Baby painted turtle care and feeding

Baby Eastern Painted Turtle: Everything you need to know!

Baby Eastern Painted Turtles are one of the most attractive varieties of pond turtles native to North America. It is a great pet turtle for beginners and can be kept and easily managed in an indoor or outdoor enclosure.

Stats	Description
Region of origin	North America
Type	Semi-aquatic turtle
Size	Small (around 6 inches)
Dietary group	Omnivorous
Lifespan	20 – 30 years
Difficulty of care	Low maintenance

Appearance and Color

Baby Eastern Painted Turtles are small in size and can get up to 6 inches in length. These semi-aquatic turtles have bright “painted” markings. They have a black shell (carapace) that is lined with red. Their bellies or plastrons are bright yellow. They also have lines of yellow and red on their black skin.

What do Baby Eastern Painted Turtles Eat?

Baby Eastern Painted Turtles are not picky eaters at all. Feeding them is really not that difficult at all. These adorable little guys are omnivores. Baby Eastern Painted Turtles have quite a varied diet. Below are some of the common plant and animal matter that they consume.

Animal matter: They like to eat worms, insects, small fish, and any other animal matter they can get into their mouths. As babies, this should consist of the majority of their diet.
Plant matter: They also enjoy eating aquatic plants like water lettuce, duckweed, or water hyacinth. You can also give them leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, and others. As babies, this should consist of around 30% of their diet. However you can make it around 50% of their diet once they become one year old.

Best food for a baby eastern painted turtle

The best food for a baby eastern painted turtle are dried insects and crickets.

Fluker’s Insect Blend

Gourmet Crickets

Baby eastern painted turtles also need a lot of vitamins, calcium, and protein in their diet.

Feed them in moderation as overfeeding will cause problems such as a condition known as pyramiding.

How to take care of a baby eastern painted turtle

Here’s how you can take care of a Baby eastern painted turtle:

Baby eastern painted turtles need a dry surface to rest on daily. They require some soil and gravel away from the water. This is referred to as a substrate. It will serve as a resting place as well as a place to bask. These young turtles get tired and can’t swim for too long.
Have a good turtle filter for the water, as baby eastern painted turtles are susceptible to getting ill due to poor water conditions.
They are cold-blooded turtles. You need to provide them with heat and light to survive.
They need a water heater to keep the water temperature between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
The aquarium itself for a baby eastern painted turtle should be between 30 and 50 gallons in size.
You should provide the little guys with ample UVB light. This allows the baby turtle to synthesize vitamin D3 that helps prevent shell deformity.

Eastern Painted Turtle Temperament and Handling

The baby eastern painted turtles are not truly social animals. They’re capable of cohabitating with other painted turtles and other turtle species with similar enclosure needs.

The baby eastern painted turtles are generally peaceful and do not fight or create a mess with other tank mates. However, both sexes are capable of territorial aggression. They remain calm and peaceful as long as adequate space and hiding areas are provided. Territorial aggression can arise if the habitat is not big enough or doesn’t have enough hiding spots.

They don’t need human contact and affection like other pets do. So, frequent handling is not recommended as it can be detrimental to their well-being. Wash your hands properly before and after handling a baby eastern painted turtle, as it is common for them to carry salmonella.

Health concerns

Baby eastern painted turtles are not immune to many health issues. They are easy to care for and stay healthy with proper setup, care, and diet. It is important to always check up on your turtle daily in case they develop any sickness.

It is quite easy to spot an unwell baby eastern painted turtle. Common signs of a sick baby eastern painted turtle are discoloration or wounds on shells and skin, loss of appetite, excessive basking, frothing or gaping at the mouth, bubbles in the nose, inability to submerge, swollen or sunken eyes, or any other abnormal behavior. To learn more, you should check out my article on pet turtle diseases.

In closing

After having a look at the article, Baby eastern painted turtles sound like a great choice for beginners. They are no doubt one of those beautiful little turtles that you just fall in love with at first sight.

As with most other temperate species, the breeding season of eastern painted turtles is restricted to spring and summer. So, captive-bred baby turtles are usually available from May through September. Most pet stores will sell eastern painted turtles during this time period.

You must give proper diet, housing, and care to help your baby eastern painted turtle live a long, healthy life. If cared for properly, eastern painted turtles can live for up to 30 years.

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Painted Turtle Care Sheet - Reptiles Magazine

Painted Turtle (

Chrysemys picta ssp. and C. dorsalis)

Well deserving of their common name, painted turtles are one of the most attractive varieties of pond turtle native to North America. Their range extends from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast and from Canada to northern Mexico, making them one of the most widespread species, as well. Inhabiting practically any slow-moving or still body of freshwater within their range makes painted turtles one of the most commonly encountered turtles, and their vivid coloration makes them one of the most recognizable.

There are four types of painted turtles: the eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta), the midland painted turtle (C. p. marginata), the western painted turtle (C. p. bellii) and the southern painted turtle (C. dorsalis). Although their native ranges vary (hence, their common names), their habits and captive care requirements are very similar.

Painted Turtle Availability

Painted turtles breed readily in captivity, and are frequently produced by hobbyists and turtle farms alike. As with most temperate species, their breeding season is restricted to spring and summer, so captive-bred babies are most commonly available from May through September. However, given the significant numbers of babies hatched yearly, they are typically available for most of the year and prices are very affordable.

Jason Patrick Ross/Shutterstock

There are reports of painted turtles living for up to 50 years in captivity!

Painted Turtle Size

Besides their attractive coloration, another appealing aspect of painted turtles is their manageable adult size. Large western painted turtles rarely exceed 8 inches in length, and southern painted turtles are not normally larger than 6 inches. Eastern and midland painted turtles are in between, maxing out at around 7 inches. Males do not usually get quite as big as females, but their size difference is not significant.

Painted Turtle Life Span

Painted turtles have been known to live as long as 50 years in captivity, so they can truly be (nearly) lifelong companions. Given proper diet, housing, and care, you can reasonably expect a painted turtle to live for 25 to 30 years.

