

Exotic pets are a popular trend. The land tortoise, when kept at home, will not bring any special worries to the owners if they initially create the proper conditions, and then follow the diet and carry out animal care procedures. There is practically no noise and smell from these reptiles, and with proper care they live for several decades.

Who is a land tortoise

The animal got its name for its strong shell, it comes from the Latin Testudinidae - brick, tile. A hard shell covers the back (carapace) and belly (plastron). It serves as a shell for protection, withstands a load that is 200 times the weight of a turtle. The size of an individual depends on the species. There are both very small representatives up to 10 cm long, and giants up to 900 kg. The limbs are shaped to hide compactly inside the shell. Almost all species have a tail, and at its end there is a spur. Reptiles have well-developed hearing and color vision, which helps them to get food.

The main types of land turtles:

1. Leopard - reaches 50 kg in weight, high shell has a spotted color.
2. Central Asian tortoise- a small reptile, reaching a length of up to 20 cm. Its shell has a rounded shape of yellow-brown tones. The most common option for home content due to carelessness. It is also called the steppe tortoise.
3. Asian - has two subspecies: depressed and brown turtle.
4. Mediterranean - common in Europe, up to 35 cm long.
5. Radiant - got its name for the characteristic geometrically regular yellow lines on the coal shell, rare view from the Madagascar Islands.

Where does he live

land species prefer steppe, desert and semi-desert terrain. They can be found in geographical areas:

• savannah and desert Africa;
• in the North and South America;
• Asian and European countries: India, Greece, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan and others;
• in Australia and nearby islands.

How many lives

The lifespan of a reptile depends on the living conditions and species. When answering the question of how long land turtles live, it is worth mentioning that in natural conditions some individuals reached the age of over 100 years. At home, everything depends on the conditions of detention. The more varied the diet and the more competent care, the longer the pet will live. Age can reach more than 30 years.

Photo of a land turtle

Land turtle at home

For apartment keeping of a reptile, it is important to create a comfortable environment by organizing a terrarium. It is worth considering the features of the life of turtles:

• animals molt, exfoliation of the old cover occurs in small quantities on the skin;
• may go into hibernation. Under natural conditions, this is due to a change in temperature and a lack of food;
• they do not like drafts, they can easily catch a cold.

What to feed

AT wild environment the steppe tortoise feeds on plant foods, supplementing the diet with protein elements: snails, worms, slugs. Feeding in an unnatural environment should be as close as possible to the usual menu. Considering how to feed a land tortoise at home, make up a diet so that it includes not only grass, vegetables and fruits, but also feeding protein foods - small insects and meat.

The summer menu may include fresh seasonal products: clover, mushrooms, zucchini, dandelions, cucumbers, radishes, berries, sorrel, pumpkin. On the winter period the basis of nutrition is steamed straw, available vegetables: cabbage, carrots, beets. Pets also need to be given fruits so that the body receives a sufficient amount of vitamins. The menu should contain special foods with calcium. It could be bone flour or ground eggshell. Land pets satisfy the need for water from juicy food. Feeding is carried out 1 time per day.

How to care

It won't take much effort. Care land turtle simple at home. For a comfortable habitat, it is necessary to equip the terrarium, where it will be most of the time. Periodically release the pet for a walk around the apartment. Turtles are famous for their slow terrestrial movement, so it will be easy for you to follow her movements.

When considering how to care for a land tortoise, keep in mind that the reptile sheds. For the period of changing the cover, it is necessary to bathe the animal with a weak soda solution. It is necessary to cut the claws using a special nail cutter for this. In winter, turtles may not have enough ultraviolet light, for this they are irradiated with quartz lamps, avoiding the rays from getting into their eyes.

Turtle terrarium

It is not allowed to permanently keep the reptile on the usual floor covering. You can organize an aviary for walking by fencing the area. A turtle terrarium is an aquarium with a special substrate. The ratio of the length and width of the base must be chosen based on the size of the largest individual. Dimensions should be 2-3 times larger than the reptile. The minimum length of an adult steppe tortoise is 20 cm, so the dimensions start from 100x50x30 cm.

The pallet is filled with gravel, sawdust or sand, which will have to be changed as it gets dirty. On the territory of the terrarium, it is important to arrange a bathing area so that the pet can take a bath. Respect acceptable temperature regime 25-35 degrees and sufficient lighting with a fluorescent lamp. With a lack of heat, the reptile can go into hibernation. The humidity in the aquarium should be low, and the turtles themselves should be sprayed once a day with a spray bottle.

turtle house

It is worth organizing a shelter for a pet in a terrarium. It is intended for overnight stays. For this you can:

• cut a hole in a plastic non-toxic box;
• build a house from boards;
• use half of the flower pot.

