About the maintenance and care of a land turtle from A to Z

Although owning a land turtle as a pet has its advantages, there are drawbacks as well. These amazing animals need particular care to survive, so they’re more than just adorable housewarming additions. The health and well-being of your turtle depends on your ability to maintain and care for them, regardless of experience level.

Numerous important factors need to be taken into account, ranging from designing the ideal habitat to guaranteeing a healthy diet. Turtles require a home that is appropriate in terms of temperature, humidity, and space, and that closely resembles their natural habitat. Additionally, you must closely monitor their diet to ensure that they receive the proper balance of nutrients to maintain their health.

We’ll go over everything you need to know in this guide to maintain the happiness and health of your land turtle. We’ll go over important subjects like preparing their habitat, feeding procedures, and routine physical examinations. You can give your turtle a happy and comfortable life with the correct knowledge and a little effort.

Aspect	Details
Habitat	Provide a spacious enclosure with a mix of land and water areas, depending on the species. Include a basking area with UV light.
Diet	Offer a balanced diet of leafy greens, vegetables, and occasional protein like insects or fish. Avoid sugary or fatty foods.
Temperature	Maintain a warm environment with a heat lamp or heating pad. Ensure a gradient with cooler areas for temperature regulation.
Humidity	Keep humidity levels appropriate for the species. Mist the enclosure regularly or use a humidity gauge to monitor levels.
Health	Regularly check for signs of illness or injury. Provide routine vet check-ups and ensure a clean habitat to prevent diseases.
Enrichment	Include hiding spots, climbing structures, and other enrichment items to keep the turtle active and stimulated.
Cleaning	Clean the enclosure regularly to prevent the buildup of waste and bacteria. Change water frequently and spot-clean as needed.

Types of land turtles

The Central Asian is the most prevalent in Russia. In nature, there are 37 different kinds. Presented throughout Africa.

Central Asian

They hibernate in nature. tiny, measuring only 20 cm. The round, yellow-brown shell is round. 90% plant-based diet.

Mediterranean

When kept at home, young fish of this breed do not fare well. Select an adult. Eats plant food, snails, and earthworms. reaches a maximum size of 28 cm. Scutes on the carapace resemble rings with a black border.

Coal (red-footed)

High humidity and temperatures starting at 27 degrees are necessary. In captivity, grows up to 55 cm. foodstuffs: meat, veggies, and fruits.

Leopard

You need a pond. A big turtle can reach a length of 60 cm. The carapace has dark spots and is light brown in color. The diet consists only of grass. Fruits and veggies that are juicy can be harmful to your health.

Radiant

Up to 40 cm in size. extremely lovely shell with a dome. There are star-shaped yellow spots on dark scutes. green plant parts in the diet.

Other species

Purchase and selection

Central Asians are the most popular breed. Little in size, doesn’t need extra attention. Larger turtles are more difficult to care for. They’ll require a sizable area of their own.

Advice on selecting an animal:

1. The phase of greatest activity is in the morning and evening. And also the most active turtles in the summer in warm weather. At this time, it is clear whether a healthy pet is offered for sale or a sick one.
   Please note:
2. behavior, coordination and activity;
3. no damage;
4. color without strange spots;
5. shell scutes, tightly adjacent to each other;
6. body shape;
7. plaque in the mouth, it should not be there, as well as viscous saliva;
8. dry nose (discharge indicates illness).
9. Try to find professional breeders.
10. Choose a teenage or adult turtle. A baby will require additional care and is susceptible to diseases.

You can carry the turtle in a cardboard box with paper inside during the summer. Put a heating pad in the carrier for the winter.

It can be a fulfilling experience to care for a land turtle, but it does call for close attention to detail. Maintaining a land turtle requires several important steps, ranging from understanding their nutritional needs and health care to setting up the right habitat with proper lighting and temperature. This guide will take you step-by-step through everything you need to know to make sure your turtle stays healthy and happy and thrives in its natural habitat.

