Among other domestic pets, turtles stand somewhat apart. They do not require as much attention as a cat or a dog. Keep the aquarium clean, maintain a constant temperature, light it over your head and provide food. They are rarely sick, and their diet is very diverse. This funny creature can live with you in the same apartment for decades.
Domestic turtles live perfectly in a simple aquarium, and in the wild these animals live in fresh water reservoirs in vast spaces. Where the birthplace of these creations, scientists have not figured out. Green turtles got their name for the original red stripes on the head ("ears"). They can live in your home until they are 30 years old. Determine the sex can be in the pet only in five to six years. Males are more active, and their nails, paws and neck are somewhat larger than those of women. Although in terms of their overall size, females are considerably larger for males. During courtship, cavaliers make a hiss and attract the attention of females, shaking in front of her head with their paws.
How to equip an aquarium for a turtle?
The aquaterrarium for these creatures can be made of glass or plastic, and it should consist of 30% of the land. The remaining 70% is a pond. The size of the aquarium for small turtles should be selected taking into account the fact that in a few years they can reach a size of 30 centimeters.
The size of the aquarium is based on the size of the turtle:
- the smallest 3-10 cm - up to 50 liters;
- medium size 10-16 cm - up to 80 liters;
- large to 25 cm - up to 150 liters;
- for adults - 120-170 liters.
Registration of the aquarium for the red-bellied turtle can begin with the soil. Different glass stones do not fit, because a pet can just bite through them. Sand and small pebbles can get into the intestines. It is best to collect large seashells, which will make your aquarium beautiful and at the same time slightly saturate the water with calcium. Also, a variety of special blocks of minerals are suitable. From the equipment it is necessary to purchase an incandescent lamp to maintain the temperature that is placed over the shore and turn it on for 10-12 hours. The temperature in this zone should be about 20 degrees. The water temperature is maintained using a standard aquarium heater. In the kit, you need to add a water filter and a compressor to saturate it with oxygen. Still get the ultraviolet lamps. Their light contributes to the production of vitamins D3 and normal growth of the shell.
The shore in the aquarium for the red-bellied turtle is made sloping with a small ramp. It can be made of plastic, pasted with stones or pebbles. You can use for the decor and various branches. Here your pet will sunbathe under a lamp, which is located at a height from the surface of the shore of 30 cm.
Contents of the red-bellied turtle in the aquarium
If young individuals are predators, then adults refer to omnivores, and use vegetative food. A lean little fish for this will do fine, the turtle will eat it whole. It is good to take hake, perch, cod or crucian carp, but it is better not to use capelin, sprat or sprat for frequent feeding. They like fish eggs very much. Adult individuals eat fish with their heads, and young people need to cut it into pieces. If young turtles need to be fed every day, then large animals - only 2-3 times a week. Fish can be alternated with seafood: crab, shrimp, octopus, squid. But they need to be warmed to room temperature. Additional food can serve as insects: locusts, grasshoppers, flour worms, snails, washed earthworms, bloodworms. Be careful with caterpillars, they can cause poisoning.
Dry food can be included, but fish and seafood must be required. In the second year of life, the turtle can also be fed with meat. Fatty grades are better to exclude, but the bird and beef sometimes will approach. But there is a lot of protein in the meat and little calcium and vitamins. Better give it a little, just once a week. Useful for turtles are chicken or beef liver, rich in vitamin A.
The aquarium for the turtle turtle is easy to equip, and keeping such a pet will not bring much trouble. Only more than an hour without water do not keep them, so as not to dry out the skin. If you start picking them up from the smallest age, they get used to the person and do not bite. You can start a couple of turtles at home, so that you can have fun with them.