Painted Turtle Housing

Housing for painted turtles can be as elaborate or as simple as you choose to make it, but there are some minimal housing requirements that must be addressed. While it would be difficult for most keepers to provide water that is too deep, the depth should never be less than about twice the width of the turtle’s shell. A basking area, upon which the painted turtle can leave the water completely, complete with a good basking light to help it thermoregulate, is an absolute must.

An underwater hiding place should be provided, as well, with care taken to ensure that the painted turtle cannot get trapped and drown. Non-toxic live or plastic plants can be provided for hiding and to forage among, although painted turtles will eventually shred any live plants whether they eat them or not. Although the painted turtle tank bottom can be left bare, substrate (sand, gravel, etc.) can be used for a more natural appearance, but choose a particle size that is either too large to be swallowed or so small that it will pass easily through your painted turtle’s digestive tract.

Paul Vander Schouw

Hatchling painted turtles such as this can be kept in an enclosure large enough to provide 10 gallons of water, along with a haul-out area where the turtle can completely dry off.

Because they are active and able swimmers, painted turtles should be provided with a tank as spacious as possible. At a minimum, a single baby or juvenile painted turtle should be provided about 10 gallons of water volume. This does not mean a 10-gallon tank, but at least a 15- or 20-gallon tank partially filled with 10 gallons of water. Increase the volume of water by 5 gallons for each additional baby turtle. As the turtle(s) reach adulthood and beyond they should be provided with a minimum of 20 gallons of water volume for the first turtle, with an additional 10 gallons of water volume for each additional turtle.

Painted turtles are adaptable and can be housed in virtually any suitably sized tank. Stock tanks, glass aquariums, plastic totes and garden ponds can all be appropriate housing for individuals or groups of painted turtles. They can be maintained indoors or out, and adequate protection from predators as well as escape prevention measures should be provided in either case.

Painted Turtle Lighting and Temperature

If there is a good dietary source of vitamin D to metabolize calcium, a UVA/UVB light may not be necessary, but many keepers choose to provide such lighting anyway. A good heat-emitting light should always be provided over the basking area, and either incandescent or fluorescent lighting can provide additional illumination if necessary. For turtles maintained outdoors, the sun will of course provide heat and UV rays and no further lighting is necessary.

Temperature gradients should be provided for the water, ambient air and basking area. Water should be maintained within the range of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit; ambient air between 80 and 85 degrees, and the basking area should be kept between 85 and 95 degrees. Bear in mind that temperatures within an aquarium–especially if there is a hood or cover installed–will probably be different than the temperatures within the surrounding room, so it is important to periodically check the actual temperatures in the tank rather than relying on a general indoor thermometer/thermostat. Of course, keeping thermometers inside the painted turtle enclosure will help, too.

Brian Lasenby/Shutterstock

Wild painted turtles love to bask in the sun, and so do pet painted turtles. Be sure to provide a dock or something else that will allow your pet painted turtle to leave the water completely to dry off.

Painted Turtle Food

Painted turtles are omnivorous, and will accept both animal and plant matter with equal enthusiasm. Along with fish, worms and insects, offer them green, leafy vegetables and aquatic plants such as water lettuce, water hyacinth and duckweed. In addition to live and natural foods, there is a wide variety of commercial turtle food available on the market, and most have been formulated to provide optimum nutrition for turtles at all stages of growth. Pay attention to ingredient labels; I recommend diets with the following: 30- to 40-percent protein; low fat content; vitamin D and a high calcium-to-phosphorous ratio. I also recommend vitamin and mineral supplementation.

Painted Turtle Health

Provided with suitable housing and diet, painted turtles are active and energetic pets. But as with any animal, illness and disease can affect them. Some indicators of health problems include: swollen or sunken eyes; listing or inability to submerge; gaping or frothing at the mouth, or bubbles in the nose; excessive basking or refusal to enter the water; inability or refusal to feed; asymmetrical or irregular growth; obvious discoloration or open wounds on the skin or shell; or any other abnormal appearance or behavior. If your painted turtle exhibits any of these problems, veterinary attention is recommended. Be sure to use a vet that specializes in turtles and tortoises, or at least reptiles and exotic animals. A list of reptile vets can be found here.

Painted Turtle Temperament and Handling

Although not truly social animals, painted turtles are gregarious and capable of cohabitating with turtles of their own and other species with similar housing needs. Both sexes are capable of dominant or territorial aggression, but as long as adequate space and hiding areas are provided, this behavior is usually not severe enough to result in serious injury. Still, if consistent aggression is noted, it may be necessary to provide a larger habitat or even entirely isolate offending turtles.

Painted turtles are not domesticated animals that thrive on human affection and contact, so they should not be handled except as a matter of necessity. Despite appearances to the contrary, handling is stressful to the painted turtle and subjects the handler to biting and scratching by the turtle. Occasional handling to inspect a painted turtle for health or injuries, and occasionally relocating painted turtles to alternate containers during cleaning and maintenance of their primary habitat, is acceptable. As always, a thorough hand-washing with soap and warm water before and after a turtle or any related materials or equipment has been handled will help to avoid any disease transmission between human and turtle.

Paul Vander Schouw is an avid turtle hobbyist who maintains about 1,000 turtles representing more than 100 species and subspecies. He has successfully bred more than half of them.

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How and what to feed red-eared, marsh and other aquatic turtles

Aquatic ornamental turtles are frequent inhabitants of home aquariums. These cute reptiles are very fond of children and adults. In order for the turtle to live a long and fulfilling life in a closed tank, you need to create appropriate living conditions for it and pay special attention to the right diet.

In this article, we will look at popular brands of complete food and treats for aquatic turtles, how many times a day, at what time and how to feed them correctly, whether turtles need mineral and vitamin supplements, differences in the diet of adults and small pets, as well as depending on from the type of turtle.

Features of feeding aquatic turtles

Aquatic turtles eat plant and animal food. During the period of growth and formation of the body, turtles need food rich in protein. Natural products can be added to the diet in combination with ready-made dry food designed specifically for aquatic turtles.

