Determine whether the turtle is land or water. How to independently determine the sex of a red-eared turtle. The advantages of little turtles over other pets

Many animals live in glass containers: turtles, fish, lizards and crustaceans. Home terrariums usually contain a terrestrial species of turtles from which freshwater and land animals emerge.

Reptiles with swimming limbs with membranes. Most aquatic turtle species inhabit water bodies with little water movement. Mobile carnivorous reptiles, but there are also herbivorous species.

red-eared

The turtle is brown-green. Also called. It lives in shallow ponds in Mexico, South and Central America and Africa. The name was given because of the red spots in the area of ​​​​the ears, there are species with bright yellow spots. Rich green stripes are located on the head and paws. Juveniles are less intensely colored than mature ones. The carapace (upper part of the shell) of females is up to 30 cm, in males - up to 15 cm, there are claws. The diet of young individuals is dominated by animal food. Sedentary and non-conflict pets.

Trionix Chinese or Far Eastern

Turtles up to 20 cm in size with a soft leather shell. The nose is oblong in the form of a trunk. These three-toed inhabitants of Asian reservoirs are very mobile and aggressive. They can injure a person with sharp plates located on their jaws. To keep these predators and at home, they acquire a newborn individual. was included in the Red Book and banned for sale. Caught by smugglers and delivered to stores.

Caspian

Omnivorous turtles with a flat oval shell up to 30 cm in length. The color consists of alternating yellow and green stripes. Individuals love salt or fresh water with a temperature of 18–22 degrees and a large amount of vegetation near the reservoir. They are found in Southern Europe and Central Asia. In nature, climb high into the mountains. Live for 30 years. In this species of freshwater turtle, sexual differences are clearly visible: the tail of males is more powerful and longer, the carapace is concave.

Silt bighead

Aquarium turtles with a small shell up to 18 cm and a disproportionately large body. Having a harmless appearance, reptiles are able to injure with false teeth. They come from North and South America. They live in shallow streams and swamps with abundant vegetation. For keeping at home, a capacity of 60-100 liters is suitable. They eat animal food and dry food.

European marsh

Dark green turtles up to 35 cm. The body is covered with light spots. Large and long tail, webbed paws and sharp claws. Reptiles live near lakes and ponds. listed in the Red Book. Contained at an air temperature of about 30 degrees.

Types of small

According to the scientific classification, freshwater species are considered small turtles, the average size of which does not exceed 13 cm. A terrarium with a capacity of 100 liters is suitable for pets.

Three-keel

Small reptiles up to 13 cm. Color from reddish-brown to black, carapace with three keels. Unpretentious in care, an aquarium up to 100 liters is suitable. They inhabit the countries of South Asia, in the forests they lead a completely land-based lifestyle. Omnivorous, eating fruits and vegetables, not averse to eating fish. In some countries banned for home keeping.

Musk

Turtles are so named because of the musk glands under their shells. The length of the oval carapace is 7–13 cm. There are light blotches on the dark head and carapace. Young turtles are distinguished by three longitudinal ridges on the carapace, which disappear over the years. They feed on mollusks, insects, and small fish. Range: Canada to South America. In the natural environment, they are orderlies of the reservoir. Turtles swim well, the terrarium should have an island and a pond.

spotted

Amphibious pets up to 12 cm in length. Carapace black, without projections. Light yellow spots are evenly distributed on the shell, head and limbs. And also there are color variations with orange and reddish patches. They live at room temperature. For convenience, place shelters in a glass container, and aquatic plants in a pond. The turtle is diurnal. Type of food - insectivorous. Juveniles eat exclusively animal food. Plants are rarely eaten. In nature, they live in swampy and wet areas.

Pond Reeves

Turtle with a shell length of 13 cm. The carapace is painted in brown tones. There is an olive, gray-green and black body color, there are yellow stripes. Females are lighter than males, the tail is shorter. Temperature not lower than 22 degrees is allowed. Turtles are known to survive freezing temperatures.

Closing

Domestic turtles are endowed with a feature: in case of danger, the gap between the plastron and the carapace closes. The genus of closing consists of the following species:

1. reddish mud turtle;
2. silty red-cheeked;
3. silt yellowmouth;
4. musky ordinary;
5. musk keel.

flat

The carapace of these 9 cm turtles is slightly extended forward, has a slight bulge. Color from olive to brown depending on the breed. On the forelimbs there are scales and 4 or 5 fingers. The muzzle is oblong. Females are larger than males. Carnivorous species, eats fish, mice and shrimp.

Types of land

Central Asian

Popular pet species. At home, they grow up to 10-18 cm. Turtles have a light shell with dark shields, four-fingered limbs. Swimming is possible once a week. They do not like to be disturbed, they prefer peace and regularity. Provide the animals with 30 degree air and sandy soil in which they can dig.

Star or Indian

Beautiful pets with an unusual shell shape. The scutes are convex, slightly pointed with a catchy pattern in the form of stars. The shell is dark, the pattern is yellow. Turtles are medium in size, females reach 25 cm, males - 15 cm. The varieties that live in Sri Lanka and South India have 5-7 rays in color. Individuals from the north of India have 7–9 thin "star" rays. They eat plant foods.

mediterranean

The color and preferences in the content are different for subspecies. The color is monophonic or dark with yellow splashes. On the front paws of domestic turtles, 5 fingers each, hind limbs with spurs. On the back of the thigh there is a tubercle of horny tissue. Sizes up to 35 cm.

