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Briefly about the feeding habits of the river turtle. Turtles of Russia River turtle where it lives

A common representative of the reptile class is marsh turtle. The body length of this creature is from 12 to 35 cm, weight is about one and a half kilograms or a little less.

As seen in photo,swamp turtles it is not difficult to distinguish from relatives by the structure of the rounded, low shell, connected on the sides to the lower part of the body by elastic ligaments; as well as by the absence of a beak on the reptile’s muzzle and the following external signs:

  • the color of the shell can be black, brown or olive;
  • skin covered with yellow spots has a green tint;
  • the pupil of orange or yellow eyes is usually dark;
  • their legs have membranes and long claws;
  • the tail, which acts as a rudder when moving through water, is quite long.

Representatives of the genus of marsh turtles are distributed throughout Europe; they can be found in the Middle East, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, the Caucasus, as well as in the northwestern regions of Africa.

They inhabit forests, forest-steppes and mountainous areas, trying to settle near bodies of water; they live not only in swamps, as the name suggests, but in rivers, streams, canals and ponds.

Character and lifestyle of the marsh turtle

These animals, belonging to the freshwater family, are active during the day and sleep at the bottom of reservoirs at night. They feel great in aquatic environment, where they can stay for about two days.

But they also feel great on land, so the marsh turtle can be found on large lawns, where these cold-blooded animals love to bask in the sun, thus feeding their body with energy.

Swamp turtle feels great both in water and on land

They try to find other suitable places for sunbathing, often using driftwood and stones protruding from the water. Reptiles tend to move closer to the sun even on cloudy, cool days, despite covered by clouds the sky, trying to catch, breaking through the clouds, sun rays.

But when the slightest danger arises, the reptiles immediately flop into the water and hide in its depths among the underwater vegetation. The enemies of these creatures can be predatory animals and.

Also, they often do not have to expect anything good from humans, and in some eastern countries it is customary to eat them, which causes significant damage to the numbers of the swamp turtle genus.

The sense of smell and vision of such reptiles is well developed. Moving on the ground quite quickly, they swim beautifully and quickly, and strong limbs help them in their movements in the water.

The paws of swamp turtles are equipped with large claws, which gives them the ability to easily burrow into a layer of leaves or muddy soil. In the wild, these reptiles hibernate in cold weather. This usually occurs in early November and continues until the end of April.

Considered quite rare, marsh turtles ended up in Krasnaya. And although total number The population of such animals is quite stable; they have completely disappeared from some habitat areas where they were previously found.

Types of marsh turtles

A bright representative this kind is considered European marsh turtle. She is the owner of a smooth carapace, which has a round or oval shape.

Its color can be greenish-yellow or black with a pattern, dotted with various combinations of rays and lines, as well as white or yellow spots. When wet, the shell changes color as it dries, from shiny in the sun to gradually becoming matte.

The turtle's head is pointed and large, and its skin and paws are dark, dotted with spots. The reptiles weigh about one and a half kilograms and reach approximately 35 cm in size. Moreover, the largest individuals live in Russia.

European marsh turtles are divided into 13 subspecies with different habitats. Individuals differ in appearance, size, color and some other parameters.

Pictured is a European marsh turtle

In Russia, where five subspecies of such reptiles are common, black turtles are mainly found, and individuals with a greenish-yellow shell live under the hot sun of Sicily.

The genus of the described reptiles also includes another species - the American marsh turtle, which has a carapace 25-27 cm long. The main background of the shell is dark olive, and small light spots are clearly visible on it.

Representatives of the fauna of this species have significant similarities with European marsh turtles in appearance and behavior. For a long time, these two types of animals were considered by scientists to be the same type, but a deeper study of genetics and structure internal skeleton led to the identification of significant differences in these reptiles, which gave reason to now consider them separate species of marsh turtles.

Care and maintenance of a marsh turtle at home

These reptiles are often kept as pets in their own homes. You can easily buy them or catch them yourself in their habitats, for which summer ones are very suitable warm months.

Domestic swamp turtles are usually smaller in size than individuals living in wildlife. Their unpretentiousness allows anyone, even the most inexperienced owners, to keep them and even have offspring from their pets.

Swamp turtle at home unable to live fully without sunlight. That is why it is quite possible to let adult healthy individuals go for a walk in the courtyard of their own dacha in warm summer weather, especially if there is a small artificial pond there.