How to keep a land turtle

Keeping a turtle on the floor is the most frequent mistake made by its owners. Potential repercussions:

• cold from drafts and cold surfaces;
• may crawl into a corner and not get out or get stuck under furniture;
• dust getting into the nose will damage the lungs and respiratory tract;
• getting various injuries, if, for example, the owner accidentally steps on it.

A terrarium—a specially designed living space—is required.

Terrarium

Setting up a home is the first step in providing for a land turtle at home. As a temporary solution, a cardboard box will also function; however, the pet needs to have a terrarium set up:

1. Sizes from 100 cm in length, 50 in width and 30 in height will allow the animal to move freely and eliminate the possibility of escape.
2. When arranging, leave a lot of free space. Avoid creating unnecessary barriers.
3. Install the future home in a warm place at a height of 20 cm from the floor to protect from drafts.
4. Leave room for a mini pool or a large drinking bowl. The turtle is able to absorb water from the outside. Liquid improves intestinal function.

A larger terrarium is needed for larger pets.

If you decide to bring an old aquarium into your house, give it a thorough cleaning with disinfectant solutions.

Soil

Cover the bottom of the terrarium to begin setting it up. Aquarists have a few preferences:

1. A mixture of soil with coconut fibers. If the soil is not purchased, pre-heat it to get rid of parasites.
2. Sawdust. Such filler is sold in pet stores.
3. Large gravel.
4. Special substrates. Compositions for reptiles are allowed.

3 to 15 cm is the layer thickness. morphs when it becomes soiled.

Add big, level stones to the terrarium as well. Warming up on them, the turtle will sharpen its claws.

Avoid using sand and small stones as soil as they can clog turtles’ digestive tracts.

Water

Place a special drinking bowl in the terrarium and fill it with warm, fresh water. The liquid should be kept at that temperature by being under a lamp.

Use a large, heavy, nearly flat container for a drinking bowl. The weight will keep it from toppling over, and the low sides will make it simple to access the water. Make sure the water level is no more than halfway up the animal’s shell.

House

You must construct a shelter if you want to live among land turtles. You can either make it from half a flower pot (a box or piece of cardboard) or purchase it from a specialty store.

Put the house in a shaded area.

Select materials that can be washed to make cleaning the house easier in the event that it gets dirty.

Plants

Speak with the vendor when selecting plants for terrarium decoration to avoid unintentionally placing a toxic flower.

Arrange vegetation in pots and scatter stones on the ground.Movement shouldn’t be impeded by protruding roots. Avoid using pesticides on vegetation.

The pet prefers to rest in corners. Give them some space.

Select non-toxic plants like guzmania, echmea, and aloe to decorate the terrarium.

Temperature

Because they are cold-blooded, turtles require a constant temperature. 35–38 degrees in the light and 25–30 degrees in the shade during the day.

An abrupt drop in temperature puts the animal at risk of illness and death.

Heating

A heating lamp is used to get the terrarium’s desired temperature. Heating mats and cords can be used, but make sure to run them through a temperature regulator to prevent overheating.

Make sure to remove wires carefully to prevent the turtle from reaching them.

Lamp

Put in two lights in the terrarium:

1. Incandescent lamp with a power of up to 60 watts. Used for lighting and heating. It is installed in the corner opposite the house at a height of 20 to 40 cm, depending on the power. Place a large flat stone or ceramic tile under the lamp. Turn on the light during the day for 8-10 hours. Turn it off at night.
2. UV lamp. Ensures the absorption of calcium and the receipt of vitamin D. Without such a lamp, there is a high risk of rickets. Install 40 cm above the terrarium. The rays do not pass through the glass.

Install an extra infrared lamp if the nighttime low falls considerably.

Lighting advice:

1. Maintain different temperature zones. The pet will choose the most comfortable place.
2. The UV lamp gives the greatest effect to a warmed pet.
3. Make lighting from above with a daylight lamp, like natural light.
4. Measure the temperature not on the floor, but at the height of the shell.
5. The heated area of ​​the terrarium should be larger in size than the pet. Otherwise, the turtle will not warm up completely and will get burns.
6. The rhythm of day and night is extremely important, try to turn the light on and off at the same time.