Natural products are served to turtles in small pieces. A single portion is determined so that in a 30-minute snack, the turtle can completely eat the entire piece of food served. For young reptiles, 2-3 pieces of 1 cm3 are usually enough, and for feeding adult turtles, the size of the pieces should be slightly increased. If after a snack there is a half-eaten piece in the aquarium, the portion can be reduced at the next feeding.

A few more important rules for feeding aquatic turtles:

natural food should be thermally processed before feeding the reptile;
food served must be at room temperature;
food can be placed in the aquarium in a special feeder located on the ground in order not to pollute the water;
feeding with tweezers is allowed;
To create a balanced diet, you can combine prepared food with natural food.

Overview of artificial food for turtles

Dry food is recommended not as a main food for aquatic turtles, but as a supplementary food that goes well with natural food.

Dry food for aquatic turtles offers a wide range of products from different world manufacturers. We will briefly review the types of artificial food and other healthy treats for pet reptiles.

Complete dry food

Complete dry food can be given to baby and adult turtles every day. The composition of such a product includes useful components of plant and animal origin, selected taking into account all the requirements of the reptile's body.

Popular brands:

Sera;
Zoomir;
Tetra ReptoMin;
Dajana.

Treats

Non-complete feeds are classified as Treats. They can only be given to adult turtles and no more than once a week.

Popular treats:

JBL Tortil;
Tetra ReptoDelica Snack;
Sera Raffy Royal;
Zoomir "Tortila M" Strong shell, etc.

Vitamin-mineral complexes

At home, turtles cannot get all the trace elements necessary for their body, which they extract in the natural environment. So that the reptile does not get sick and feels good, it must be periodically fed with special vitamin and mineral supplements. You can buy ready-made complexes in pet supply stores.

Vitamin and mineral supplements for turtles:

MIX – mineral supplement with calcium;
MIX - general strengthening supplement;
mineral block "Tortila";
Beaphar Turtle Vitamin - vitamin complex;
FIORY Tarta Vigor - feed supplement with vitamins;
mineral block Ca+D3 "Tortila M";
Sera vitamins;
Dajana – mineral stone for aquatic turtles.

Adult tortoise and small pet diet

The diet of aquatic turtles must be combined - natural food in combination with artificial food. Consider what foods can and cannot be given to aquarium reptiles.

Useful and harmful natural products for aquatic turtles:

You can give low-fat river fish in crushed form with chopped bones. You can not feed turtles with bony and oily fish.
May be fed with live gammarus and small crustaceans.
Raw shrimp and crabs are allowed.
Turtles should not be fed squid, although they love them very much.
It is strictly forbidden to give reptiles the meat of terrestrial animals and factory meat products (sausages, canned food, etc.). The digestive system of reptiles does not absorb such food.
Occasionally, you can treat the turtle with pieces of beef heart and liver. These products feed the body with vitamin A.
It is allowed to feed the reptile with food mice and frogs.
Turtles can be given natural plant foods such as carrots, lettuce, apple pulp, herbs, sprouted oats and barley.
Non-poisonous grassland plants, as well as algae and some types of aquatic plants, can be included in the diet.
Limited pieces of pear, watermelon, melon, banana, apricot and raspberry are served.
Do not give turtles citrus fruits, nuts, soybeans, beans, cabbage, bread, flour products, cereals, fish waste, dairy products, chicken eggs.
Foods high in phosphorus, stromagenic substances and oxalates are harmful to reptiles.
With pleasure and benefit, turtles eat various insects and larvae living in the water. They can be fed with coretra, bloodworms, locusts, crickets, fly larvae, earthworms and moths. The insect must first be decapitated. Can be given dried, frozen, or live.
Live and thawed mollusks, land snails, snails, marizas, etc. are well absorbed by the reptile organism. But it is better not to treat a turtle with slugs without shells.

Turtle menu specifics depending on their species

Water turtles are more often predators, so the basis of their diet is food of animal origin. If your aquarium has a semiaquatic or marsh reptile that prefers vegetarian food, the diet will be based on plant foods. In any case, the nutrition for the turtle must be balanced and varied so that the body of the domestic reptile fully receives all the necessary substances and trace elements.

Features of the diet of turtles of different species:

The red-eared turtle prefers fry, small fish with bones, insect larvae, chicken fillet, gammarus and shrimp. From plant foods, you can give apples, lettuce and slices of fresh cucumber.
Chinese amphibian Trionix enjoys beef liver, heart, lean fish, fry and small frogs. From plant foods, she will like fresh herbs and slices of tomato.
The European bog turtle loves lean meats, fish with small bones, and plant foods.
Musk turtle prefers to feed on algae, fish and aquatic insects.

How often and at what time to feed the turtles

It is recommended to feed the turtle at the same time. The first three years of life they are fed once a day, mainly food of animal origin. As they grow, the need for such food is lost, so plant foods and dry food become the main part of the diet.

Adult turtles are fed once every 2-3 days. In summer, turtles eat more often, but in small portions, and in winter they may not eat for several days, and then gladly absorb the increased portion. In the cold season, it is recommended to add vitamin and mineral supplements to the turtle's diet.

After the turtle has been fed, the remains of food are removed from the aquarium. In the subsequent feeding, fresh food is served. You can not feed the reptile with spoiled foods, they can cause poisoning of the body.

Major Owner Mistakes

Beginning pet turtle owners often make feeding and diet mistakes that can cause serious health problems for the reptile.

The most common owner mistakes are:

feeding the turtle food from his table - salty, fried, smoked and seasoned dishes are very dangerous for the body of turtles;
regular feeding with vitamin and mineral supplements - such complexes should not be given to turtles more than once a week;
make up an unbalanced diet, for example, they regularly treat a reptile with fish, forgetting about the need to feed other healthy foods, which leads to an excess of vitamin B and a lack of other trace elements in the body.

These are the most common mistakes in feeding domestic aquatic turtles, as a result of which reptiles develop various health problems.

The following symptoms testify to improper feeding of the tortoise: coordination of the movement of the reptile is disturbed, it refuses to eat, shows lethargy, and motor activity decreases. An unbalanced diet of small turtles leads to improper development of the body and growth retardation. To eliminate such health problems for the turtle, make up a healthy and balanced diet for it!