In the photo there is a baby marsh turtle

Such reptiles can be kept in pairs, but care for swamp turtle assumes the presence of an aquarium with a volume of at least one hundred liters, as well as a place for heating, illuminated by an ultraviolet lamp that heats environment up to 30 °C and providing animals with twelve hours of daylight.

Living at home, swamp turtles do not hibernate, and animal owners should know this and not worry about this. To the disadvantages keeping a swamp turtle refers to her immense aggressiveness. Reptiles are pugnacious to such an extent that they are capable of injuring each other and even biting off their tails.

They are no friendlier to other pets, not tolerating rivals in the house, especially when it comes to fighting for food. They are capable of being cunning and can, if not carefully, be dangerous to small children. However, turtles are quite smart and reward those who feed them with gratitude.

The photo shows a marsh turtle in a home aquarium

Swamp turtle nutrition

The lifespan of such reptiles remains largely a mystery to scientists, and so far there is no consensus on this matter. But, like all representatives of the turtle genus, they are long-livers. Experts usually give a figure of 30-50 years, but some biologists believe that marsh turtles, in some cases, can live up to 100 years.

Emys orbicularis

Description. A medium-sized turtle up to 23 cm long. The carapace is smooth, oval, slightly convex and connected to the plastron by a movable ligament. The axillary and inguinal shields are absent. The back of the plastron is rounded and has no noticeable notch. The carapace is colored dark olive or brown-brown on top, with yellow dots or dashes, and dark brown or yellowish on the bottom. The turtle's throat, legs and tail are dark, with numerous yellow spots.

Males differ from females by having a longer tail and a slightly concave plastron; in females the plastron is flat or slightly convex. In young animals, the carapace is rounded, with a median carina in the posterior part; eyes with red or orange pupils. Within the range, signs external morphology vary greatly.

Spreading. The marsh turtle is common in the South. and Center. Europe, Western Asia, North-West. Africa, in the Crimea, in the Caucasus, the Aral Sea region and in southwestern Turkmenistan (Terentyev and Chernov, 1949).

In Russia, this species is found in the central and southern regions of the European part and in the Caucasus. Small isolated populations of turtles are known in Moscow and the Leningrad region.

Within the species there are 13 subspecies, of which 5 inhabit the territory former USSR. In the European part of Russia there is a nominative subspecies occupying most of species range. In Dagestan and in the river basin. The Kura (from the mouth west to Gori) is inhabited by the Iberian tortoise, E. o. iberica Eichwald, 1831 (= E. o. Kurae Fritz, 1994).

Lifestyle. Inhabits forest, steppe and forest-steppe areas. Inhabits swamps, ponds, lakes, floodplains, oxbow lakes, and canals, preferring flat reservoirs. As a rule, the turtle stays near bodies of water, although it may move a short distance away from them. She swims and dives beautifully and can stay under water for a long time. The number in Transcarpathia is 5-8 individuals per 1 km of route, in Turkmenistan from 3.2 individuals (river of the western Kopetdag) to 11.1 individuals per 1 km along the banks of flat reservoirs. The maximum number was noted in the Astrakhan region - 58 individuals on a segment of 150 m, in the Stavropol Territory 75 - 125 individuals / ha. In Kalmykia, on the left bank of the Volga, in Cherepashye and other lakes, there were 60 - 75 individuals per 1 km of shoreline. In Dagestan, in the delta of the Terek River and in the Agrakhan Bay, there are 20 - 30 individuals per 100 m of coastal strip. Active during the day and at dusk. During the day it basks in the sun for many hours, and at night it sleeps at the bottom of the reservoir. In case of danger and during wintering, it burrows into the mud. Wintering from late October - early November to April - May. In the spring it emerges from wintering at an air temperature of 6 - 14 o C and a water temperature of 5-10 o C. In warm years can be active in winter. Mating occurs in late April-early May. The female makes 1-3 clutches per season, depending on the area, from 3-13 white eggs with a calcareous shell measuring 28-39 mm x 12-21 mm. The female lays eggs in a hole 10 - 17 cm deep. Incubation period lasts 60 - 110 days. Newborns with a carapace length of 20-25 mm hatch from eggs in Krasnodar region from early August to early October. Most of the young do not appear on the surface until the following spring.