Egyptian

The size of the shell reaches 12 cm, females are smaller than males. Sand color with black spots. The content is whimsical, susceptible to disease. Herbivorous, in nature they feed on plants of the genus Artemisia. Calcium and D3 are added to the diet. The opportunity to determine the sex of this species is provided at 15 years. They are kept in groups of their own species in a spacious tank.

Balkan

The size of the shell is up to 20 cm. In appearance, it resembles a Mediterranean tortoise. The shell is light brown with a dark pattern. Over the years, the color fades to a yellowish-gray. The tail has a horny tip. They feed on peas, beans, clover and fruits. Supplement the diet with slugs and snails. Mobile pets are especially active in the warm season.

Conclusion

Some species of domestic turtles are small and relatively unpretentious. Even for such animals, you will need a spacious and long aquaterrarium, an ultraviolet lamp and a water filter. Approach the content of the domestic turtle responsibly, and then it will delight you with the opportunity to observe it for a long time.

How to distinguish a land tortoise from a water tortoise? and what to feed? and got the best answer

Answer from Afonyaboston panyukov[guru]
The terrestrial has scales on its front legs, they are more chtoli clubfoot. And their shell is often more convex.
This is an aquatic (red-eared turtle)

This is a land (Central Asian)

Feeding overland: Feeds every day. Cabbage is better not to get carried away, calcium washes out. Cucumbers and tomatoes also wash out calcium. From vegetables, you can give carrots, lettuce, peppers, beet, zucchini. Their fruits are apples, pears. Berries can be all edible to give. Very fond of dandelion leaves, hibiscus. I need some supplements, I give general vitamins and calcium. You can give citruses, bananas and all sorts of exotics, but turtles are often allergic to this. Instead of calcium, you can give a cuttlefish bone to gnaw (it is sold at any pet store). But this is if you are talking about land. If about water, then this is a fillet of sea fish. The same feed. In general, the maintenance of turtles is responsible, you need a terrarium or aquaterrarium, a heating lamp and an ultraviolet lamp.
Aquatic Feeding: Turtles are fed every day. The amount of food you need to develop yourself, depending on how much the turtle eats. Usually, for babies, the amount of food is 2-3 pieces of 1 cm3, for older adults - 2-3 pieces of 2-3 cm3. Food should be raw and at room temperature. Young turtles are PREDATORS, adults are omnivores (that is, in addition to animal food, they also eat vegetable food). The main food is FISH! It is best to sometimes give live small fish that can be immediately launched into the aquarium.
Types of food: FISH (low-fat and various types - hake, cod, gobies, thalassa, etc.), MEAT (beef liver, chicken heart, beef heart), INSECTS and CRUSTACEANS (daphnia crustaceans, gammarus, bloodworms, earthworms, crickets without tarsus, woodlice, legless locusts, beetles), OTHER (small freshwater snails, shrimp, squid, tadpoles, frogs), PLANT FOOD (lettuce, nettle, dandelion leaves, cabbage, duckweed and other aquatic plants, as well as carrot, apple slices , cucumbers).
The turtle should receive vitamins and minerals. For these purposes, either calcium-containing supplements and vitamins (Wardley and other companies) are added to the feed, or they are given a complete and varied feed. It is also advisable to put a mineral neutralizing block for turtles in the aquarium.

Answer from Alexander Tikhonov[guru]
easy merman walks in a spacesuit

Answer from VladislavChurikov[newbie]
sea ​​turtles have fins and land turtles have legs

Answer from Lyudmila Sazanovich[newbie]
by breed)

Answer from Anastasia[guru]
Take a photo, it's hard to tell without a photo. Land animals are herbivores. Aquatic - predators.

Answer from Maria[guru]
About

Answer from Ѐustam Raskildin[newbie]

The most popular domestic reptiles in our country are turtles. Many owners of such animals believe that keeping turtles is less burdensome than, for example, lizards or iguanas. This is the main reason for buying such a pet for children or simply as a beautiful live "toy" to satisfy the aesthetic taste. However, the unpretentiousness of turtles is a myth, and when starting such a pet, it is important to know everything about the features of his life.

Turtles are certainly beautiful and interesting in their behavior animals of the order of reptiles. The main feature that distinguishes this type of reptile from other animals is the presence of a shell. This strong and "practical" armor consists of a lower part - a plastron and an upper part - a carapace. The shape, size, number of scutes, and shell pattern are important species features of turtles.

It was the shell, despite its severity, that helped this reptile survive for a long 175 million years. All modern tortoises have retained a shell, although its shape and color differs in different species and depends on the habitat and mode of existence of the animal. For example, in sea turtles, a significant part of the shell is missing, thanks to which these animals have learned to move quickly. Softshell turtles have a round, frying pan-like shell that allows them to easily burrow into the mud.

Over the many millennia of existence, these beautiful animals have not changed much, but the number of some species has reached a critical point in recent centuries. That is why it is important not only to carefully monitor the health of your pet, regularly showing it to a veterinary herpetologist, but also to pay serious attention to keeping the turtle, its diet, maintaining the temperature in the terrarium, and bathing. You can’t start a turtle without first preparing a specially designated place for it and without studying all the features of turtle life.

The most common "domestic" reptiles are land and freshwater turtles. When starting such animals, you need to know that most land animals are herbivorous, and freshwater animals are predators and omnivores. Therefore, the former should not receive animal proteins (meat, eggs, cottage cheese, etc.) for food. Their diet should consist of vegetables, fruits, berries, dandelion grass, clover, plantain. Conversely, the freshwater diet should consist primarily of "food of animal origin" snails, fish, squid, bloodworm shrimp, etc. For freshwater turtles, unlike land turtles, the industry produces a number of good dry foods (Sera, Tetra, etc.)

freshwater turtles

The habitat of freshwater turtles are reservoirs, rivers, lakes and swamps. Such animals spend more time in the water, only occasionally getting out on land to bask in the sun. The most popular species of turtles as pets are: Red-eared turtle (Trachemys scripta); European marsh turtle (Emys orbicularis); Chinese trionyx or Far Eastern tortoise (Pelodiscus sinensis). When purchasing such reptiles, you need to know their features and differences from each other.

