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Homeland of land turtles. Central Asian land tortoise. How long do turtles live

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 prevailing belief that turtles are slow animals, this is only the case 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, brush 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-terrestrial 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 if 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!

The Central Asian (steppe land) tortoise is a rare breed of reptile that inhabits the sandy plains of North America. You can also meet animals in Central Asia. True, there they prefer uneven surfaces. In smaller numbers, steppe turtles live in the Arab countries, Russia. India. The shape of the shell, the coloring resembles a Mediterranean tortoise. The main difference is that in steppe turtles the top of the shell is slightly flat. It is not difficult to distinguish females from males. There are always more females. The head of the turtle is small, has a slightly flattened shape. The eyes are black, without pronounced pupils. On the front thick, short legs, four pairs of claws can be counted. From under the shell you can see a small tail of a triangular shape.

Despite the fact that this breed of turtles is on the verge of extinction, animals continue to be kept as pets. The Central Asian tortoise is large in size, and the animal is also considered the slowest among other members of its family. With proper care, the pet lives up to fifty years. Before buying a turtle, take care of housing. Ideal for terrarium and aquarium. In it, the animal should be spacious, so you should decide on the breed of turtle in advance. Cover the bottom of the "shelter" with a thick layer of a special substrate (sand, peat). At the bottom, you can plant small plants (oats, millet, other crops). Sprouts will serve as additional food for your pet. It is not recommended to plant two males at once in one terrarium. Sometimes they can provoke conflicts that will negatively affect the health of one of the animals. Where is the best place to buy a pair? Individuals of different sexes get along well together. At the age of six, they can give offspring. Sometimes the female may not be ready to mate. Under such conditions, it is better to transfer this procedure. Some time after mating, the expectant mother begins to lay eggs. The female digs them shallow into the soil. It is recommended to immediately move the eggs to a special container. This will protect the embryos from injury, premature hatching. In the incubator, the eggs are kept under special ultraviolet paws for four months. The air temperature should be about twenty-eight degrees. Humidity - not less than fifty percent. Newborn babies (about five centimeters in length) are born completely unprotected. At first, they perceive the environment poorly.

Adult turtles eat almost everything. You can safely give fruits, vegetables, various greens. Periodically feed your pet with boiled fish without salt, spices. You can buy special food at the pet store. Food supplements, vitamins. Change the water in the drinkers daily. Remember that turtles are used to light. So take them outside regularly. The sun's rays are very beneficial for the animal. It is recommended to bathe the turtles in warm water once every seven days. The water temperature should not be higher than thirty-five degrees. Cleaning the terrarium should be done once a week. Wash water bowls and feeders regularly. Make sure that the cage does not stand in a draft. In hot weather, you need to bathe the reptile more often.

Turtle is an ancient animal from the order of reptiles. It appeared more than 200 million years ago and, according to scientists, has practically not changed over the past 150 million years.

The main distinguishing feature of a turtle is its shell. This is a complex bone-skin formation that covers the turtle's body from all sides, protecting it from predator attacks. The inner part of the shell is formed by bone plates, and the outer part by leathery shields. The shell consists of two parts - dorsal and ventral. The dorsal part, or carapace, has a convex shape, and the ventral, or plastron, is flat. The body of the turtle is firmly fused with the shell, from which only the head, limbs and tail peep out between the carapace and the plastron. In case of danger, the turtle can completely hide in the shell. Turtles have no teeth, but have a strong, pointed beak at the edges, which allows it to bite off any food. Turtles, like some snakes and crocodiles, lay leathery eggs. Turtles do not care for their offspring. Immediately after the eggs are laid, they leave the clutch.

Diversity and lifestyle

There are over 300 different types of turtles. Some of them lead a land lifestyle, and some have adapted to live in water. Freshwater turtles, unlike land turtles, have a more flattened and smooth shell, as well as webbing between the fingers. This helps them skillfully swim in the water element. Sea turtles spend most of their lives in the seas and oceans. Only once a year, during the breeding season, they come ashore to lay their eggs in the coastal sand. The limbs of sea turtles have evolved into flippers that allow them to “hover” in the ocean depths.