Never try to treat a water turtle yourself. If there are certain symptoms that indicate an unhealthy condition, seek the help of a veterinarian specializing in the treatment of domestic reptiles. An experienced specialist will also tell you in detail how and what to properly feed waterfowl aquarium turtles.

Proper nutrition is the key to a healthy and long life of a domestic reptile!

How to take care of a turtle and keep it at home: how much it costs, how to feed it

Anastasia Vitman

contains a red-eared turtle

Author profile

In 2018, my family and I bought a three-month-old water turtle.

Then I thought: well, what problems can arise with her? It takes up little space, eats little, practically does not crap and does not make any sounds at all. It almost turned out that way: the turtle does not cause much trouble, and I have already got used to frequent cleaning, constant splashes of water and gurgling.

In the article I will tell you where to buy and how to choose a turtle, how to equip an aquarium for it, what to feed it and how much money it takes to keep it.

This is our turtle, her name is Chipa

What turtles are

All turtles are divided into sea and land. Terrestrial are land and freshwater - water.

Land tortoises have a high shell and thick legs, they are slow and clumsy. Such turtles live on land - out of water, eat plant foods, often hibernate and can live in this mode for up to 150 years.

Aquatic turtles live in fresh water, so they have swimming limbs instead of legs. The shell of such turtles is oval-round, streamlined, low and smoother than that of land turtles.

Water turtles are:

Painted - with bright stripes and spots on the shell.
European swamps - these have a long tail, up to 20 cm.
Cayman - they grow up to 30 kg.
Red-eared.

Red-eared turtles are called because they have bright spots on their heads near their eyes - red, yellow or orange.

/petstat/

What pets do Russians keep

There are three subspecies of red-eared tortoises that differ only in appearance.

Red-eared or Florida subspecies - Trachemys scripta elegans. Such turtles grow up to 28 cm. You can recognize them by a red or orange stripe that starts from the eyes and runs along the entire neck, yellow stripes on the ribs of the upper shell - the carapace and two large yellow spots on the abdominal shell - the plastron. Such a turtle costs from 130 R.

Yellow-bellied slider - Trachemys scripta scripta. Sliders grow up to 27 cm. They have yellow spots and stripes: on the muzzle and neck, on the sides of the carapace and on the plastron. Price — from 240 R.

Cumberland subspecies, or Troust's tortoise, - Trachemys scripta troostii. These turtles grow up to 21 cm. They are distinguished by black spots on the belly, yellow stripes on the upper shell, behind the eyes and on the chin.

My Chipa belongs to the Florida subspecies. But the conditions of keeping for all red-eared turtles are the same, so everything that I will tell you next will be suitable for any subspecies.

What you should know about red-eared turtles

Red-eared turtles are strong and fast, but also unpretentious: they can go without food for up to ten days, and without water - up to five. Therefore, even beginners can keep them.

Turtles can live alone or in groups, but when they live in groups, they can be aggressive, fight and attack each other.

In order for a turtle to grow up healthy and live long, it needs clean water, heated land in an aquarium, high-quality and regular food. With proper and high-quality care, the red-eared turtle will live 30-50 years.

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How much does it cost to keep a pet: 5 examples with calculations

They love attention. Water turtles do not tolerate being ignored and love to watch people and what is happening in the apartment. For example, they will always swim up to the glass of an aquarium or get out to the surface if the owner is nearby. At the same time, turtles do not let people get too close and, as a rule, do not like being touched.

Chipa's aquarium is in the children's bedroom, opposite him is a table with a computer at which we often work: it turns out that the person sitting at the table has his back to the aquarium. For Chipa, this is a lot of stress. Each time, she tries with all her might to attract attention: she starts diving so that the spray reaches the ceiling, sorting out the stones at the bottom so that we hear a knock, or crawling with her belly on the grass on the bank - this is also loud. In general, she does everything to be noticed.

At the same time, the children's bedroom in our apartment suits her more than other rooms: the lights turn off calmly and early - the turtles do not sleep in the light and stay awake until the room is light.

This is what Chipa's aquarium looks like, it stands in the children's room opposite the desktop

They bite painfully. Even if you just hold out your finger to the turtle, it is a sign for him to open his mouth and bite. This is because turtles do not smell food, but immediately begin to eat it. If later, in the process of chewing, the turtle decides that she does not like the food, she will spit it out and will not take it again, because she remembered it.

But turtles bite very painfully: their jaws are powerful, even in small domestic individuals. Very small turtles, of course, will not bite hard, but adults are able to bite their finger until it bleeds. Our Chipa can bite when feeding, so we give her food not from our hands, but from tweezers or a toothpick.

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Love affection, but only in certain places. For example, Chipa loves when her belly is stroked, she rolls her eyes with pleasure. Some turtles also like touching their shells, but they start to make Chipa cringe and kick.

As a rule, turtles do not allow their heads and paws to be touched - they immediately hide them in their shells. But my colleague's red-eared turtle loves to massage its hind legs, and when it touches its shell, it starts to hiss. I think every turtle has its own favorite places to touch.

Chipa really likes it when I stroke her belly

Almost no sound. Turtles can snort and hiss - this is how they show their displeasure, but they do it very rarely. Turtles usually hide in a shell or a secluded place.

Chipa usually snorts when I pick her up at an inopportune moment for her, such as when I want to show her to new people or check that she is healthy.

Where to buy a turtle

There are four options: from breeders, in a pet store, in a bird market and from hands on an ad, for example, on Avito.

Breeder is more likely to buy healthy individuals because they tend to treat their pets well and take good care of them. They also know everything about turtles and are always ready to train new owners.

The average price for turtles from breeders is 250-400 R. We bought the chip for 350 R from breeders who have been breeding for more than one year and grow healthy, well-breeding turtles. At the age of three months, the turtle can already be taken to a new home.

350 Р

we paid for our turtle

By ad on special websites, for example, "Avito", you can find people who are ready to give away or sell their pets. It can be both adult turtles and babies. When buying, be sure to ask in what conditions the turtle was kept, inspect its home - the condition of the terrarium, its cleanliness, equipment. Ask what she was fed and what she likes, and examine the reptile itself.