Red-eared turtle (Trachemys scripta)

The red-eared turtle is most often found in aquatic terrariums. This is a very beautiful reptile with bright red, yellow and orange spots that are located on both sides of the head, resembling ears, for which the turtle deserves its name. Young individuals up to six months have the brightest coloration than older relatives. The upper part of their shell has a color from yellow-light green to emerald green. Over the years, it becomes olive or yellow-brown. In addition, there are patterns of bright yellow stripes and green circles on the shell.

This is a rather mobile turtle, not only in water, but also on land. In addition, this beauty has very strong and sharp nails, which she often uses for self-defense. When taking a turtle out of the terrarium, it is worth being wary of its hind legs, with which it will try to push off from the hands. And in general, you should not bring it to the face and open areas of the body.

European marsh turtle (Emys orbicularis)

This is an aquatic turtle that prefers shallow water. She swims well, quickly moving her paws, and hides at the bottom, under stones, burrowing into the silt. Like most aquatic turtles, the European marsh turtle is a predator.

This turtle has an oval, smooth, dark olive-colored shell covered with yellow stripes and spots. The head, legs and neck are also dotted with large dots of yellow color, the shell is colored, as a rule, in dark brown, less often in yellow. The turtle has a long tail, which is about half the length of the shell, it serves as an additional "steering wheel" when swimming, the hind limbs serve as the main tool for this, and the fingers have rather long and sharp claws.

This turtle is an excellent swimmer and diver, and can stay under water for a long time. However, every 15-20 minutes, she needs to surface to stock up on air. On land, European marsh turtles are not as active, but they still move faster than land turtles. On land, they bask in the light for a long time, but at the slightest danger they hide in the water.

Chinese trionics or Far Eastern tortoise (Pelodiscus sinensis)

This turtle has a greenish-brown shell with a glossy surface. In growth, it reaches 25-30 cm, on top it is covered with soft skin without horny shields. In young individuals, the “back” is covered with tubercles, which gradually disappear with age, and the shell takes on an almost flat appearance. The neck of Trionix is ​​very mobile and long, and the muzzle is elongated into a proboscis, at the end of which there are clearly visible nostrils. The powerful jaws of this predator have sharp cutting edges with which the turtle can cause serious injuries, which makes it quite dangerous. Wounds after such "bites" do not heal well, so this pet must be very careful in handling. In addition, sharp claws are located on the three toes of the paws, which also pose a threat. An unusual feature of Trionix is ​​additional skin respiration, along with pulmonary respiration.

According to amateurs, the Chinese Trionics is a very suitable candidate for keeping in a terrarium, since the ratio of water to land should be equal to 5: 1, and it is very convenient to observe the behavior of the turtle. However, it must be kept separately, since Trionyx can pose a threat not only to its owners, but also to other soft-bodied turtles.

Land turtles

Land turtles live in steppes, forests and deserts. At a sufficiently high temperature, these animals move actively, since the processes in their body occur normally, and closer to winter they fall into suspended animation, that is, hibernation.

Such turtles feed on plant foods - any edible fruits and berries, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots (grated or thinly sliced), lettuce, dandelions, clover, some cruciferous plants (leaves, flowers), young leaves of trees, but sometimes they also eat insects - earthworms, snails. Outwardly, land turtles are all similar, their differences are in color, shell shape, number and type of scutes and claws. The most popular as pets are:

Central Asian or steppe tortoises (Agronemys horsfieldii), Mediterranean tortoises (Testudo graeca), Balkan tortoise (Testudo hermanni), Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleimanni).

Central Asian (steppe) tortoise (Agronemys horsfieldii)

As a pet, this is the most accessible animal of all reptiles, it can most often be found in terrariums. The size of such a turtle reaches 18-30 cm, its shell is relatively wide and round, colored with gray and green-yellow hues, the tail is thin and bony, in males it is much longer than in females. On the forelimbs of such animals there are four fingers, and the fingers of the hind legs are fused. Such turtles are quite slow and very hardy to adverse environmental conditions, which probably makes them the most popular.

Central Asian turtles rarely drink water, because in nature they have practically no access to it. With an excess of moisture, they urinate, but in the absence of it, they can do without excreting urine. At the same time, a humid environment can provoke the development of pathogenic bacteria in such animals, so it is enough to bathe such a turtle sometimes. Central Asians love to dig holes, so it is best for them to lay soil of large pebbles with a layer of at least 6-7 cm. These turtles also have big “claims” for light and ultraviolet radiation, which must be taken into account when creating a place for them to live.

Mediterranean (Greek, Caucasian) tortoise (Testudo graeca)

The shell of such a turtle is convex and high, it has a round-oval shape, usually slightly serrated along the edges. It can reach 30 cm in size. The carapace has dark spots on a light olive or yellowish-brown background, which increase with age. Sometimes the spots merge, and the whole turtle acquires a dark, almost black color. On the back side of the shell there is one horny tubercle. On the front paws of such turtles, there are five fingers with claws. The tail is short and blunt. The head is covered on top with large symmetrical shields. An interesting difference between these turtles are the "spurs" on the back of the thighs.