The turtle eats a variety of foods, mainly of animal origin. On land, the main diet consists of insects (most often orthoptera and beetles), nodule and woodlice. Insects, crustaceans, mollusks, tadpoles, frogs and, less commonly, fish, mainly fish or fry, are caught in the water. The turtle's diet also includes algae, higher semi-aquatic and aquatic plants.

Turtle nests are destroyed by foxes, raccoon dogs, otters and crows. In the Central Black Earth region of Russia, this species has become rare. The reasons for the decline in numbers are associated with the destruction of clutches and the destruction of habitats suitable for laying eggs.

The marsh turtle is listed in the Red Books of Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia, is protected in many European countries, and is included in the International Red List (IUCN).

Literature.

Ananyeva et al., 1998; Ataev, 1985; Bannikov, 1951; Bannikov et al., 1977; Guskov et al., 1983; Kireev, 1983; Lukina, 1971; Nikolsky, 1905, 1915; Severtsov, 1855 (cited from: Severtsov, 1950); Terentyev and Chernov, 1936; 1949; Tertyshnikov, 2002; Tertyshnikov, Vysotin, 1987; Shammakov, 1981; Shcherbak, 1966; Shcherbak, Shcherban, 1980; Bozhansky, Orlova, 1998; Boulenger, 1889; Eichwald, 1831; Fritz, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2003 (detailed bibliography here); Guldenstadt, 1783; Kuzmin, 2002; Mazanaeva, Orlova, 2002; Schneider, 1783.

One of the most interesting units The turtle is rightfully considered a reptile. Scientists who studied ancient remains in order to find out how many years she had been living on the planet found that their existence on Earth lasted more than 220 million years. These are rare animals that can live on land and in water. The turtle is a reptile that has 328 species, grouped into 14 families.

Origin of the name

If we consider the Slavic and Latin origins of the name of the reptile, it is easy to see the commonality. Both languages ​​demonstrate a response to appearance in the word: translated from Latin “tile”, “clay vessel”, “brick”; from Slavic - “shard”.

Indeed, many turtles resemble the stone for which the people who gave them this name mistook them. Despite this etymology of the name, it also contains an indication of the unique shape and color of the hard shells.

What do turtles look like?

In the diversity of turtle species, there are common characteristics that unite them into one order.

Main hallmark detachment is the shell, which absolutely all representatives have. It consists of a carapace (dorsal) and plastron (abdominal), connected to each other. This durable device serves, first of all, to protect the animal from enemies. If necessary, the turtle is fully capable of hiding its body and head in it, lowering top part and remain protected from any attack against it.

The shells are covered with hard horny scutes, different in color and shape depending on the species. There are holes into which the paws, head, and tail extend and retract as needed.

The strength of the shell, as studies have shown, is so great that it can withstand a weight exceeding the weight of the animal by 200 times.

Reptiles molt periodically: the old skin sheds from their shell in scales, and the color becomes brighter.

How much does a turtle weigh? Turtle sizes

The turtle is a unique reptile. Some species can reach gigantic size– up to 2 meters, and weigh up to a ton. But there are also tiny representatives whose weight does not exceed 120 grams and size - 10 cm.

Each type of turtle has its own parameters, which we will talk about, characterizing them separately.

Paws

All species have four paws, which can be hidden in the shell if necessary.

The structure depends on the lifestyle and species. Terrestrial animals are distinguished by thickened front paws, suitable for digging soil, and powerful hind paws, which help to move along the surface. river turtle, living in fresh water, has membranes between its toes. The sea turtle, evolving, acquired fins instead of paws, and the front ones are much larger than the back ones.

Tail

Almost everyone has a tail, the length of which depends on the species and lifestyle. If necessary, the tail can be retracted into the shell.

For swimming reptiles, it serves as a kind of rudder that helps maneuver in the water, and is more developed than that of its land-based counterparts.

Head and neck

All turtles have a medium-sized head with a streamlined shape. When danger arises, many representatives of this class hide their heads in their shells. But there are turtles who have enough large size heads and cannot pull it in.

Depending on the species, the front of the head can be elongated or flat, but it always ends with the nostrils.

The eyes are also positioned differently: in reptiles living on land, they are directed downward, while in swimming reptiles they are directed much higher. Animals have excellent vision and see this world in color.

Some turtles have enough long necks. In other representatives they are of medium size and are perfectly retracted into the shell if necessary.