You can buy a turtle on Avito for 50-2000 R - the price depends on the age of the reptile and the equipment that comes with it. Adult turtles are often given away for free.

Here they sell a small turtle with an aquarium for 2000 R. Source: "Avito" And adult turtles can generally be given away for free. Source: Avito

In pet stores they mainly offer monthly turtles, which cost from 300 R. The plus of pet stores is that there you can get complete information about the content of these crumbs: where to start, which aquarium to buy, how to fill it in the first time and in the future.

But it is important to pay attention to the conditions in which the turtles are kept in the store: whether they have clean temporary housing and water, whether there is mucus or mud there. Ask the seller to show what tools they use to clean up after the turtles and what they are fed: the tools must be clean and the food must be of high quality.

Examine the reptile itself - pick it up. A healthy turtle should actively move its legs, tail, and head. The shell must be free of chips and cracks. The mucous membrane of the mouth should be pale pink - this means that the turtle is healthy. A sick reptile will have an abundant accumulation of saliva, and the mucous membrane will be red.

I don't recommend buying turtles at the bird market: sick individuals are often sold there, they can make a mistake with the sex and they don't give competent advice on care. One can only guess how the turtles were raised and under what conditions they were kept.

How to determine the sex of a red-eared turtle

We wanted to get a female turtle, since female red-eared turtles are calmer than males, less conflict and practically do not bite. We bought a chip for my daughter, and it was important for me that she could pick her up and feed her without fear.

At the same time, it is not easy to determine the sex of a turtle; this is usually done by several signs.

Made to measure. Male turtles are always smaller than females. Females, respectively, are more massive and larger.

According to the shape of the shell. In males, the shell is elongated, in females it is round and wide. Nature came up with this distinction to make it convenient for turtles to mate.

According to the claws - in males they are long and irregular in shape, while in females they are rounded and much shorter.

Female on the left, male on the right. The male differs from the female in long claws. Source: Our Green World

Down the sewer. The cloaca is the enlarged terminal part of the hindgut. In males, it is in the form of a line and is located far from the shell, while in females it is in the form of an asterisk and is located next to the shell.

Tail. The tail of the male is longer than that of the female. In addition, in the male it is thick and tapering towards the end.

The female always has a shorter tail. Source: Our Green World

Where to keep turtles

Red-eared turtles live in aquaterrariums, which are glass tanks partially filled with water. Plastic containers as a home for a turtle are not suitable: an aquaterrarium must have thermal and ultraviolet illumination and a piece of land, and it is difficult to organize this in a plastic tank.

Aquaterrarium selection. Rectangular silicate glass aquaterrarium is suitable for red-eared sliders. In addition to silicate, aquaterrariums are made of acrylic glass, but it is less durable, harder to clean and scratches a lot.

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How much does it cost to keep an aquarium

The size and volume of the aquarium depends on the size of the turtle. For an adult in width, it should be from six longitudinal dimensions of its shell. If you decide to have a pair of turtles, then individuals measuring 20-30 cm will definitely need an aquarium with a volume of at least 150-200 liters.

Suitable aquarium parameters for turtles

Turtle age	Her size is	Aquarium volume	Aquarium size
Newborn	3 cm	Up to 45 l	35 x 25 x 30 cm
1 year	10-12 cm	Up to 50 l	45 x 30 x 35 cm
2 years	15-20 cm	80-100 L	60 x 35 x 57 cm
3 years	22-27 cm	100-150 l	70 × 40 × 57 cm
Over 3 years	30-35 cm	From 180 l	80 x 40 x 55 cm

Newborn

Its size

9000 3 cm

Aquarium volume

to 45 l

Aquarium size

35 × 30 × 30 cm

Up to 50 l

Aquarium size

45 × 30 × 35 cm

2 years old

Its size

15-20 cm

Aquarium volume

80-100 l

9000 years

Its size

22-27 cm

Aquarium volume

100-150 L

Aquarium size

70 × 57 cm

older than 3 years

30–35 cm

Aquarium capacity

From 180 l

Aquarium size

80 × 40 × 55 cm

Our Chip is 2 years old, it is 13 cm long. see As long as this space is enough for her.

The set with the aquarium included a shore covered with artificial grass — Chipa can lie on it and bask for hours, stretching out his paws

The water in the aquarium should be about ⅔ of its volume — no more. Ideally, when there is still 20-30 cm from the water to the edge of the aquarium. Turtles are suitable for drinking tap water with a pH of 6-8. But before launching a turtle into such water, I recommend standing it for 1.5-2 hours.

You can buy aquaterrarium in a pet store or on a classifieds website. The average price of a tank for 40-50 liters is 800-1200 R, for 80 liters - 1500-2000 R, from 100 liters - 3000-7000 R. It all depends on the configuration: is there a built-in shore or a lamp in the set.

On "Avito" you can find terrariums in good condition with all accessories from 1500 R per 20 liters. Source: "Avito" But such an aquaterrarium can be bought at a pet store. The average cost of a turtle for 80 liters is 1500 R. Source: "Hares"

Islet is an obligatory element of an aquaterrarium: a turtle must have a place on land where it can rest and bask in warmth.

The surface of the beach itself and the ascent to it must be made of non-toxic and non-slip material - the turtle should easily climb the ladder to the island. Rough stones, stone chips, artificial grass are suitable.

If you buy a special aquarium for turtles, it must already be equipped with an island. For example, it could be a glass ledge attached to the wall of an aquarium.

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What to order on Aliexpress for pets: 8 verified products

If the aquarium does not have an island, then it can be purchased separately at the pet store. The average price is 330-500 R. Such a product is attached to the suction cups to the walls of the aquarium or to the bottom. It should be made of glass, stone or food-grade plastic.

This is how a separate island may look like - it is placed in the aquarium at the bottom. The cost depends on how the island is sheathed. For example, if it is a stone, then its price will be higher. Source: "Aquadom" This is how the island attached to the walls of the terrarium looks like. Source: "Four paws" And this is an island made of food plastic on suction cups. The price of such an island on Aliexpress is 280-380 R, in a pet store - 500-600 R. Source: Aliexpress

Soil works as a biological filter: useful microorganisms, bacteria and fungi settle in it, which process the waste products of turtles.