Mediterranean turtles live in dry steppes, semi-deserts and mountain slopes covered with shrubs, this must be taken into account and added to the "interior" of the terrarium, for example, sprouted cereals, which are also eaten with pleasure by such a turtle. This animal is less "burrowing" compared to the Central Asian, so the layer of soil can be thinner, about 4-5 cm. Such turtles are active only in the morning and evening, at night and in the middle of the day they hide and even burrow.

Balkan tortoise (Testudo hermanni)

There are two subspecies - western and eastern, they differ in size, the eastern Balkan tortoise is much larger. The main difference between these animals and their relatives is the conical spike at the tip of the tail, which is also slightly longer than that of other turtles. The high shell of such reptiles is usually 14-16 cm, but in rare cases it reaches 20 cm. In young representatives of this breed, the upper part of the shell is colored brownish-yellow, in adults it darkens, and only a bright yellow border remains along the edge. Adult males are smaller than females, but their tails are longer and thicker.

In nature, the Balkan tortoise lives in dry steppes and shrubs, which should be taken into account when creating conditions for it to live in captivity. A very important factor for a comfortable existence is the humidity of the air and soil in the terrarium; it is impossible to allow the soil to be moistened with spilled drinking water. Such turtles are very active, in spring, summer and autumn, in the mornings and evenings, they move around their territory in search of a stranger. Balkan tortoises tend to live together, they even climb on top of each other, forming a pyramid, while the males like to "show things off" by entering into a fight.

Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleimanni)

The Egyptian or Kleimann's tortoise is the smallest of all land tortoises. Its size is a maximum of 14 cm, while the length of the shell itself is 9-10 cm long. Males are slightly smaller than females. The carapace is very convex yellow-green in color with a black stripe along the edges of the segments. There are black spots on the abdominal shields, such turtles have five toes with claws on their front paws.

The Egyptian tortoise is also original in its way of life. Unlike most turtles, it is active in winter and hibernates in summer. This is due to the fact that in the summer in the homeland of Egyptian turtles there is intense heat, which they do not tolerate well. These animals prefer a diurnal lifestyle, they can be kept in several pieces in a terrarium. These reptiles live on average up to 30 years.

Turtles are very ancient creatures. To some extent, they are descendants of certain types of dinosaurs.

There are a huge number of turtles. They are divided into species, subspecies, orders, suborders. Many have already died out, and some are on the verge of extinction. Some turtles can be kept in the house, and some are simply not designed for this.

Today we will try to understand all the diversity and types of turtles.

There are a huge variety of turtle species. In total, there are more than 328 species that are included in 14 families.

The turtle squad consists of two suborders, divided by the way the animal puts its head into its shell:

1. Hidden neck turtles that fold their necks in the shape of the Latin letter "S"
2. Side-necked turtles hiding their heads towards one of their front paws

This is the simplest division. I will not give here the official division into all types and subspecies. To do this, you can read Wikipedia. The purpose of this article is not to confuse you, but to give the most convenient and simple classification. Therefore, we will separate turtles by habitat.

According to the habitat of turtles, there is the following classification:

• Sea turtles (live in the seas and oceans)
• Land turtles (live on land or in fresh water)

In turn, terrestrial turtles last for:

• Land turtles
• Freshwater turtles

Sea turtle species

Sea turtles are inhabitants of salt waters. Unlike their terrestrial relatives, they are distinguished by their large size. They live in warm tropical waters, practically not visiting cold latitudes.

Sea turtles have changed little in the millions of years since they appeared on the planet. They are characterized by developed forelimbs used as flippers, and almost no hind legs involved in the movement. Similarly, in sea turtles, the limbs cannot retract into the shell. Moreover, in some species, such as, for example, the leatherback turtle, there is no shell at all.

Despite the common belief that turtles are slow animals, this only happens on land, where they really look clumsy. However, in the water they are transformed, becoming examples of speed and superior navigational qualities. Even in Fiji (a state in the Pacific Ocean), the sea turtle is a symbol of the maritime department. This is no accident - nature really rewarded these animals with qualities that allowed them to become excellent swimmers.

In addition, scientists have not fully figured out why, but turtles have amazing navigational abilities:

• First, they accurately determine the place of their birth, and return there to continue their offspring. And even after many years they remember the place of their birth.
• Secondly, sea turtles make grand migrations, presumably guided by the Earth's magnetic field, which does not allow them to get lost.
• And thirdly, some sea turtles, such as the Ridley turtle, gather to lay their eggs in the sand only one day a year. Scientists suggest that only those individuals who were born in this particular place and who were lucky enough to survive gather on the beach. The locals call this day the "invasion" when thousands of turtles come out of the water. This behavior suggests the idea of ​​a collective consciousness of turtles.

When the turtle lays its eggs, it very carefully buries the masonry with sand, compacts it, and makes it invisible. Looking at such care for the eggs, it is hard to imagine that the turtle mother does not experience any maternal feelings, and having done her job returns to the ocean, without waiting for the eggs to hatch.

A hatchling turtle will likely live less than 10 minutes. Having got out of the sand, she rushes to the water, on the way to which a huge number of enemies, primarily birds of prey, are waiting for her. But, even reaching the water, most of them will be eaten by marine predators. Only one in a hundred turtles born will grow to adulthood and return to this beach to continue their lineage.

Source: inokean.ru

The most famous representatives of sea turtles:

• Leatherback turtle
• Green (soup sea turtle)
• Big-headed sea turtle (false carriage) or loggerhead
• Sea turtle hawksbill (true carriage)
• Ridley (olive turtle)

Types of terrestrial turtles

Land turtles make up the largest group in terms of the number of species included in it. This includes the family of terrestrial tortoises, which has 37 species, as well as the two largest families of freshwater tortoises (85 species).