Not enough heat is produced by an energy-saving lamp or a standard light.

How to care for a land turtle at home

Simple rules must be followed for the animal to remain active and healthy.

1. Keep the terrarium clean.
2. Diversify the diet.
3. Bath your pet every week.
4. Watch the claws and beak.
5. Arrange walks.

Feeding

Plant-based foods make up the land turtle’s main diet:

• 75-80% greens;
• 20-25% fruits and vegetables.

Half the turtle’s body volume is represented by a portion.

Make sure to give outdoor plants plenty of water during warm weather to prevent worm infestation in the turtle. Particularly beneficial to the animal

1. Dandelion. All parts of this plant contain vitamin A, which is necessary for the pet.
2. Plantain leaves. High fiber content helps improve bowel function.
3. Salad. You can grow your favorite treat in pots in winter.

Clover, coltsfoot leaves, sorrel, petunia, goutweed, thistle, and rhubarb leaves are also appropriate.

Carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers, and pumpkin are among the vegetables that turtles consume. Grated hard vegetables work better than whole soft vegetables.

Handle caution when feeding them cabbage. could result in gas.

Fruits should be fed sparingly because excessive amounts can cause bloating. Apples are superior.

Once a week, add fresh bean sprouts and mushrooms to the food to help the animal get the protein it needs.

To prevent dirt from entering, feed the animal from a spotless surface. Diversity in diet lengthens life expectancy and promotes health. It is convenient to prepare a salad from various herbs, fruits, and vegetables. It keeps well in the refrigerator and can be reheated as needed.

It is necessary to feed animal-derived products to certain breeds. like chopped meat.

• table food;
• potatoes;
• citrus fruits, especially the peel;
• whole eggshells;
• bread;
• milk;
• grasshoppers, locusts;
• poisonous mushrooms.

Feed juveniles up to two years old every day, and adult turtles every two to three days.

Vitamins

Pet supply stores sell vitamin and mineral complexes. Observe the directions found on the packaging. A lot of people handle all of the preparation themselves.

Mineral dietary supplements for the house:

• carbonate;
• bone meal;
• ground eggshells;
• glycerophosphate.

Serving size: 100 mg for every kiloweight of the animal.

Vitamins A, B12, and D3 that are required should come from natural sources (food, UV lamp).

Animals should never be given vitamin D2 or oil preparations.

Drinking

It is sufficient to drink water from the cup. To keep it clean, change it every day. Remember to place it under the lamp to keep it warm.

Is the turtle consuming fluids through its skin?

Walks

In the summer, walks are a must. Even though it moves slowly, the pet can easily become lost in the grass. The animal’s walking area should be enclosed with a fence.

Chilled animals can become ill.

Because turtles dig up the ground, lower the enclosure deeper into the earth.

Hygiene

Once a week, wash the house, big stones, and driftwood to keep the terrarium clean. Once every two to three months, clean or replace the soil. Every day, wash the drinker and bowl.

Items from the terrarium should not be cleaned in a communal sink.

It’s not ideal to care for a land turtle during its molting season. Avoid rubbing oils or creams into the shell. There won’t be any result from these actions. Non-greasy creams for reptiles can aid in overly dried skin. For a week, apply to dry areas every day. Molting is typically painless. It is sufficient to take a bath with a weak soda solution (1 teaspoon per liter of water). The procedure is run no more than twice.

Bathing is a favorite activity for turtles. Bathe your pet once a week if you use succulent food and twice a week if you use dry food, even if they have a drinker. Following purchase, give your pet water once a day for a week, as they frequently become dehydrated. Bathing will restore the body’s water balance in addition to cleaning the shell.

Pour warm water (about thirty degrees) into a basin until it reaches the middle of the shell. Give the turtle forty minutes to spend inside the container. Dry the animal with a gentle towel or napkin after giving it a bath.

During this time, defecation is completely normal.