Usually the soil is stones and shells. After purchase, they must be thoroughly rinsed in running water.

River sand cannot be used for aquaterrariums: it will simply lie on the bottom in a dense layer and begin to rot, and when shaken, it will release methane, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. This is dangerous for reptiles. Shell rock, coral sand and marble contain calcium carbonates, which increase the hardness of water - they also cannot be used.

The ground should not take up too much space: turtles are active reptiles, they need to swim. It is also important that the rocks and shells are large enough so that the turtle cannot swallow them. Do not place sharp objects in the aquarium so that the turtle does not get hurt.

The average price for soil is 120-200 R per 1 kg.

This is how the soil in the aquaterrarium near Chipa looks like - large rounded stones. This is also soil - pebbles 5-10 mm. Price - 122 R for 800. Source: Zapovednik

As a decoration for aquaterrarium, you can buy mangrove snags, dead branches of beech, alder, maple, ash at the pet store. And on the back wall of the aquaterrarium, you can add a background - a color picture from photographic paper. We bought this in a pet store, it is most often sold in cuts. For a segment of 45 × 30 cm, we paid 170 RUR.

The average price for a wood composition is 350-600 RUR.

Plants can also be added to the aquaterrarium. For example, cryptocorynes, small arrowheads, anubias, Japanese capsules are suitable. But it is important that the plants are not poisonous: turtles are gluttonous and will gnaw at plants, pull them out or break them.

The average price for a plant sprout in a pet store is 450-600 R.

A small mangrove driftwood 15-25 cm in size can be bought for 500 RUR. Source: "Avito"

Lighting and heating of the aquarium

To make the turtles feel like they are in their natural environment, you need to select and install an ordinary lamp for lighting and an ultraviolet lamp for heating above the aquarium. In addition, you additionally need to heat the water with a special heater.

A simple table lamp can be used to illuminate . It should burn for 10-12 hours a day, it must be turned off at night. Just place the lamp above the aquarium so that water splashes do not fall on it - turtles do not dive too gracefully and usually raise a flurry of spray. You can even protect it with a ceiling.

We fixed the lamp to the top shelf. After turning off, we bend the ceiling so that the lamp does not get wet from accidental splashes. We bought this lamp for 350 R in Auchan

UV lamp replaces the sun for reptiles. The lamp emits ultraviolet light, which is necessary for the turtle to receive vitamin D - it is vital for it to absorb calcium, strengthen the shell and prevent many diseases. From a lack of vitamin D, the shell of turtles becomes soft and curved, and a deficiency leads to rickets, a deadly disease in which the skeleton and shell of the turtle are irreversibly deformed.

The UV lamp should not burn all daylight hours - it is enough to turn it on for 1-2 hours a day. Food and synthetic vitamins will not replace special lighting.

For aquaterrariums, a UV lamp with a UVB and UVA spectrum is suitable - these are ultraviolet rays that differ in wavelength. A suitable UVA is 30%, UVB is 5-12%. Information about the value of UVB and UVA is indicated on the packaging of the lamp.

UV lamps for turtles can be:

in the form of T5 or T8 fluorescent tubes - they are inserted into special grooves in the lid of the aquaterrarium, if any. Tubes come in different capacities and different lengths - the level of ultraviolet radiation directly depends on it;
with standard E27 base.

You can buy a UV lamp at a pet store with a terrarium department or online. One UV lamp is enough for a year: then the light intensity decreases and the lamp becomes useless.

Do not use blue heating and quartz lamps used in medicine for aquariums - they emit ozone toxic to reptiles, as well as lamps for drying gel polish: because of them, turtles can burn the cornea.

I recommend Arcadia, JBL, Zoomed or Sylvania UV lamps. The average price is 700-1500 R.

This is what a tube lamp looks like. Source: "Yandex-Market" And so - a lamp with a conventional base. Source: magizoo.ru

Heating in an aquaterrarium is needed to establish and maintain a microclimate comfortable for turtles and a stable temperature. To do this, a special heater is immersed in water. The optimum temperature for terrariums — +26…30 °C — is constantly maintained.

Heaters are available in glass and plastic. Plastic is good because the turtle will not be able to get burned on it or break it. And the glass one has a built-in thermostat that turns off the heating when the temperature has reached the desired value. Then, when the temperature drops, it turns on again.

550 R

we gave for the aquarium heater

The heater is usually attached to the aquarium with suction cups. To prevent turtles from tearing it off and chasing it around the aquarium, you can fill it with stones, and for highly aggressive individuals, you can even separate it with a wall.

Select a heater based on 1 W per 1 liter of aquarium volume. You can buy it in aquarium departments, pet stores, online stores. The average cost is 500-1500 R.

For Chipa, we chose a horizontal-type glass heater with suction cups from Barbus. It is inexpensive - we paid 550 R, and the temperature scale is clearly visible on it.

This is how our heater looks like, it is attached to the wall of the aquarium Barbus heater, glass, with a power of 100 W, costs 677 R for a volume of 90-120 liters. Source: Yandex Market

Filters for aquariums

- it is needed to purify water and saturate it with oxygen. There are two types of aquarium filters depending on where they are located: internal and external.

According to the type of fillers that fall into the filters, they can be:

Mechanical is a simple device consisting of a motor and a foam tube. These filters usually do not have a compartment for additional filler, so they are only suitable for small aquariums with one turtle. Usually internal filters are always mechanical. Price - from 370 R.
Biological - these are filters with a special compartment where a filler is placed for the reproduction of beneficial bacteria. They not only purify water, but also regulate the biobalance - saturate the water with beneficial microflora. Price — from 280 R.
Chemical is a filter with an adsorbent, that is, a substance, such as coal, that absorbs impurities and purifies water. Price - from 550 R.
Combined - combine different fillers. As a rule, this is the most suitable option for any aquarium. Price - from 990 R.