Terrestrial turtles also include many families, including 1-2 species each.

Distributed throughout the hot and temperate zone (except Australia). Marsh turtles live in the steppe zone of Russia and the Caucasus.
Includes 5–7 species inhabiting the Mediterranean, the Balkan Peninsula, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Central Asia.

Land turtles are herbivores. This is one of the few examples of a plant-only diet among turtles. They feed on green grass and vegetation, with which they receive the necessary portion of water. In the habitats of many species, food and water are available only for short periods.

In such places, turtles spend most of their lives hibernating. Thanks to this slow metabolism, the life expectancy of turtles is very long, up to 100 - 150 years.

The most famous representatives of land turtles:

• Galapagos elephant tortoise
• Stretch turtle
• steppe turtle
• elephant turtle
• wood turtle

Types of land turtles

Terrestrial, as well as freshwater turtles, belong to the species of terrestrial turtles.

Let's start with the land turtles - a family of turtles with 11-13 genera, including about forty species.

Terrestrial animals with a high, rarely flattened, shell, with thick columnar legs. The toes are fused together and only the short nails remain free. The head and legs are covered with scutes and scales.

Among land turtles, there are both small species, about 12 cm long, and giant ones, up to a meter or more in length. Giant species live only on a few islands (Galapagos, Seychelles, etc.). Specimens are known that have reached about 400 kg of live weight in captivity.

Compared to freshwater turtles, land turtles are very slow and clumsy, so in case of danger they do not try to escape, but hide in their shells. Another method of defense used by many land tortoises is the rapid emptying of a very capacious bladder. The Central Asian tortoise, in danger, hisses like a gyurza.

They are distinguished by phenomenal vitality and longevity. Life expectancy in different species ranges from 50 to 100 years, sometimes up to 150.

Land tortoises are primarily herbivorous, but their diet must include a certain amount of food of animal origin. They can do without water and food for a very long time, and in the presence of lush vegetation they do not need water at all, but they willingly drink it, especially in the heat.

The most popular are the Central Asian and Mediterranean turtles. It is better to take a young turtle. This is easy to determine by the size of the shell (it is small) and behavior (reaction, young turtles are better).

Source: so-sha.narod.ru

The most famous representatives of land turtles:

• panther tortoise
• yellow-legged tortoise
• yellow-headed tortoise
• red-footed tortoise
• radiant turtle
• Steppe (Central Asian) tortoise
• Mediterranean (Caucasian, Greek)

Types of freshwater turtles

Freshwater turtles are the largest family of turtles, including 31 genera and 85 species. These are small and medium-sized animals, the shell of which in most cases is low, has a round-oval streamlined shape.

Their limbs are usually swimming, have more or less developed membranes and are armed with sharp claws. The head is covered with smooth skin on top, only sometimes there are small shields on the back of the head. Many species have a very bright, beautiful coloration of the head and legs, and often the shell.

The family is unusually widespread - in Asia, Europe, North Africa, North and South America. There are two main nodes in their geography. The main, most ancient center lies in Southeast Asia, where more than 20 genera are concentrated; the second center apparently developed later in the east of North America, where 8 genera of freshwater turtles are found.

Most species are aquatic inhabitants inhabiting water bodies with a weak current. They deftly move both in water and on land, they feed on a variety of animal and plant foods. Only a few species moved to living on land for the second time, which affected their appearance and behavior. Although carnivorous is characteristic of aquatic turtles, however, some species are strict vegetarians.

Just like land animals, they should be kept in terrariums, but only in special ones. You need a heated lamp, a “bank” where the turtle should go out to warm up, and proper water.

Trionics is a member of the family, soft-bodied turtles.

Inhabits the Amur basin within Russia (which is the extreme northern limit of its range) almost from the mouth and south to the western part of Primorye, Eastern China, North Korea, Japan, as well as the Hainan Islands, Taiwan. Introduced to Hawaii.

Lives in fresh water. Most active at dusk and at night. During the day it often warms up on the shore. In case of danger, it instantly hides in the water, digging into the bottom silt. It feeds on fish, amphibians, insects, molluscs and worms.

Also, red-eared turtles are very popular. Representatives of the genus can be found south of North America, South and Central Europe, South Africa, Southeast Asia.

The turtle got its name from two elongated bright red spots behind the eyes. This patch can be bright yellow in the Cumberland tortoise or yellow in the Yellow-bellied tortoise. The plastron is oval, usually dark in color with yellow lines and a yellow border around the edge.

The most famous representatives of freshwater turtles:

• Side-necked turtle

Unofficial division of turtles

These divisions are not included in the official ones, however, I believe that it is worth dividing them also according to these criteria to make it easier for you to choose.

Types of domestic turtles

Here again, for convenience, we divide into land and freshwater turtles.

Land turtles

The most common type of turtle. Those turtles that we used to see with our friends, acquaintances, relatives. Moves slowly, and a little awkwardly, waddling.

By the way, it is officially listed in the Red Book and prohibited for sale. But, as we can see, most pet stores bypass this ban.

In nature, it lives in the southern, warm regions, in agricultural and desert massifs of Central Asia. The size is medium, the shell is 20-30 centimeters long, yellow-brown in color with dark zones on the shields. There are four fingers on the limbs.

The most comfortable temperature for keeping in a terrarium is 24-30 degrees. However, being in a closed space adversely affects the health and psychological state of the animal, and it dies early. No wonder the Central Asian tortoise was placed in the Red Book!