Sometimes these animals, sticking their heads out of the water, are mistaken for huge snakes.

In many representatives of the species, the oral part begins with a hard beak-shaped process, with which they easily bite off even the hardest food and are able to catch prey. The edges of these processes can be either sharp or jagged.

But they don't have teeth. The chewing movements that reptiles make are necessary in order to move food into the pharynx. Language also helps them with this.

Despite the lack of teeth, turtles have powerful jaws that can handle almost any food.

Sexual characteristics of a turtle

The sex of turtles is determined by appearance and in behavior, since these animals do not have clear genital differences, and it is almost impossible to figure out the gender at first glance. However, males differ from females:

  • according to the shape of the shell (in females it is more elongated);
  • the lower part of the shell is slightly concave in males, flat in females;
  • the tail of males is longer, wider and thicker, it is more curved down;
  • according to the shape of the anus;
  • in males, the claws of the front paws are slightly longer;
  • a small notch in the shell in the tail area is present only in males;
  • The behavior of males is characterized by activity.

In some species, gender, in addition to the indicated characteristics, is expressed by the color or shape of the head.

In nature, these reptiles are completely herbivorous, carnivorous and omnivorous. Most eat both plant and animal foods.

Lifespan

On average, turtles live about 20-30 years in the wild. But it depends on the type of reptile. There are centenarians who can reach 200 years of age. As a rule, turtles live longer in captivity, but this also depends on the species and conditions of detention.

Types of turtles

The long stay of representatives of this order on the planet allowed them to divide into 328 species, differing external signs, size, habitat, nutrition and lifestyle.

The classification involves the division of reptiles, depending on how they hide their heads in the shell, into cryptonecks and side-necks. The first group presses its head into the shell due to contraction neck muscles. The second is folded to the side, under one of the front paws.

Another classification is based on the habitat of these reptiles:

  • sea ​​turtle - lives in the salty waters of the seas and oceans;
  • terrestrial - capable of living both on the surface of the earth and in fresh waters; this variety, in turn, is divided into freshwater and land.

This sea turtle chose the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and even Indian oceans for its life.

There are two subspecies of these reptiles: Atlantic and eastern Pacific. Its elongated shell can be not only green, but also dark brown with yellow and white stripes or spots.

Reptiles got their name not from their external coloring, but from the color of the meat they ate.

The green turtle is one of the most large species. The length of its shell can reach up to 2 m, and its weight can reach 400 kg.

Juveniles live exclusively in water, where they feed small fish, mollusks, jellyfish. Adult reptiles come ashore, where they begin to feed on plant foods, which over time become their main diet.

The tasty meat of these animals was traditionally used for food (they are even called soup animals), which led to a decline in the population. Hunting them is currently prohibited in many countries.

The onset of puberty occurs after 10 years, sometimes much later. Reptiles mate in water, but lay their clutches on the shore, in the same places where their predecessors laid eggs. They dig very large holes in which they place up to 200 eggs. Small turtles, hatching, run towards the water. If they managed to get there, they will spend many years in the ocean, until the moment comes when they themselves have to go ashore to give birth.

If your pet is a sea turtle, keep in mind that caring for it at home is much more difficult than for land-based ones, since you need to have spacious aquariums with water adapted for the reptile.

Another name for this species is Chinese trionix, or chinese tortoise. The Far Eastern turtle prefers to live on the silt-covered bottom of large lakes and rivers with gently sloping overgrown banks. Their habitat is Primorye, southern part Amur in Russia, Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

The Far Eastern turtle is green-brown or green-gray in color with pale yellowish spots. Its usual size is about 30 cm, but there have been specimens up to 40 cm and weighing more than 4 kilograms. They have fleshy lips covering strong jaws.

The shell of these animals in young individuals has a rounded shape. It becomes flatter with age. Distinctive feature young individuals have a bright orange abdomen, the color of which becomes pale over time.

The Chinese turtle is capable of hunting both in water and on land, where it goes out to bask in the sun. These reptiles hibernate by burying themselves in the mud.

Feeding these predatory reptiles consists of fish, shellfish, amphibians and insects. The Far Eastern turtle can guard its prey for a long time by burying itself in the mud.

At the age of 6-7 years, the Far Eastern tortoise becomes sexually mature. Usually in July they lay eggs at a short distance from the water. During the season, the female makes several clutches, from which about 70 turtles emerge. After 1.5 - 2 months, babies appear, the size of which is no more than 3 cm. They quickly run to the water and for a long time lurking in coastal vegetation and between rocks.