A wet turtle should never be left on the ground.

One crucial step in the care process is trimming the claws. The beak and claws can get so long when housed that they start to get in the way of eating and moving around. Obtain some sharp shears. Trimming should be done in the light. Remove the excess by biting off 2-3 mm from the blood vessels. If blood appears, apply a potassium permanganate solution to the injured area.

Instead of being severed, the beak is broken off into tiny fragments. Use a file to carefully trim the edges when the growths fall off. Get in touch with a veterinarian clinic if you caught a vessel and blood starts to appear.

Life expectancy

The domestic turtle frequently outlives its natural counterpart. The best living conditions are the cause of the explosion in life:

• lack of dangers;
• fixed temperature conditions;
• Permanent presence of food.

Life expectancy is 40 years old.

The age of the grooves on the shell’s central plates is ascertained by the veterinarian. The groove forms every three months for up to two years. Approximately once a year in adults.

Propagation

The time of prefabricated turtles:

• females 10-12 years old;
• Male 5-6.

When to mate: February through August.

Plant partners for two weeks prior to mating. The male will become more interested as a result, and there will be competition from other men.

Keep the temperature between 25 and 30 degrees. The male will not produce sperm if the indicators are lower.

Usually two to three nipes, the female equips them, deposits up to six eggs in each, and then forgets about the progeny.

A two-month pregnancy lasts. The turtle needs better nourishment both during and after giving birth to eggs.

The eggs laid in the hole should be placed in an incubator. 18 cm of soil, 29–30 degrees Celsius. High temperatures cause the turtle to develop sooner. It perishes inside the shell without ever emerging.

Approximately two months pass before it hatches.

How to determine the sex

Sex can be identified between 1.5 and 2 years of age.

The following characteristics determine whether an adult is accessible to a male or female:

1. Body structure. Among peers, females are clearly larger and more rounded, while the body of the male is more elongated, oval.
2. Abdomen. Plastron – the lower part of the shell in females is flat or slightly convex, in males it is concave. This feature is due to the bearing of eggs.
3. Spurs. Skin growths on the thighs of males help to fixate on the female during the process mating. Females do not have them.
4. Back of the shell. In males, the tail is bent toward the ground and almost completely covers the tail. In females, the tail is almost invisible.
5. Tail. Is the sexual organ. In females, it is thin and short, in males, it is long and large.
6. Cloaca. Female is shaped like an asterisk and is located close to the shell. Male – longitudinal and closer to the tip of the tail.
7. Eyes. Most often, yellow eyes are a sign of a female, and brown – a male.
8. Behavior. Females are calm, males are aggressive. Only males participate in fights. Males also have mating dances and attempts to climb on the female.

Since the condition of the claws depends on the soil, it is impossible to determine the sex from them. Males in the wild have longer, thicker claws, which makes mating easier.

Caring for babies

Young turtles are delicate and defenseless. Following a few guidelines will improve their chances of surviving:

1. Adults and cubs are kept in different terrariums to avoid possible injuries caused by adults.
2. For babies, the floor is covered with sawdust. The temperature is maintained the same as for adults. The same applies to lighting.
3. The babies are fed crushed plant foods with calcium.

Problems

When buying an exotic pet, keep the following issues in mind:

1. Colds from a draft.
2. Failures in the digestive system due to swallowing soil.
3. Excess vitamins lead to diseases.
4. Improper maintenance reduces lifespan.

Diseases

Turtles kept indoors are more prone to many illnesses. Owners typically have to choose from the following types:

1. Rickets. The most common. Softening and deformation of the shell and skeleton due to lack of vitamin D. Use a UV lamp to prevent and treat. In advanced cases, a series of calcium injections will be required. Once the curved shell is no longer straightened.
2. Tearfulness, swelling of the eyes. Develops due to lack of vitamin A. Rinse eyes with chamomile infusion, drip Albucid. Contact your veterinarian, sometimes vitamin injections are required.
3. Parasites. Worm eggs get into the turtle through unwashed street vegetation. Treat with Albenazole.
4. Cold. Breathing problems, white coating on the mucous membrane and viscous saliva. Treated with antibiotics.