This breed has about 20 subspecies that live in various landscapes and climatic zones. Basically, these are North Africa, southern Europe and Southwestern Asia, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, Dagestan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan.

Accordingly, he loves heat and sunlight. Depending on the subspecies, it has different sizes and color of the shell. The size of the shell reaches up to 35 centimeters. Color - brown-yellow with dark patches. On the back of the thighs is a horny tubercle. There are 5 toes on the front paws, and spurs on the hind paws. A comfortable temperature for keeping in an aquarium is 25-30 degrees.

Outwardly similar to Mediterranean tortoises, but much smaller. The size of the shell is 15-20 centimeters (according to some sources - 30 centimeters). The color of the shell is yellow-brown with black spots. At a young age - bright, fades over the years.

A characteristic feature of this species is a conical spike at the end of the tail. Individuals living in the west are smaller than individuals living in the east.

In general, this species lives in Southern Europe, along the Mediterranean coast: northeastern Spain, the European part of Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, the Balearic Islands, Corsica, the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian coasts of Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, and also the Greek islands. A comfortable temperature for keeping in a terrarium is 26-32 degrees.

These turtles are very small. The size of their shell is only about 12 centimeters. Yellow shade, shields with a dark border. There are no spurs on the hind legs.

The habitat is the Mediterranean coast of Israel, Egypt, Libya. If you decide to have such a turtle, then remember that the temperature in the terrarium should be about 24-30 degrees. A characteristic feature of the behavior of the Egyptian tortoise is that, like an ostrich, it quickly burrows into the sand when danger approaches.

Freshwater house turtles

The most common species of freshwater turtles that can be found in terrariums and aquariums of urban residents. It includes approximately 15 subspecies and belongs to the genus of decorated (lined, scribbled) turtles. They call it so for the main distinguishing feature - a red spot near the ears (in some subspecies it is yellow).

The shell is 18-30 centimeters long. In youth, it has a bright green color of the shell, which darkens with age. On the head and limbs there are stripes of bright green color. Males differ from females in a larger and more massive tail and nail plate.

In nature, they live in the USA (Virginia, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico), in Mexico and the countries of Central America and the Caribbean, in South America (Colombia, Venezuela).

Can also be found in Australia, South Africa, Arizona, Guadeloupe, Israel, Spain, Great Britain. Lives in lakes and ponds with marshy shores. Leads a sedentary and lazy lifestyle. For a comfortable stay in your terrarium, keep the water temperature 22-28 degrees, air - 30-32 degrees.

There are 13 subspecies of the European bog turtle. Their shell carapace is low, convex, and smooth. In length they reach up to 35 centimeters and weigh up to one and a half kilograms.

The carapace is dark green or dark olive in color, the plastron is light. Small spots on the head, neck, shell and paws (yellow specks). On the paws, the claws are quite large, and between the fingers there are membranes. In adult turtles, the length of the tail is up to ¾ of the size of the shell, and in small turtles even more!

You can meet the European marsh turtle on the territory of Russia (Crimea, Yaroslavl region, Smolensk, Bryansk, Tula, Orel, Belgorod, Lipetsk, Voronezh, Samara, Saratov regions, the upper Don, the Republic of Mari El, Trans-Urals, central and southern regions), Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine, Central and Southern Europe, the Caucasus, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Asia, Turkey, northern Iran and northwest Africa.

In its natural habitat, it prefers ponds and lakes with a muddy bottom. Activity occurs during the daytime. The water temperature in the terrarium is 22-25 degrees, the air temperature is 30. The species is listed in the Red Book.

Reaches a total length of up to 30 centimeters (of which 25 centimeters is the shell). The shell is flat, oval, brown-green in color with yellow stripes. There are also stripes on the paws and on the head. You can distinguish a male from a female by the tail (in females it is shorter and thinner), and by the concave carapace of the male.

Caspian tortoises live in southern Europe (Montenegro, Croatia, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus), Western Asia, in the north-west of the Arabian Peninsula (Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia), in the Caucasus, in Turkmenistan, Iran, Iraq.

In nature, it settles in reservoirs, both with fresh and brackish water, near which there is coastal vegetation. And these turtles can climb mountains up to 1800 meters above sea level and live up to 30 years! In captivity, the air temperature in the terrarium is 30-32 degrees, water - 18-22 degrees.

Chinese trionics (Far Eastern tortoise). Every rule has exceptions. Chinese trionics is proof of this. We are all used to seeing turtles with a classic hard shell. In Chinese Trionics, it is soft.

The size of the shell reaches 20 centimeters, it is soft, leathery, without any shields. Green color. But this is not all that can surprise an unprepared person in this unique representative of the order of turtles.

They have three toes on their paws. On the muzzle instead of a nose is a proboscis. And passing by some reservoir somewhere in China and seeing how such a proboscis sticks out of the water, you know that this is a Trionics turtle leaning out to get a fresh portion of oxygen.

Despite all their vulnerability and grace, the jaws of the Chinese Trionyx have sharp cutting edges with which they grab their prey.

The piggy bank of the amazing qualities of this turtle can also include the speed of movement and reaction. This is not a classic turtle for you, barely moving around the house.

It is dangerous for humans because of its nature: Trionyx turtles are quite aggressive, bite painfully and are rarely tamed. Is that only from an early age not to grow in captivity. You can meet Trionix in China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, the islands of Hainan and Taiwan, the Russian Far East, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Hawaiian and Mariana Islands, Micronesia.