The Far Eastern tortoise has a fairly aggressive character and can strongly bite its attacker.

If with early age Since this turtle lives in a house, it easily gets used to a person and can even feed from his hands.

Living in the southeast of Eurasia, this steppe loves damp areas in river valleys, foothills, agricultural lands, sandy and clay semi-deserts. Animals dig holes or occupy empty ones.

Observations shed light on how many years this turtle lives. It turns out that life expectancy depends on its activity. At home in a closed terrarium, it is unlikely to overcome the 15-year mark, when in the wild it can live for 30 years. Not in natural environment Central Asian turtle, even if care and nutrition are as close to natural as possible, they live much less.

The Central Asian tortoise does not grow more than 20 cm, with males slightly smaller in size than females.

This steppe turtle hibernates quite early: at the beginning of summer, immediately after laying eggs. This is due to the fact that this particular time in their habitat is the driest. Lack of food in sufficient quantities forces them to wait out in a state of sleep.

The Central Asian turtle has a very beautiful shell - reddish-olive with dark round spots.

Reptiles of this species are dark brown, dark olive, almost black in color with small yellow streaks or spots. Distinctive feature is very long tail and lack of beak.

The habitat of these animals is unusually wide: they can be found in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus, Bashkiria, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and even in northwest Africa. They prefer forest, forest-steppe and steppe areas, the banks of slow-flowing rivers, and wetlands.

These reptiles are found in mountainous areas at an altitude of up to 1500 meters above sea level.

Say what it is aquatic turtle, it is forbidden. She prefers to get out onto land quite often and moves relatively quickly along it.

The diet of representatives of this species is unusually wide: it eats worms, mollusks, small reptiles, fish, and chicks of waterfowl. She does not disdain carrion.

Depending on the region, they become sexually mature at the age of 5-9 years. Eggs are laid near water bodies. The sex of the offspring depends on temperature. When the levels are high, females are born, while when they are low, males are born.

Unfortunately, the clutches are attacked by predators (foxes, raccoons, otters, crows), who are happy to feast on both the eggs themselves and the small turtles.

Another name for these reptiles is directly related to their habitat - Seychelles giant turtle. This terrestrial animal is endemic to Aldabra Island.

The size of the shell of this large animal reaches a meter. It flaunts clearly defined shell segments, has fairly large legs that help it move on land, and a relatively small head.

Given its size, the reptile is a herbivore. Everything a turtle eats grows around it. She happily eats all low-growing bushes and grass.

There are currently only 150,000 left in the wild, so the reptile is protected. On the island where they live, not only hunting is prohibited, but also any economic activity.

Reptiles lay eggs from May to September, and they are able to regulate the population size: if there was not enough food, their clutches will contain only 5-6 eggs.

He is the largest representative of his squad. These reptiles live only on Galapagos Islands and are not found anywhere else. Their weight sometimes exceeds 400 kg, and the length of the shell reaches 2 m. They have fairly muscular paws, which have sharp claws (5 on the front and 4 on the hind). In case of danger, they pull their head and limbs into the shell.

At the end of the 20th century, the population of these animals decreased to 3,000 individuals, which became critical, so a decision was made to protect the reptiles.

Currently, there are two varieties of these reptiles, differing in habitat (relatively small individuals live in arid areas), size, color and shape of the shell.

Scientists actively researching the life of Galapagos endemics have identified interesting facts about turtles of this species: for example, that they can eat poisonous plants that no other animal eats. In some cases, they are able to live for several months without food or fresh water.

Mating and laying of eggs of these giants occurs at any time of the year, but peaks of activity occur in certain seasons.

This reptile is also called the yellow-bellied reptile. Their original names water turtle received exclusively for bright accents in coloring: there is a red spot on its head, and its abdomen is yellow.

There are 15 subspecies of these reptiles belonging to the American freshwater family.

The size of the animal depends on the subspecies and gender - from 18 to 30 cm, with males slightly smaller than females.

Its main habitat is America, but its presence is also noted in Europe (Spain and England), northern Africa, and Australia. For their life, they choose swampy areas with low banks, since this river turtle loves to get ashore and bask in the sun.

In Australia, the water turtle is considered a pest and its numbers are controlled.

