How to care for a land tortoise

Land turtles can be a great gift for those who want to get a pet, but fear for the integrity of their property. The simplicity of caring for them allows them to also be purchased for children who are eager to have their own animal. Turtles do not emit pungent odors and, unlike cats and dogs, do not have hair, which is especially important for those with allergies. And they do not need much space for existence.

How to choose a turtle for home living

There are many species of land turtles. Many of them are quite large and are not suitable for maintenance in an apartment or even a private house. Except in a well-equipped aviary, where there is an opportunity to hide from the cold, a swimming pond is organized.

Steppe turtles are best suited for housing. They are also called Central Asian. They rarely grow more than 20 cm, so they can be kept in groups. Such turtles in vivo have two hibernation periods: summer and winter. In the winter, they are so protected from the cold, and in the summer - from the sweltering heat and lack of food. But at home, these periods may shift or even be absent if the turtle always has something to eat, and the temperature suits them.

Home improvement

Many make a big mistake when they think that these animals need more freedom and are allowed to walk around the apartment. Cold from the floor and possible drafts often lead to the fact that animals simply catch a cold. In their natural habitat, turtles hide from the cold, buried in the ground, or use the burrows of other animals. It is impossible to do this in an apartment. That is why it is important to have a well-equipped terrarium.

For one pet, a half-meter enclosure with a side height of about 30 cm and a width of 40 cm is enough. If there are several animals, then the width of the terrarium should be twice the size of the largest turtle. This is necessary so that pets can move around comfortably and not interfere with each other. Glass terrarium allows you to easily watch your pet, but with one transparent wall is also a good option. The remaining sides can be made of painted wood or other environmentally friendly material.

The temperature in the terrarium should not be lower than 25 ° C, but it is not worth doing more than 35 ° C. For heating, a conventional incandescent lamp is suitable, which is installed above the corral at a height of 25 cm from the bottom. The light from the lamp should be directed so that part of the terrarium remains less warm. So pets can choose their own more comfortable thermal regime. It is also necessary to equip a shelter area where the turtle will be able to retire. For these purposes, a normal inverted box with a cut out entrance or a half of a flower pot is suitable. The dimensions of the shelter should be such that the turtle could turn around freely.

The bottom of the terrarium is lined with a three-centimeter layer of coarse sand. You can use sawdust or add coarse gravel to the sand. Aside from the lamp, you need to install a drinking bowl, drowning it well in the ground so that the turtle does not press its neck with a side while drinking. A heavy ceramic container of a rounded shape with an almost flat side is suitable as a drinking bowl. And under the lamp, the water will always be warm, which is important for the health of the turtle. The same form can be put and a feeder, which is better to clean up after the animals eat. So there will be more space, and the terrarium will stay clean longer. The feeder should not be placed under a heat source so that the greens do not dry out.

How to feed land turtles

The usual food that you can feed a kitten or puppy for a turtle immediately disappears. Cooked cereals or meat can cause difficult digestion, and even lead to the death of the pet with frequent use. Therefore, it is better to follow the recommendations on the diet and give only natural products for this type.

The diet of turtles should be based on greens, vegetables and some fruits. You can supplement this list in winter with special vitamin supplements, which are sold in pet stores. But dry food is harmful to them. But it is worth remembering that not all plants are suitable for daily feeding of these pets, and some may even be dangerous.

For example, medicinal herbs often contain alkaloids, which have a detrimental effect on the nervous system of any animals, including turtles. Prohibited foods include daffodils, spring-spread, euphorbia, crocus, buttercups, jasmine, and home-growing dolphinium, oleander, and deffenbachia. From greens, it is preferable to give fresh lawn grass, lettuce, yellow flowers and dandelion stems, plantain, clover, in a small amount of spinach and horse sorrel.

Of vegetables, finely chopped cabbage and carrots are suitable. Land turtles are famous lovers of sweet fruits and berries, only in percentage terms they should not exceed a quarter of the daily diet. Excess sweets can lead to obesity. You can offer strawberries, peaches, apricots and so on. From fruits, you must first remove the seeds, especially small ones. In winter, it is useful to give sprouted grains of oats and barley, add seaweed to the feed.

If hay is included in the diet, it is advisable to soak it or increase the amount of drinking water. All fruits and vegetables are washed thoroughly, and solid products are grated. Mineral additives are added directly to the feed. Some recommend a chopped egg shell as a source of calcium for turtles. But such a product can cause salmonellosis. It is better to use mineral supplements.

If there are several turtles in the terrarium, then the pan should be of such a size that all pets can eat at the same time. Leftovers should be thrown away, and next time they should be offered fresh food. Vegetables and fruits should not be out of the refrigerator, but only at room temperature.

Hygiene of turtles

Swimming is a favorite pastime for land turtles. The process itself brings them great pleasure. An adult pet should be bathed once a week, and a young turtle can be once every three days. Maintaining the cleanliness of your pet enhances his health.

To bathe the turtles, you need to prepare a container with warm water. The room where hygienic baths are carried out should also be sufficiently warmed up and without drafts. Water should be poured into the bath up to two-thirds of the turtle's growth. For washing, you can use a soft sponge, and if the pet is too dirty, then the baby soap will not be harmful.

The process should last no more than ten to fifteen minutes, while the water remains warm. After swimming, the turtle needs to be wiped dry to avoid a cold, and released back into the terrarium. Many right in the corral arrange baths for their pets, where bathing water is constantly located. This option is suitable for fairly large terrarium sizes. In this case, the water should be changed at least once every three days so that the waste products of turtles do not accumulate in it.

Sunlight is essential for the normal development of the turtle. Unlike humans, rickets in these animals can develop even in adulthood. To prevent this from happening with his beloved pet, he needs to arrange daily sunbathing.To do this, you can place a terrarium on the windowsill, and in the summer even keep turtles in an open pen on the street (if conditions allow). In winter, with a lack of solar energy and bad weather, the role of the sun can be played by an ultraviolet lamp.

In a natural habitat, a land turtle grinds its claws when moving. In the terrarium, this may not happen, and overgrown claws often prevent the pet from moving. Therefore, sometimes it is worth cutting the nails of turtles. To understand how much you can trim, you need to look at the claw at the light of a lamp or the sun. Only the light part is cut off, because in the dark part blood vessels pass.

Caring for a land tortoise is not as complicated as it might seem initially. Over time, many procedures become the habit of the owner, and the turtle quickly gets used to the new environment of existence. With the right approach, a pet can live for decades.

Video: how to care for a turtle