They prefer to live in rivers with a weak current, lakes and canals. In eastern countries - China, Japan, Korea, it is very much appreciated for its meat, and is served at the table as a delicacy. In captivity, the water temperature in the terrarium should reach 26 degrees, air - 30-32.

Source: www.gerbils.ru

Types of aquarium turtles

You can look at aquarium turtles in a photo or in their natural form in a store, and choose a pet based on your aesthetic preferences. There are no big differences in the content of different breeds of such amphibians.

Types of aquarium turtles that are most often found in aquaterrariums:

• swamp turtle
• long-necked turtle
• Silt musk turtle

The last one is the smallest. An adult reaches only 10 centimeters. Accordingly, she will need a relatively smaller dwelling. The rest grow at home 2-3 times larger. All these amphibians have good eyesight, react to movement, distinguish smells and tastes. At the same time, turtles are deaf, their ears are tightened with skin folds.

Keeping turtles in aquariums

When thinking about how to care for aquarium turtles, it should be noted that they need both water and land for a full life. Well, it’s not for nothing that biologists called them amphibians! The minimum dimensions of the aquaterrarium must be 160 centimeters long, 60 centimeters wide and 80 centimeters high. For a musk turtle, these dimensions can be halved.

Caring for an aquarium turtle will require the arrangement of three zones: a reservoir, land and “shallow water”. Land should occupy up to a third of the area of ​​​​aquaterrarium. Cute amphibians get out on it to bask. The shallow water zone (depth 3-4 centimeters) may be quite small, but it is definitely needed. Turtles use it for thermoregulation.

Source: aquarym.com

Types of small turtles

The little turtle will be an ideal pet for those who have little time.

Little turtles are very popular exotic pets. All over the world, millions of people choose these cute, funny animals that do not require complex care and maintenance as pets.

The advantages of little turtles over other pets

A small turtle is ideal for small city apartments and spacious private houses. Small, unhurried, requiring almost no care and very unusual in appearance, the turtles will become true friends of both restless children and calm elderly people.

If you don’t have the time and desire to walk your dog three times a day in any weather, comb your cat every week, or spend the whole day cleaning the aquarium with fish every month, buying a turtle will be an ideal option.

For small turtles, a hundred-liter aquarium or a terrarium prepared with your own hands from a large box or an old terrarium suitcase (if the turtle is an amphibian) is quite enough.

What turtles are small

Small turtles include species of turtles that do not grow more than 12-13 cm in length. Turtles with a body length exceeding 13-15 cm are considered large and require more complex care and conditions. There are several types of small turtles.

Flat-bodied (flat) turtles. The body length of representatives of this species varies between 6-8.5 cm, weight reaches 100-170 g. Such miniature sizes allow the turtle to feel comfortable in a small aquarium, and the fact that these turtles feed mainly on small succulents (plants containing lots of moisture), making them very easy to care for.

Closing turtles. Closing turtles live in their natural environment in parts of Africa, as well as in Mexico and the United States. There are four subspecies of closing turtles. The yellow turtle and the Sonoran turtle usually grow to 7.5-13 cm.

musk turtles. Another type of small turtles that can be kept at home. Adults reach a maximum length of 15 cm. The musk turtle genus has four species. The keeled musk turtle reaches 7.5-15 cm in length. The common musk turtle and the little musk turtle grow up to 7.5-12.5 cm. Sternotherus depressus is 7.5-11 cm long.

spotted turtles. This is a semi-aquatic species of turtles, reaching 7.5-13 cm in length. Since this turtle is a semi-land animal, in addition to a small water aquarium, a dry aquarium or terrarium is perfect for it.

Chinese three-keeled turtles. The average body length of this species of turtle is 13 cm. The three-keel turtle is a great choice for first-time turtle buyers, as it is a very calm and unpretentious animal.

Small turtles do not require large expenses for their maintenance, do not need any special care and do not take up much space in the apartment - a small 100-150-liter aquarium will be enough for them.

Despite the huge popularity of these small exotic animals in the ranking of pets, in some countries it is illegal to keep them in captivity.

Based on materials: vitaportal.ru

endangered turtle species

At the moment, there are several species of turtles that have either become extinct or are on the verge of extinction.

Galapagos tortoise or elephant tortoise. By the beginning of the 20th century, more than 200,000 Galapagos tortoises had been killed. Almost all natural habitats of elephant turtles were also destroyed.

This is due to the fact that agriculture began to develop actively and places were needed for raising livestock. Many species of livestock were also brought in, which competed in nutrition with turtles.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, many efforts have been made to restore the population of elephant tortoises. Captive-bred baby turtles have been released in their natural habitat. To date, the number of such turtles is more than 20,000 individuals.

Leatherback turtle. About 30 years ago, there were more than 117 thousand females of such turtles. Now their number has dwindled to about 25,000.
This is due to the fact that leatherback turtles feed on jellyfish and dive after them to a very great depth. In their natural habitats, water bodies are heavily littered and turtles very often swallow various garbage and die from this.

swamp turtle. The only representative of turtles in Belarus. Females are distinguished by larger body sizes and a relatively thinner tail at the base.

Protected in many European countries. The species is listed in the Red Books of Belarus and many other CIS countries.

The decline in the number of turtles in Belarus is associated with the transformation and reduction in the area of ​​natural habitats, which followed changes in natural landscapes and the drainage of wetlands.

Far Eastern tortoise. In most of its habitat, the Far Eastern tortoise is a common species. But in Russia, it is a rare species, the number of which in this part of the range is rapidly declining.