The water turtle lays its eggs on land, where it digs out a spherical nest and places up to 20 eggs there. Reptiles of this species do not care about their offspring.

The water turtle feeds on insects, small fish, and worms. She chews her food with her head completely immersed in the water. If you have a water turtle living in your home, care and feeding should be consistent with its natural needs.

We have long found out how many years a turtle lives at home. If the maintenance and care are natural, it can easily live for half a century. In nature, this age is somewhat less.

One of the subspecies is the yellow-eared turtle. As the name suggests, its main decoration is the bright color of the shell and yellow spot in the area of ​​the auricle.

The yellow-eared turtle differs from its red-eared counterparts only in color. Their habitat, diet and reproduction are identical.

The yellow-eared turtle thrives at home. Maintenance and care do not require much time and do not cause much trouble for the owners.

Small in size (the maximum length of the shell is no more than 13.5 cm), the reptile has chosen the American continents.

Its dirty-brown shell has three longitudinal ridges, and light stripes are visible on its head.

It lives in small rivers with silted banks, where this river turtle hunts and lays eggs.

When the water temperature drops below 10 degrees, the reptile begins to dig a hole for hibernation. Unlike many species, muskies can sleep in groups. The period of sleep itself depends not on the season, but on the temperature: in the southern regions, where there is no low temperatures, this reptile is active throughout the year and does not hibernate.

If you have a musk turtle in your home, keeping it alone is not advisable. It is better to have several individuals at once. This will affect how many years the turtle lives at home.

The musk turtle is quite common in home aquariums; keeping, feeding and caring for it does not require much effort.

Where do turtles live? Habitat

Reptiles of this order live on almost all continents of the world. The only exceptions are Antarctica and desert areas, the climate of which is completely unsuitable for these animals. Any coast - be it the oceans or small rivers and lakes - can boast of its own view, or even more than one.

They find food almost everywhere: it can be insects, worms, small fish, crustaceans and vegetation. Its unpretentiousness in food makes the reptile able to survive in almost any place.

Even in reservoirs located in major cities, you can meet these animals. They go ashore to bask in the sun. During the breeding season, you can come across clutches of their eggs on deserted beaches.

A turtle is a reptile that has long settled in homes, becoming a favorite pet. Home care for this reptile is insignificant, so many people choose them for their home.

How many years a turtle lives at home, first of all, depends on the species, age of the animal that comes to you, and the conditions in which it will live. Comfortable, as close as possible to the conditions natural habitat existence and feeding will allow your pet to live long enough. If the turtle feels good in the house, and the maintenance and care are appropriate, then it can live up to 50 years.

Which turtle is best for a home?

Usually river reptiles become pets. A river turtle, once at home, adapts quite quickly. Its maintenance does not require an overly spacious aquarium, but it is very important to equip it correctly, creating a swimming area and dry land for your pet to go to when necessary.

  • water (red-eared and yellow-eared);
  • European (swamp);
  • Central Asian (steppe);
  • Far Eastern;
  • musk turtle.

Keeping sea turtles in home aquariums is very problematic. Even young individuals require special water, reminiscent of oceanic water. And for older adults, very spacious tanks are needed, since confined spaces the animal will not be able to be active enough, and this also determines how many years the turtle lives at home.

Before purchasing an animal, get to know useful information about him. Temperature, nutrition and care, activity and the ability to live alone or in pairs are very important for the reptile.

What does a turtle prefer to eat at home?

If you live pet turtle, nutrition, maintenance and care of her should resemble her natural lifestyle. Before adopting a pet, study what it eats in nature and during what periods it is active.

Young individuals, as a rule, consume 70 percent of live food (food worms, insects, small crustaceans). Growing up, they switch almost entirely to plant foods. Suitable for feeding:

  • vegetables and their tops (tomatoes, peppers, pumpkin, carrots, and occasionally cucumbers);
  • berries (strawberries, wild strawberries, watermelon);
  • fruits (plums, peaches, apples, bananas).

Do not overfeed the animal! If you see that there is food left after feeding, be sure to remove it and subsequently reduce the portions.

If you have a turtle at home, caring for it must necessarily include cleaning the aquarium. Be especially attentive to leftover food: stale food can lead to intestinal upset, which will affect how many years a turtle lives at home.