Diseases of land turtles

Mostly pets get sick due to improper care or maintenance errors. The most common diseases, manifestations and how to treat them:

4. Conjunctivitis is manifested by tearfulness and redness of the eyes. Avoid drafts, and use drops in case of illness.

reproduction

The continuation of the genus in turtles requires special conditions. Mating is carried out in the spring, when the reptile has completed wintering. Successful breeding involves keeping one male and several females. They are kept separately, for reproduction it is necessary to move individuals of two sexes to each other so that they get used to a companion. Reptiles lay eggs from which offspring are produced. The incubation period is from 2 to 6 months, depending on the species.

Price

You can find out how much a land tortoise costs by deciding on the species. The cheapest way to buy a Central Asian reptile. Exotic species of turtles will cost more. The price of such pet ranges from 500 to 2000 rubles. The sale is offered by both specialized stores and private individuals who are engaged in breeding.

This article will focus on caring for a land tortoise at home. It would seem that everyone knows what to do with these reptiles: bought, brought home, released on the floor. You can put cabbages, pour milk, it will warm up under the battery, and winter under the bath. “It’s possible, I know for sure, the neighbors’ turtle lived like this for 30 years, and nothing.”

Funny? But many people hold such views, without hesitation, how to take care of a turtle. As a result: in veterinary clinic animals get in a coma, they slowly died over the course of several years, walking on the floor of the apartment, suffering from dehydration, dust and low temperatures by getting food that their body can't process...

Turtles do not know how to speak and express emotions, so even in the event of a serious illness, they will crawl as usual, as long as they have at least some strength to move around.

Let's start with the fact that all tortoises for sale are caught in wild nature, they are smuggled and sold illegally. For the most part, these are Central Asian, or steppe, turtles. As a rule, such animals suffer from various diseases, including those that can infect humans. Therefore, it is desirable when acquiring an animal immediately, and not to the usual, but to a herpetologist, a specialist in reptiles.

If you decide to keep an animal at home, then it is important to remember a few rules in order to create suitable turtle conditions:

Caring for a land tortoise at home is a rather costly and complicated matter, you need to be prepared for this. It is not necessary to buy a terrarium, you can make it yourself, for example, from boards or an old aquarium of a suitable volume. It should be well ventilated, have no roof and be located no higher than 20 cm from the floor.

Soil is poured at the bottom, ideally rounded river pebbles, but it is quite difficult to keep clean, so you can choose something else that can be easily replaced, but not too fine and does not contain an increased amount of dust (for example, alder, beech chips or shavings) . The layer should be at least 5-6 cm.

At a distance of 30-50 cm from the bottom in one corner heat lamp installed(a 1 W incandescent lamp per 1 liter of terrarium is suitable). Heating mats and stones will not work. At the other end, you need to place a shelter.

The source of ultraviolet light should be a special lamp. ReptiGlo 5.0 or 10.0, widely available in pet stores, will do. We must not forget that after six months the radiation spectrum changes, and it needs to be replaced. It cannot be about proper care for a land tortoise at home, if it is not allowed to UV rays. To some extent, it is possible to replace the lamp with exposure to the sun throughout the summer, but this option is not suitable for young animals.

Proper feeding is the key to health when keeping tortoises. Food: mixture of greens ( most of diet), vegetables, fruits and mineral and vitamin supplements for reptiles. Do not give in large quantities cruciferous, herbs, watery and starchy fruits and vegetables (cucumbers, banana, grapes).

Rickets due to vitamin deficiency

It is forbidden to offer reptiles poisonous plants, fruit seeds, any animal food (including cottage cheese, milk, eggs), prepared pet food, human food (porridge, bread). Special turtle food pellets usually do not meet the needs of the animal.

Calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D₃ and vitamin A must be present in top dressing. Vitamin D₂ is poison for these reptiles!

In summer, it is necessary to take the turtle out for a walk as often as possible if the temperature in the shade is above 20 ° C. The main thing is to make sure that the animal does not eat something poisonous, does not get injured, overheats and does not run away (when heated, they are able to develop decent speed, and their outstanding ability to disguise and dig into the ground makes it a real problem to find a lost reptile). Feeding is best organized by cutting fresh greens: dandelions, plantain, clover, gout and other plants, removing poisonous ones (such as buttercups and plants with milky juice).

If an aviary is being built for an animal, then the walls should be dug 30 cm into the ground. It is also important to exclude the presence of garden ants, as they can cause severe damage.

In winter, there is a natural decrease in the activity and appetite of the animal. You can shorten the daylight hours, but it is necessary to carry out a full wintering, otherwise it can be detrimental to the body. The usual care of a land tortoise at home does not require this event, it does not negative impact on the state of health.

After all contact with the animal, be sure to wash your hands, especially for children!

For any changes in appearance and behavior of the pet, it is better to remember that turtles are very hardy, and the most dangerous diseases can develop long time completely invisible to the owners. Treatment of advanced pathologies is not always possible and effective.