Dimensions

Turtles differ greatly in size: the land spider turtle does not exceed 10 cm in length and weighs about 100 g, and the leatherback turtle reaches two and a half meters and weighs more than half a ton. The giant among land tortoises is the Galapagos elephant tortoise. The length of her shell exceeds one meter, and the weight can be equal to four centners.

Coloring

The coloration of turtles is most often modest, masking them to the color of the environment. But there are species with a very bright contrasting pattern. So, in the radiant turtle in the center of the shell scutes, against the main dark background, there are catchy yellow spots, from which the same yellow rays depart. The head and neck of the red-eared tortoise are decorated with a pattern of wavy lines and stripes, and bright red spots are located behind the eyes.

Diet

Land turtles mainly feed on plant foods - grass, leaves of shrubs, juicy fruits. Freshwater and sea turtles are predators that eat fish, insects and their larvae, worms and molluscs. Land turtles can supplement their diet with animal food, while aquatic turtles can supplement their diet with plant foods.

Lifespan

The turtle is a record-breaking long-liver among vertebrates. She can live over a hundred years. A reliable case is known when a gigantic tortoise lived for 152 years. Scientists say that a turtle can live for two hundred years or more.

Turtle: brief information

Evgeny Sedov

When hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)

Content

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

Who is a land tortoise

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

The main types of land turtles:

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

Where does he live

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

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


How many lives

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


Photo of a land turtle

Land turtle at home

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

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

What to feed

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

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

How to care

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

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

Turtle terrarium

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

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

turtle house

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

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

Diseases of land turtles

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

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

reproduction

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

Price

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


How to choose a land tortoise

For home breeding, Central Asian (steppe) individuals are chosen. They are small in size - up to 20 cm long. The color of the shell of a young individual is in yellow tones with round brown spots. Pay attention to activity. The turtle is awake in the morning and evening, and rests in the shelter day and night. The animal must look healthy, have no defects in the skin.

How to determine gender

Main gender differences:

  1. The shell shape is more elongated in the male.
  2. Plastron (lower part of the shell) - in the male, near the tail, it has a concave shape, which ensures mating. In females, the plastron is straight, so necessary for carrying eggs.
  3. Male turtles have a V-shaped notch on the top of the shell near the tail.

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land turtles land turtles

A genus of land turtles. Includes 5-7 species inhabiting the Mediterranean, the Balkan Peninsula, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Central Asia. The most famous is the Mediterranean tortoise. Convex and smooth carapace, slightly serrated along the posterior edge, length. up to 30-35 cm, painted in yellowish-brown or light olive color with dark spots on the shields. There are five claws on the front paws, and one conical horny tubercle on the hips. These turtles are found in the forests and forest glades of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus in the Krasnodar Territory, as well as in dry steppes and forest edges in Dagestan. They lead a diurnal lifestyle, feeding on a variety of vegetation, sometimes they eat worms, snails, eggs of birds nesting on the ground. The winter is spent in a daze, climbing into holes, crevices between stones or burrowing to a shallow depth. In May, the females begin to lay their eggs, the turtles hatch in the fall, but emerge from the earthen nests to the surface only the following spring, together with the adults. By this time, their size reaches 35-45 cm. Capture of the Mediterranean tortoise is prohibited, it is listed in the IUCN Red Book. The Central Asian tortoise, found in the semi-deserts and steppes of Central Asia, differs from the Mediterranean tortoise in a flatter, lighter shell and four claws on its front paws. She often appears in the markets and pet stores in Russia.

.(Source: "Biology. Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia." Editor-in-Chief A.P. Gorkin; M.: Rosmen, 2006.)


See what "land turtles" are in other dictionaries:

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