This is due to the fact that the Far Eastern tortoise is one of the main edible species of turtles. Therefore, many poachers catch, kill and sell them. The locals also destroy the nests and take away the eggs of the Far Eastern turtles.

poisonous turtles

Along with domestic turtles, there are some species that can cause irreparable harm to your health.

Leatherback turtle. The leatherback turtle is the largest of all turtles, sometimes reaching over 2.5 meters in length. These omnivorous 900 kg animals are possibly the widest vertebrates on Earth, however their population is decreasing every year due to industrial development, pollution and their capture due to bycatch.

These turtles are usually quite gentle giants, however, if disturbed, they can bite, and their bite can break bones, as they are very strong and powerful. In one strange case, a huge leatherback turtle, most likely weighing over 680 kilograms, directed its aggression towards a small boat and went to ram it. Shortly before this, a shark was chasing the turtle, so it considered the boat a potential threat.

Fringed turtle (mata-mata). The Amazon of South America is famous for its incredible and sometimes creepy creatures. In the same river with piranhas and river dolphins lives a bizarre fringed turtle.

What happens when a human steps on a fringed turtle is unknown, but this strange river reptile has an elongated, snake-like neck and a strange mouth that contains two sharp plates that resemble human teeth fused together. This extraordinarily creepy unique carnivore's lunch menu includes waterbirds, fish, and other reptiles.

We can only imagine what will happen to a person who reaches out from a boat to touch a strange mound that can be seen from the water ...

big-headed turtle. The big-headed tortoise is a bizarre looking creature with a long, serpentine tail that is nearly as long as its body. This tortoise is endemic to Southeast Asia where it preys on a variety of prey in the rivers.

The large head does not retract into the shell, and is equipped with very powerful jaws. If the turtle feels threatened, it will not hesitate to use its beak to crush bones, so it's best to keep your distance from them. Incredibly, this creature, which lives in Asia, is able to climb trees, where it can perch like a bird. Unfortunately, this amazing creature is under the threat of extinction due to poaching, which must be constantly combated.

Softshell turtles. Looking like flattened human-reptilian hybrids from alien horror movies, soft-bodied turtles make up for their lack of shell with a very strong bite. Among the many species of softshell turtles from around the world, the most feared is Cantor's large softshell turtle, endemic to China.

She hides in the sand, waiting for the prey, and then jumps out and bites the prey with sharp teeth. The sheer size of the turtle and the force of its bite can lead to horrific injuries. However, this species is unfortunately currently endangered. However, more common species of soft-bodied turtles such as the Angry Trionyx can be found all over the world and are quite capable of biting the unwary fisherman.

Source: bugaga.ru

I hope today you have received a complete description of what types of turtles are. We figured out all their diversity and have already outlined a pet for the future. Well, I say goodbye to you.

Kawabanga friends!

To get offspring in a turtle, sex determination is especially important. But since these animals do not have a pronounced sexual characteristic, it is difficult to unequivocally say where is the “boy” and where is the “girl”. Therefore, being the owner of such an exotic animal and wondering how to distinguish the sex of a turtle, you will have to be especially observant, paying attention to the study of the distinctive external characteristics of your pet and the characteristics of its behavior in a group of relatives.

How to distinguish the sex of a turtle: general nuances

No matter how eager you are to find out its gender when purchasing this exotic pet, it is almost impossible to do this, unless you are offered an adult. Usually, in most species of turtles, distinctive features that allow you to recognize the sex appear by the time they reach puberty. If there is only one turtle in your house, then you will have to focus on the standard differences in appearance inherent in these animals. If you have several of them or have the opportunity to compare your pet with similar pets of your friends, then the most accurate answer to what gender your turtles are can be given by a comparative analysis of the behavior of these animals.

How to distinguish the sex of a turtle by external signs

To find out the sex of a turtle, you should pay attention to the following features of the anatomical structure of these animals.

Carapace and plastron

The carapace of males is more elongated, elongated in comparison with the carapace of females. The ventral side of the tortoise shell (plastron) is one of the most characteristic signs by which you can quickly and easily find out the sex of the animal. One has only to turn the turtle over - and there will be noticeable differences: the back of the plastron in the male is slightly concave, while in the female it is flat, which ensures the convenience of mating these animals. True, this applies only to sexually mature individuals, whose shell length reaches 11 cm. In most species of turtles, males are usually smaller than females.

Tail, cloaca and claws

Nature has endowed male turtles with tails that are longer and wider at the base than females. An additional definition will be the shape of the tail. In males, the tail is usually bent towards the ground, while in females it is very short and straight.

In the female turtle, the anus is located closer to the upper part of the shell and the tip of the tail and has the shape of an asterisk, while in males it is in the form of an oblong line. Another distinguishing feature of these animals is the claws. In males, on the front legs, as a rule, they are much longer than in females (with the exception of panther tortoises, which are the opposite). In male box turtles, the claws are thickened on the front paws and curved down on the hind paws.

Head

Male carolinian box turtles have red irises, while bog turtles in females have yellowish and dark brown eyes in males, which in this type can also be distinguished by a whitish upper lip. The distinguishing features of female turtles include more developed jaws compared to males. Male red-eared turtles have a pointed muzzle with a longer nose than females.

How to find out the sex of a turtle: behavior analysis

To determine the sex, it would be ideal to observe your pet in the company of his relatives. Male turtles are more active and pronounced, especially during the mating season, aggressive behavior, and females usually tend to hide their heads in their shells more often. In the company of their own kind, male turtles show increased aggression: they bite the paws of females and fight with shells with other males. During the mating season, the male actively flirts with the female: he scurries in front of her muzzle and specifically shakes his head.