External filter is suitable for aquariums from 50 liters. The block of such a filter is mounted outside the aquarium, and only tubes and hoses go inside. There is also a pump in the filter - it pumps water from the aquarium to the filter and back.

The external filter collects all the dirt in a special compartment where the cleaning granules are located - the filter media. Thanks to the filler, such a filter can affect the biobalance of the aquarium.

An external filter for an aquarium up to 300 liters will cost 6400-8000 R. Source: Yandex Market

Internal filter is a plastic container with holes on the sides through which water penetrates. Inside such a container there is a cartridge with a special filler, most often a foam rubber sponge, which purifies the water. Over time, beneficial bacteria accumulate in the cartridge and the filter begins to function as a biological filter. The internal filter also has a pump with a diffuser - it pumps water and saturates it with oxygen. For everything to work correctly, you need to connect a hose to the diffuser, usually with a diameter like that of a compressor, the other end of which will not be in the water.

650 Р

we paid for the 40 l internal filter

The internal filter is convenient in that it can be installed in any position - horizontally or vertically, so it is suitable for small aquariums up to 50 liters: large aquariums have large turtles can easily damage the filter or gnaw through the tubes.

Chipa's aquaterrarium has an internal Barbus filter for 40 liters. It suits us quite well: it doesn’t buzz, it filters the water well, I wash my sponge once a week. Bought it in a pet store for 650 R

Care of the aquarium

The aquarium in which turtles live should be cleaned regularly. If this is not done, plaque forms on its walls, the water becomes cloudy and smelly.

To prevent the water from becoming contaminated with food residues, it is recommended to place the turtle in a separate container for feeding.

Small aquariums up to 80 liters can be cleaned once a week. In large ones, from 100 liters, less often - once every 40-45 days. This is quite enough, because large aquaterrariums are usually equipped with powerful filters.

Chipa has a 45-liter aquarium, she lives in it alone, so we clean every two weeks - that's enough.

It is not necessary to use special products for cleaning the terrarium - it is enough to wash everything with soapy water and rinse well. I'll tell you how I clean up.

To begin with, I plant Chipa in a bowl of water at room temperature. So that she would not be bored, I throw a handful of dry gammarus - these are small dried crustaceans and lettuce leaves: she will quickly eat the crustaceans, and play with the leaves.

Next in the aquarium, I always turn off all the devices, remove the soil and plants. Everything must be washed thoroughly. Water from the terrarium can be drained with a hose into a bucket or basin, but we scoop it out with a ladle into a bucket and pour it into a bathtub.

To wash the aquarium itself, I do not use any special products: I lather the sponge with ordinary soap and carefully wash the walls, bottom and island. I clean the corners and joints with a cotton swab. I also wash the stones and soil with soapy water and a hard sponge, and clean small pebbles with a toothbrush if necessary. I disassemble the filter and wash it together with the heater in the same way - with soap.

After that, I put everything back: I put stones and soil on the bottom, put an island, put the heater and filter back in place. Then I put the aquarium in place and fill it with water, connect the filter and the heater.

When the water temperature rises to 26 °C, I start Chipa and forget about cleaning for two weeks.

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Rights if there are pets

Aquaterrarium disinfection is necessary if you move turtles from one tank to another, add a new tenant or if the turtle in it is sick or dead.

Disinfection is carried out with special means, you can use:

Chloramine solution 1% - it is washed off and weathered without problems if the terrarium is washed well after treatment. You can buy "Chloramine" in any pharmacy or hardware store, the cost is from 89 R for a package of 300 g;
solution "Virkona-S" 1% - helps to cope with viruses and fungi. They irrigate the terrarium, then rinse thoroughly with running water. It costs 310 R for a package of 50 g;
Chlorhexidine is a common antiseptic and bactericidal agent that can also be used for aquaterrariums. The surface is treated with a solution at a concentration of 0.01% or less. It costs from 15 R per 100 ml.

Turtle care

You need to take care not only of the aquarium, but also of the turtle itself - bathe it and monitor the condition of the claws and beak.

Bathing. If a turtle is constantly in the water, this does not mean that it does not need to be washed. The reptile itself should be cleaned at least once a week and a half. To bathe and clean the turtle, you will need a foam sponge, fragrance-free baby soap, and a paper towel.

Turtle shells are hard but very vulnerable. Therefore, under no circumstances should hard brushes, scrubbers, shower gel and household detergents be used. A The water must be at room temperature.

Gently wipe the turtle with a sponge and soap, but be careful not to get the foam in its eyes, mouth and nose. After washing, pat the turtle dry with a towel.

It is not necessary to trim the turtle's claws , this is done when they interfere with the reptile's movement or cling to stones, plants or bank hair.

You can cut the turtle's nails with ordinary nail scissors or wire cutters. Only the keratinized part of the claw should be removed: there are no blood vessels there. If you accidentally cut off the excess and blood began to flow, the wound must be treated with a cotton swab dipped in hydrogen peroxide.

Turtles' beak is also trimmed, or rather bitten off with wire cutters, but only if it is noticeably bent into the shape of a horn. The excess of the beak is bitten off, and then leveled with a file.

If you cannot cope with this task on your own, you can contact your veterinarian. I took the chip for a beak haircut to the clinic only once, I paid 150 rubles for the procedure.

What to feed the red-eared turtle

Before feeding, the turtle must be removed from the aquarium to another container so that no food remains in the terrarium and, therefore, the water is not polluted. A bowl, pot, container, or bath will do. I feed Chipa in a bowl: I prick a piece of food on a toothpick, serve it to Chipa and she grabs it from the toothpick.

Feeding should preferably be done in the morning, so that the turtle has time to warm up under the lamp and digest food before going to sleep.

The basis of the turtle diet, 80%, is meat, offal, fish, seafood, eggs, cottage cheese and insects, that is, food of animal origin. The rest of the diet consists of fruits, vegetables, herbs and ready-made industrial feed.

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Which pet food should I choose?

Baby turtles, up to a year old, while they are actively growing, are fed small portions every day. After a year, it is enough for turtles to eat 2-3 times a week. An adult reptile can go without food for up to 10 days, so turtles as pets are great for those who often leave home.