Taking good care of your pet can prevent many diseases.

See your vet before beginning any treatment.

Hibernation

Experts disagree about whether or not a pet can hibernate at home. Hibernation ought to mimic what occurs in nature, according to some aquarists. Some contend that if a pet is kept indoors, this type of winterization is unnecessary and could even be harmful to their health if done improperly by a non-professional.

The turtle, ready for hibernation:

• refuses to eat;
• becomes lethargic;
• tries to burrow into the ground.

Hibernation happens in two situations in the natural world:

1. Drought. Lack of food.
2. Cold or excessive heat.

Verify the custody circumstances, give the animal food, and control the temperature.

Price

For rare species, the price of an individual can range from 200 rubles to 150,000 or more. A rejected animal is available for free on websites.

Name	Price (rubles)
Greek, Mediterranean (Testudo graeca)	2160–4800
Leopard, Panther (Stigmochelys pardalis)	3840–7680
Indian Star (Geochelone elegans)	5000–12000
Red-legged, Coal (Chelonoidis carbonaria)	3840–4800
Madagascar Radiant (Astrochelys radiata)	24000
Central Asian (Agrionemys horsfieldii)	500–3000

Prices are influenced by the following attributes:

• gender;
• age;
• species rarity.

Compatibility

They are solitary creatures, turtles. They congregate in groups for fighting and mating in the wild. Only group turtles together if they belong to the same species and are the same size and there is no other way out. But disagreements still happen. Different keeping conditions are needed for different breeds.

Turtles of exotic species should be kept apart.

They can share large vertical terrariums with a few iguanas. The small reptile may lose its paws or tail when attempting to make friends. Snakes are poisoned by the secretions of turtles.

Taming

Feed the turtle by holding the food between your fingertips to force it to eat from your hands. Recall that the pet will begin to pursue the owner after becoming accustomed to this feeding method.

At first, turtles are not very amiable with humans. Pick up the animal more frequently and gently so as to wean it off of biting.

Due to their keen sense of hearing, turtles will respond to consistent sounds, such as those made before feeding or washing them.

Animals can identify and recall their owners. They enjoy observing activities taking place in the room.

Habits regarding feeding times and daylight hours are quickly established. The pet will sigh and shake its head in disappointment if food is not given at the scheduled time.

What you can"t do

1. Paint the shell.
2. Allow it to hibernate.
3. Give medications without consulting a specialist.
4. Add a new resident without a month-long quarantine.
5. Allow animals to play with the turtle.
6. Keep the turtle on the floor.
7. Leave it without a shelter.
8. Use fabrics, cotton wool, wool instead of soil.
9. Put aggressively minded pets together.
10. Constantly feed the same.
11. Cat, dog, human food.
12. Animal food.

Reviews from aquarists

Owner reviews are not all the same. While some people are ecstatic, others start to despise the animal.

Taking care of a land turtle needs dedication and close attention to detail, but it can be a rewarding experience. Every detail matters when it comes to keeping your turtle happy and healthy, from establishing the ideal habitat to making sure it eats right and stays healthy. Keep in mind that every species of turtle has unique requirements, so you must adjust your care regimen accordingly.

Creating an appropriate habitat is the cornerstone of caring for turtles. Make sure the lighting, humidity, and temperature in their enclosure are all appropriate for their natural habitat. Keeping your turtle comfortable and preventing health problems is possible with routine cleaning and upkeep of their living area.

A balanced diet is equally important for your turtle to eat. Do some research on the optimum diets for their species and refrain from overfeeding or giving them the wrong kind of treats. They will get the nutrients they need to grow if their diet is varied.

Finally, regular exams by a veterinarian experienced in treating reptiles can aid in the early detection of possible health issues. You may make sure your land turtle lives a long, happy life by being knowledgeable and proactive. Your turtle can grow to be a treasured member of your family for many years to come with the correct care and attention.

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