  • Representatives of this order of amphibians can boast that they have left their mark on the history of astronautics. Two individuals of the Central Asian tortoise species were the first among animals to fly around the Moon and return alive to Earth.
  • The meat of these animals is a delicacy. But some species are not recommended for consumption. This happens because this turtle sometimes eats poisonous mushrooms or jellyfish. They do not eat the meat of box turtles, leatherback turtles and hawksbill turtles.
  • Reptiles of this order can swim well and move on land. But the European tortoise can also be called a jumping tortoise. She can jump into the water from three-meter mountain ledges.
  • Turtles have their own long-lived lives. So in 2006 the most died old turtle Advaita, whose age, according to experts, was more than 150 years.
  • Many people wonder how long a turtle can live without food. In the natural environment, determining this time is quite difficult. But for pets, this is a maximum of 3 weeks, taking into account the fact that the animal is hibernating. In nature, the sleep period can last several months. It is believed that at this time the reptile does not eat at all.
  • During the period of courtship and mating, sea turtles stick their heads out of the water and make drawn-out sounds similar to howls.

Snake "population" North Caucasus quite varied. The region is home to both poisonous and harmless water and land snakes. You can meet them anywhere - from city lawns and ponds to mountain slopes. Major representatives order of squamates, of course, avoid life in populated areas, however, they may well live in fields along the highways. The character of local snakes, as serpentologists note, is quite phlegmatic - they will not rush at a person out of instinct or sudden aggression. But of course there is always a risk.

The most common snakes that live in the North Caucasus are in our selection.

Viperaceae

The viper family is the most numerous in the snake class of the North Caucasus. These snakes are poisonous, and even newborns have poison. The viper looks unremarkable: gray or brown color, pattern on the head, body length - up to 75 centimeters. Among vipers, serpentologists distinguish several main species.

The viper is real. The venom of this snake is considered the most toxic. When a viper bites, a person immediately feels a sharp pain, which intensifies when swelling appears at the site of the bite. After a couple of hours, inflammation of the blood vessels begins, and after a couple of days hemorrhagic blisters appear. If you do not contact a doctor, you can die from a real viper bite.

Discover poisonous snake possible in rotten stumps, animal burrows and even bushes. Any sudden movement, scientists believe, can be regarded by the snake as a provocation. Therefore, when meeting a viper, do not panic and do not make sudden movements.

Common viper. It can be recognized by its flat head, which differs in size from the thickness of the body. Most individuals have a zigzag pattern along the ridge. The bite of a common viper rarely leads to fatal outcome, however, is dangerous to humans. Medicine knows of cases where those bitten did not feel any symptoms at all, but more often snake “victims” experienced nausea, vomiting and dizziness, convulsions and even loss of consciousness.

The common viper loves cool temperatures and mountainous terrain, so the chance of finding it in populated areas of the Stavropol Territory is small.

Steppe viper. The snake is brown in color with a dark pattern on its head. This type of viper is known for its slowness - on land they do not move as fast as their brothers in the family. But in reservoirs steppe vipers They show themselves to be excellent swimmers, and can also climb onto the branches of bushes and trees. The steppe viper is especially common in Kalmykia.

Dinnik's viper. The species of viper, named after the Russian zoologist, is traditionally more elegantly colored than its relatives in the family: the gray-green back is dissected by a lemon-black pattern. But the bite of this viper differs little from those practiced by relatives - the danger is the same. A person will urgently need a doctor, but it is unlikely that a pet can be saved after such an attack.
Dinnik's viper is common in Stavropol and neighboring Krasnodar region. The landscape that is attractive to the adder is subalpine meadows or forests. This viper does not like heat, so the risk of encountering it in the open sun is minimized.

An inexperienced eye will not be able to determine how this reptile came to you: straight from an exotic location or from a swamp visible from the window of a house. You don’t have to reveal yourself to your family or friends and say that your pet is classified as exotic. In fact, caring for it will cost several times less than caring for its exotic counterpart, and besides, in appearance, river turtles differ little from sea turtles.

River turtles are different good appetite, so after eating they empty into water. In this regard, there is a need for daily water replacement. A cleaning system, if you have one, will not be enough because the turtle's feces will remain floating in the water. River turtles do not require filtered water - liquid at a temperature of 30-32 °C is quite suitable. It is also recommended to periodically clean the walls of the aquarium and pool, otherwise it will be difficult to get rid of the resulting deposits.

River or marsh turtles are completely unpretentious in food and care. This is explained by their consistently simple habitat. The turtle will survive in your home under any conditions if you pick it up and keep it. Having grown up on rivers and swamps, these turtles will not recognize any expensive food. Also, you do not need to arrange a home for them with lighting, a bathroom and toys. You have the right to choose the living conditions for your pet, but if you have a river turtle, know that you are lucky.

What do turtles eat in the wild?

Turtles seem harmless only at first glance. In nature, they manifest themselves as predators who easily cut up their prey. In addition to flesh, turtles, while in the water, can feed on algae and other marine plants. However, this is not enough for the healthy development of the turtle, so they find a source of protein every day. On land, these can be some insects - woodlice, millipedes, grasshoppers, caterpillars and locusts. Favorite delicacies are worms and insect larvae. From aquatic life turtles feed on small fish, tadpoles, crustaceans, and newts.

A turtle caught from a pond for keeping at home is unlikely to agree to other food, and for the owner of the reptile the main question remains of obtaining food for the turtle. If you can dig up a few worms in the summer, it will be completely impossible in the winter. It is important to know what a river turtle eats so that your pet continues to develop.

What do river turtles eat at home?

A person who has some experience in caring for turtles will certainly say that their nutrition at home directly depends on their species. If sea ​​turtles They eat vegetables, berries and fruits with pleasure; river fish only accept meat, and rarely plants. You should always have the following products in stock for your pet:

  1. River fish. Buy small, inexpensive fish that your pet can handle on his own. Adults can be given fish with small bones. It should be fresh or defrosted, but in no case boiled or fried.
  2. Meat (mostly beef, veal, turkey). The meat must be raw, without bones. Turtles living in rivers and swamps are accustomed to a hunting lifestyle. These are carnivores that are able to independently deal with a large piece of meat. You can offer your turtles beef liver once a week.
  3. Sea cocktail(squid, shrimp). Sea life are very nutritious for the turtle as they are an essential source of calcium. It is rare to find fresh shrimp and squid, so in order for them to be suitable for the turtle as food, they only need to be thawed.
  4. Dandelions, cabbage and lettuce leaves. Plants cannot be the tortoise's main food source, so it is recommended that they be given to the tortoise for variety.

Despite the fact that turtles are called river turtles, they prefer to spend most of their time not in water, but on land. It’s easy to notice from the turtle’s behavior when it’s full and wants to leave the water. For this case, it is necessary to provide a ledge above the pool, the so-called “bank” or a separate basin, where the turtle can not only crawl, but also eat. It is important that your pet leaves the water independently to get a snack, so it is necessary to provide a non-slip ledge.

If the turtle refuses to eat

The river turtle, like humans, has a character that affects its food intake. If you notice that your pet is still healthy and playful, then it is necessary to diversify the diet, at least for a short time, so that the turtle receives new useful substances with other food.

When sick, turtles become lethargic, appear tired, and ignore any offer of food. In this case, the question arises about the pet’s health status. People who don't have special education, it is not recommended to self-medicate; a herpetologist - a specialist in the study of amphibians - will be happy to examine the turtle and prescribe recommendations for care and nutrition.

A turtle's refusal to eat may be due to weakening general condition. If you notice that the shell and claws have become soft, this is the first alarm signal indicating a lack of calcium. Of course, the pet will not lose its shell, but it will easily injure it. A turtle caught in the nearest river or swamp, of course, has never eaten cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, beans before and is unlikely to want to try foods unfamiliar to it. But she will taste calcium-rich sardines, shrimp and greens with great pleasure. As a supplement, it is recommended to give vitamins in jars that contain all the other essential vitamins and minerals in addition to calcium.

Where can you find a river turtle?

The river turtle is not classified as exotic, so it is not always possible to buy it at a pet store. Even if it ended up there by luck, its value cannot be high, since a river turtle, without exaggeration, can be taken from the street. They do not accept fast and clean waters, therefore they prefer to live in stagnant rivers and swamps. Most often they can be found in the lower reaches of the Don, Volga, Dnieper, and Ural. River turtles love to bask in the sun, so they willingly look for a rock on which to climb out after a short stay in the water. Finding a turtle is not always easy as they hide under rocks and old tree branches. Their color, close to the color of the area in which they live, allows them to remain invisible to humans.