There are two ways to calculate the amount of food for your turtle:

by time - how much food the turtle can eat in 30 minutes;
according to the size of her head - up to one and a half years, the portion should be no more than one of her heads, and from one and a half to three years - two heads. For individuals from three years old, the portion should be equal to half of its shell.

Meat and offal. Rabbit, chicken and turkey, horse meat and beef are suitable for turtles. The meat is given raw, cut into small pieces.

Offal can be given raw or cooked, but there are more useful elements for turtles in raw. Turtles can have navels and liver - chicken and beef. It is impossible - pork and lamb: meat of fatty varieties is poorly digested in them.

During the growth period, meat is given 3-4 times a week, for turtles from a year - once a week.

On average, I spend 300 R per month on meat for Chipa.

Chopped chicken breast for Chips

Fish and seafood. Marine fish is allowed for reptiles, but not fatty varieties: haddock, halibut, cod. From the river, perch, pollock, sprat, hake, herring are suitable. We offer the fish to the turtle every other time.

Before feeding, be sure to remove all large bones, scales and entrails from the fish: the turtle can choke or damage the internal organs on sharp bones.

It is not necessary to boil the fish. To get rid of harmful microorganisms and worms that may be in raw fish, I recommend keeping it in the freezer for 5-6 days.

Shrimps, mussels, squids, snails are useful for turtles. They can be boiled or given raw. I prefer to give everything to Chipa raw: I think there are more vitamins and elements useful for turtles in such products.

The pet store also sells gammarus, a dried crustacean that contains a lot of calcium and is liked by turtles. I give it to my Chip every time at the end of feeding - for dessert.

I spend about 250 R per month on fish and seafood for Chipa.

At the same time, you cannot feed a turtle only with meat and fish: rickets, hypovitaminosis A may develop. Therefore, the rest of the menu should consist of insects, cottage cheese, eggs and vegetables with fruits.

Eggs and cottage cheese. Turtles are given cottage cheese, and it is desirable that the grains are large: small ones sink in water and it is difficult for turtles to collect them. Cottage cheese is given to turtles no more than once a week. Small individuals can be given it every other day.

Eggs are given boiled, cut into large pieces - they are easily bitten off and do not crumble. For turtles, both protein and yolk are useful. You can give 1-2 times a week.

Chipa eats 4 eggs and 200 g of cottage cheese per month. On average, I spend 120 R.

Insects can be given to turtles 1-2 times a week. In summer, you can pamper your pet with live grasshoppers, earthworms, beetles and furry caterpillars. In the pet store you can buy mealworms, gammarus and feed them to the turtle even in winter.

You can buy live bloodworms at specialized animal markets. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days, wrapped in paper, or in a container with holes.

Plant food can be given with every meal, along with meat or fish. From fruits, bananas, apples, peaches, pears, apricots, plums, melons, watermelons are suitable. From vegetables - zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage, cucumbers, legumes.

Everything is given raw and finely chopped, fruit can be mashed. Large individuals can also be given large pieces - they themselves will bite off as much as they need.

In the summer, for Chipa, I pick plantain and dandelion leaves right on the street - she likes them very much. You can also offer clover and coltsfoot to the turtles, but Chipa doesn't like them.

Many turtles like dried seaweed, but it is better to offer it only as a treat: cabbage has too much iodine for reptiles. Our Chipa didn't even try it - apparently, she didn't like the smell.

Some even like mushrooms, but they can only be given once a week - too high in calories for turtles. Suitable boletus, russula and champignons. Mushrooms can be given raw, but it is better to scald them with boiling water first.

I spend about 150 R per month on vegetable food for Chipa.

Chopped vegetables for chips. I feed them by hand. The portion is approximate, but most often Chip does not eat it either

Ready-made dry food is available in granules, flakes, capsules and tablets. The problem is that it does not always meet the needs of turtles. Most manufacturers simply modify dry fish food and sell it as reptile food. At the same time, the composition may contain fishmeal that is harmful to turtles. Because of it, the digestive system stops working normally, growth is stunted and the energy balance is disturbed. The turtle will fill his stomach with them, but at the same time he will remain hungry.

Here are the complete foods that have worked well in my experience and breeders' opinions:

Tetra's ReptoMin Menu in cans and sticks - consists of dry shrimp, offal mini sticks and krill. The food is well balanced, contains calcium, amino acids, polypeptides. The cost is 316 R per 250 ml.
ReptoMin Baby by Tetra is suitable for turtles up to a year old. It has a lot of calcium to strengthen and grow the shell and bones. A 100 ml jar costs 185 R.
JBL Schildkr tenfutter is a mixture of crustaceans and insects. A 250 ml jar will cost 350 RUR.
ProBaby JBL is suitable for young animals. A 100 ml jar costs 290 R.

Here are a few more manufacturers you can trust: Sera, Fin, Nutra, Zoomir.

Tetra also has good supplements and treats for reptiles:

Tetra Gammarus — dried gammarus, 250 R for a 250 ml can.
Tetra ReptoMin Delica Shrimps - Freeze Dried Shrimp, 390 R per jar 250 ml.
Tetra ReptoDelica Grasshopers - dry grasshoppers, 430 R per 250 ml jar.

I feed Chipa with dry food infrequently - about once a week, but sometimes I can add it to vegetables or fish if I see that she has not eaten enough. If the food is good, then constant feeding will not harm them. I spend about 300 R per month on food. Another 200 R per month goes to dry gammarus.

These are Tetra sticks and Zoomir Tortilla mixture, which I feed Chipa with

What not to feed the red-eared turtle. Turtles are forbidden to give food from the table - any spicy, salty or, conversely, sweet foods. For example, onions, garlic, radish, eggplant, chocolate, sausage, cheese, flour products are not allowed. Also, turtles should not eat berries and fruits with peel and bones, lamb, goat meat, sea and river fish of fatty varieties, such as carp, sturgeon, river trout.

This is how the feeding process goes Chips

What to do if the turtle gets sick

To avoid severe illness and complications, pay attention to the appearance and behavior of the turtle. Here are some symptoms that may indicate the disease: