07.03.2020
What kind of turtles are found in the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean turtle (Testudo graeca). House for a reptile: where to place your pet
The Mediterranean (Greek, Caucasian) turtle is a small reptile of the land turtle family. The length of the shell does not exceed thirty centimeters. Males are slightly smaller. Their shell can only reach twenty-three centimeters. The body of the turtles is sand-colored, there are spots brown shades. The ventral part is also light. The shell is almost black, decorated yellow spots. The legs are short. Toes can be seen on the forelimbs.
The habitat of Mediterranean turtles is expanding in the territory North Africa, Southern Europe, Asia. You can see an animal of this breed in the steppe zones, near the foot of the mountains, in sparse forests. Caucasian turtles cannot tolerate heat, so activity is observed in the evening and early morning. The reptile prefers to rest, hiding under some small plant. Most often it can be seen between stones, under bushes. The turtle’s body reacts negatively to a sharp drop in temperature, so the animals sleep all winter. At the beginning of spring they wake up. At this time, young couples can give birth to offspring. You can distinguish a male from a female by the shape of its shell. In males it is more voluminous.
Recently, Greek tortoises have been taken as pets. This decision is explained by the fact that this breed reptiles are quite hardy. With proper care, the pet can live up to thirty years. Before buying a turtle, take care of housing. A terrarium or aquarium is perfect. There should be room for the animal in it, so you should decide on the breed of turtle in advance. Cover the bottom of the “shelter” with a thick layer of a special substrate (sand, peat). At the bottom you can plant small plants (oats, millet, other grains). The sprouts will serve as additional food for your pet. It is not recommended to plant two males in one terrarium at once. Sometimes they can provoke conflicts that will negatively affect the health of one of the animals. It's better to buy a couple. Individuals of different sexes get along well together. Later they can give birth to offspring. Some time after mating, future mom begins to lay eggs. The female buries them shallowly in the soil. It is recommended to immediately transfer the eggs to a special container. This will protect the embryos from injury and premature hatching. In the incubator, the eggs are kept under special ultraviolet paws for four months. Newborn babies (about five centimeters in length) are born completely unprotected. At first, they perceive the environment poorly.
Adult turtles eat almost everything. You can safely give fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, boiled egg. Dairy products are also beneficial for growing reptiles. You can buy special food at the pet store. Nutritional supplements, vitamins. Change the water in drinking bowls daily. Remember that turtles are used to light. Therefore, take them outside regularly. The sun's rays are very beneficial for the animal.
Testudo graeca Linnaeus, 1758
Description: A medium-sized turtle with a high, more or less jagged shell at the back, up to 290 mm long along the upper edge. Forelegs with 5 claws. There is one distinct horny tubercle on the back of the thigh. The color above is yellow or brownish-olive with dark, sometimes almost black spots, clearly defined in young individuals and gradually blurring and increasing in size in adults. The underside is plain or with irregular shape dark spots.
Spreading: Black Sea subspecies T. g. nikolskii, described from the Sochi region, back in the 30-40s. was widespread on Black Sea coast Caucasus, from Anapa to the north. to Sukhumi in the south. Currently, the range has decreased significantly and is divided into a number of isolated, more or less extensive populations. The turtle has almost completely disappeared along the stretch of coast from Tuapse to Adler. To the north habitat in the triangle between Anapa, Nizhnebakansky and Gelendzhik, where until relatively recently the turtle was common, its numbers have also fallen sharply. Findings in the Khosta yew-boxwood grove of the Caucasus Nature Reserve have not been confirmed for a long time. Outside Russia, the species is found in Georgia, northern. Africa, in southern Spain, in the east parts of the Balkan Peninsula, Western Asia, Syria, Iran and Iraq. Transcaucasian subspecies T. g. ibera is found in the foothills Caspian lowland southeast Dagestan, where the north. the boundary of its range has not been precisely established.
Habitat: In the Black Sea region it lives in dry bush thickets, juniper woodlands and forests on adjacent slopes. Penetrates into cultivated lands, vineyards, orchards and tea plantations. In foothill Dagestan, it also inhabits preserved areas of virgin semi-deserts on foothill slopes and in some places penetrates coastal dunes. It feeds on succulent herbaceous vegetation, in particular legumes and asteraceae, also eating berries and fruits. It can nibble on foliage from the lower branches of the tree and jasmine. Less commonly, it eats mollusks, worms and other invertebrates. After wintering, which it often spends burrowing into old holes of badgers or foxes, it appears in March or early April. Immediately upon awakening, mating begins. From approximately the end of May throughout the summer, females, usually three times per season, lay 2-8 eggs, burying them in a hole dug in the ground. The eggs are spherical, 32-36 mm in diameter, weighing up to 23 g. Incubation period about 3 months. Young turtles, up to 45 mm long, hatch in the nesting chambers and usually overwinter here, appearing on the surface only next spring. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of 11-13 years. Active in daytime, hiding from overheating in bushes and under the forest canopy.
Number: All in. parts of the range in the region between Anapa, Nizhnebakansky and Gelendzhik, according to estimates in 1987, 6-8 thousand individuals lived on an area of 2 thousand m2. The total number of turtles in the Black Sea region probably does not exceed 10-15 thousand individuals and continues to decline. The main factors for the decline in numbers are intensive recreational use territory within the range, almost entirely located in the resort area. Uncontrolled catching of animals by tourists and holidaymakers and mechanical tillage of the soil, which destroys masonry, have a negative impact. The current range of the subspecies has split into genetically isolated populations, within which inbreeding occurs due to small numbers. Many sexually mature females remain unfertilized due to an imbalanced sex ratio. Within Dagestan, where the subspecies T. g., which penetrates here from Transcaucasia, lives. ibera, the situation with its numbers is more stable, however, its decline is also observed here, especially in the delta of the river. Samur and in the coastal lowlands of the Caspian Sea.
Security: Listed in the IUCN-96 Red List, Appendix 2 of CITES. Is under protection in Caucasian Nature Reserve(yew-boxwood grove) and the Pitsundo-Myussersky Nature Reserve, where its numbers are extremely small. The only radical means for preserving the Black Sea turtle subspecies, as well as the entire complex of vulnerable species of reptiles and other animals living in its habitat, is the creation of a National natural park area up to 250 km2. The first step could be the creation of the Novorossiysk nature reserve in the area from Cape Utrish to the Dzhubga region in the south. The Mediterranean tortoise reproduces relatively easily in captivity, in particular, it is successfully bred in the Moscow Zoo. Reintroduction into nature of young animals obtained in captivity is possible.
A pet can become a true friend and source for a person. positive emotions. It is important to know in advance all the intricacies of the care and maintenance of the animal that you plan to have in the family. What does a Mediterranean tortoise look like? A description for children and adults, photographs, as well as interesting facts about the animal are given in the article below. What to feed and how to properly water a reptile? What conditions will be required to maintain such exotic friend like Mediterranean land turtle?
What do we know about Mediterranean turtles: habitat
Like any pet, the Mediterranean tortoise will require conditions close to natural conditions to be kept in a human home. natural environment. The heat-loving and sun-loving reptile lives, depending on the variety, on the territory of the countries of the southern European region, in semi-desert or steppe areas, in the region Caucasus Mountains and Transcaucasia.
Two of more than twenty species of this land turtle can be found in our country. This is Nikolsky's tortoise, a Mediterranean tortoise listed in the Red Book, living exclusively in the Russian subtropics Krasnodar region, and Pallas's tortoise in certain areas of the Dagestan Republic. However, selling these rare animals in pet stores and keeping these rare animals at home is prohibited.
Appearance (description)
What does a Greek (or Mediterranean) tortoise look like? A description of this reptile can be found in any reference book. An adult is a medium-sized turtle, only 15-30 cm, with a powerful and fairly strong shell. The weight of the animal is rarely more than three kilograms. The most obvious difference from the equally popular one is the number of toes on the reptile’s paws: this species has as many as five, while the Central Asian “relatives” have only four toes on each paw. The color of the shell is brown, with a pronounced spotted pattern; the color of the young reptile is somewhat brighter.
The age of a turtle can be determined by studying the ring-shaped pattern on the shell: the more rings on the surface, the older the animal.
For those who are just planning to purchase a turtle as a pet, it makes sense to immediately learn that such a pet needs to be provided with the ideal combination external conditions, nutrition and hygiene - only in this case will the Mediterranean turtle be able to live a long life, at least 25-30 years.
And of course, on initial stage all this will require certain financial costs. Is a pet Mediterranean turtle worth the effort? Will such a pet be able to interest children and become a good alternative to a warm-blooded animal?
Of course, curiosity, the ability to observe the habits and lifestyle of a pet, a careful and responsible attitude towards a living creature - all this can be taught to a child by a Mediterranean tortoise. Interesting Facts about this reptile, discovered by scientists, allow us to conclude that the turtle will not become a “living toy”, but a real friend. Here are just a few interesting details:
- The Mediterranean tortoise completely refutes the assertion that all tortoises are clumsy and slow creatures. Young healthy reptiles move around the house with pleasure: the higher the temperature, the faster speed"Turtle race" In addition, this species is capable of climbing to a significant height for a turtle, clinging to protrusions and irregularities with its claws. For example, they may well climb onto a chair or bed.
- Land species of turtles have excellent hearing and vision, and are able to distinguish odors. Added to this is the ability to remember objects and human faces, and respond to voice intonation.
- Contains phosphorus to one degree or another. Because of this, an amazing feature of accumulating sunlight(if the reptile spent the whole day exposed to sunlight) and emit a slight glow at night.
- Turtles are hardy and can go without food for very long periods of time, slowing down and hibernating.
Also, each reptile may have its own character traits and habits, which will certainly make it an interesting object to observe and can interest both adult family members and children.
House for a reptile: where to place your pet?
Even before you bring your pet home, you should take care of a terrarium - a “turtle manor”, where a Mediterranean tortoise will feel as comfortable at home as in its natural environment.
This requires a reservoir, preferably a thick one. clear glass, with a minimum size of 50x40x30 cm. At the bottom of the future terrarium, soil is created: a layer of disinfected soil and on top of it a layer of clean sand or hay, at least 5 cm high. The further design of the terrarium depends on the owner’s imagination: the relief can be decorated with small clean stones or wooden elements, artificial plants. It is not advisable to install living green plants, if only for fear that the turtle will eat them. From mandatory elements in the terrarium you will need to install:
- Equipment for lighting and heating.
- Shelter.
- Feeder and drinker.
If the size of the terrarium allows, you can dig a container under the pond for swimming. The advantage of such a device will be the additional physical activity of the reptile. But this will also add more worries: you will need to regularly change the water and control its temperature.
The place to install the terrarium should be well lit, but away from drafts and direct rays of the sun. For the winter, you can provide your pet with conditions for hibernation. To do this, the tank with the terrarium is moved to a cool, dark place. Before switching to “winter” mode, the reptile must be bathed and not fed for one or two weeks. The signal for the start of wintering is changes in the pet’s behavior: the turtle noticeably slows down and tries to burrow into the ground.
Lighting
To create the necessary lighting in the terrarium, a powerful lamp equipped with a reflector is suitable. A 60-90 kW lamp will serve not only as a light source, but also as a heating source. This “artificial sun” is placed in the corner of the terrarium in such a way that the reptile has the opportunity to choose the temperature mode that is needed in this moment. To control, the air temperature is measured using a home thermometer: in a “sunny” corner this indicator should be at least 30-35˚, while in the opposite “cool” corner it should be about 24-26˚. For comfortable conditions, it is not necessary to turn on the lamp for the whole day. At night, you can also make it “night” in the terrarium by turning off the light source.
Additionally, it is worth installing an ultraviolet lamp in the terrarium. The optimal mounting height for it is from 20 to 40 cm from the height of the pet. Just an hour of operation of such a device will be enough for the turtle to receive its daily requirement of “sunlight substitute.”
Shelter
A small shelter in which the turtle can rest - a “house” in a terrarium with opaque walls. It is best to buy a ready-made turtle house at a pet store, but if you cannot purchase a ready-made turtle house, it can be replaced with a home for rodents, fixed with half a ceramic flower pot or a homemade box house made of wood or safe plastic.
Heating
To heat a reptile in a terrarium, a special thermal cord or a small thermal mat is often used. The equipment must be placed on the floor or fixed on the wall in one of the corners of the terrarium (not under the lamp). There is no need to completely cover the entire surface of the terrarium; constant heating can be harmful to internal organs animal.
How to feed a turtle: suitable foods
When choosing food products you should be guided by the following principle: land turtles are natural vegetarians, so the best food for them will be fruits, berries, herbs and grass shoots. Figuratively, all products traditionally considered “turtle food” can be divided into three categories:
- Prohibited (inappropriate): this includes animal food - fish, eggs, meat, cottage cheese and cheese and other lactic acid and dairy products. In addition, grain products (porridge, cereals, bakery products), nuts, potatoes, corn, dates are strictly not recommended.
- Food that can be given for variety, but very rarely and in small quantities. This category includes exotic fruits (bananas, pineapples, citrus fruits), cucumbers, cherries, asparagus, radishes and radishes, green onions, legumes, spinach and sorrel leaves, beets, seeds, garlic, tomatoes, cabbage.
- Products that are good for your daily diet. These are berries, apples, young shoots of dandelion, nettles, clover, plums and nectarines, persimmons, parsley and dill, pumpkin, lettuce, sweet peppers, peaches and apricots, carrots, melon and peel), kiwi, grapes, zucchini and eggplant.
Food should be given thoroughly chopped, preferably in the form of a mixture of several products, in a ratio of 70-75% vegetable food to 25-30% chopped fruit.
The choice of dry food should be treated with extreme care and caution. Many veterinarians do not recommend including this food in the diet at all, but if necessary, you can feed the turtle with special food marked “for land animals.”
Diet
The feeding regime of a reptile is no less important than right choice food and vitamins. To avoid abnormal weight gain or loss, it is recommended to feed your turtle this way:
- Young individuals - 1 time per day.
- Adult turtles, which do not need to actively grow, eat about 3 times a week.
Vitamins and supplements
If a Mediterranean tortoise lives in the house, caring for the reptile is impossible without properly selected mineral and vitamin supplements to the food. One of the necessary supplements for turtles is calcium. The lack of this element leads to curvature and improper growth of the shell and bone fractures. Calcium supplements are given every one to two weeks, as a spray or loose powder. An alternative to powdered calcium is crushed eggshells.
Additionally, you can feed the reptile with a special vitamin complex, but also no more than once a week. For example, once every 10-12 days you can add a couple of drops of Trivita or fish oil to your pet’s food.
An important question is how much a Mediterranean tortoise can coexist on the territory of a house with other animals of its own or other species. The owners of this claim that due to the low aggressiveness of these reptiles, several Mediterranean turtles get along well in the same territory. However, the size of the terrarium must correspond to the content of such a number of animals. In addition, experts recommend seating turtles in mating season or in the event that individuals clearly demonstrate aggressive behavior to each other.
As for other types of domestic animals, it is better to protect the turtle from contact with them. Overly active behavior of a dog or cat can cause stress and, as a result, illness in the animal.
Some people prefer to keep exotic animals at home, and very often their choice falls on land turtles.
Several species of such turtles are kept in apartment conditions.
There are about forty species of land turtles, but, naturally, not all are suitable for home keeping. The most common types are the following.
Central Asian (steppe) tortoise
The most popular type kept at home.In nature, the steppe tortoise is found in Central Asia, China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It mainly lives on sandy lands, but can also live on loamy soils. Most often, they choose hilly and rocky areas with access to water and green grass as their place of residence. The Central Asian tortoise digs holes on its own or occupies others.
Steppe turtles can grow up to twenty-five centimeters in length. The carapace, that is, the upper part of the shell, can be green or delicate greenish-brown interspersed with darkish streaks. The paws with four toes and the head are a pleasant yellowish-brown color.
These turtles are shown in the video
Mediterranean turtle
There is approximately twenty subspecies of Mediterranean turtles, common in different parts Sveta. Most often they are found in southern Europe, North Africa, on the Black Sea coast in the Caucasus, in Armenia, Georgia and Dagestan.
Mediterranean turtles love warm climate and plenty of sunshine.They come in different sizes and colors. Maximum size shell - thirty-five centimeters. Basically, turtles of this species are gray-yellow in color with dark spots. There are spurs on the hind legs, and a horny tubercle on the hips. There are five toes on the front paws.
Detailed video about such turtles
Star turtle
Turtles of this species are small in size.There is a peculiar pattern on the shell, due to which the turtle received its name. Females boast the presence of particularly bright yellow stars on their carapace with eight rays extending down their sides. Females grow much larger than males; the difference in the length of their shells can reach fifteen centimeters. Star turtles They can easily do without bathing.
Video about such turtles
Egyptian tortoise
In the wild, Egyptian turtles live on the coasts of Libya, Israel and Egypt. They grow very small - up to twelve centimeters in length. The turtle is yellowish in color with a dark border on the scutes. There are no spurs on the hind legs.
The behavior of the Egyptian tortoise shows a very peculiar and extraordinary ability to instantly bury itself in the sand when a threat arises.This turtle is shown in the video
The habitat in nature is Southern Europe, in particular the Mediterranean coast. Balkan turtles are very similar in appearance to Mediterranean turtles, but differ in their small size. The brown shell has dark streaks. The brightness of the color depends on age - in young turtles it is more saturated. The tip of the tail ends in a conical spike.
Sex differences
Males have a longer tail than females, but females are usually much larger than males. Males of many species have a significantly concave plastron.
Many people get turtles thinking that they require little to no care.Similar opinion wrong. Absolutely any animal needs care, and it must be correct, because proper maintenance is the key to happy life pet. Before buying a turtle, you should study all the nuances regarding creating the necessary conditions for it. Arranging a comfortable living environment must be approached with the utmost seriousness, because the turtle will spend its entire life in your home. You should not completely shift the care process to your children, trying to develop a sense of responsibility in them. Still Living being not a suitable subject for experimentation. The child may forget to feed the animal or observe other nuances. If you entrust the care of a turtle to a child, then you definitely need to supervise him.
Arrangement of residence
A huge mistake of many owners is the belief that the best condition for keeping land turtles is free range on the floor of the entire apartment.It is strictly forbidden to allow a turtle to crawl around the house unattended. Firstly, a pet can easily catch a cold by constantly being on the floor where there are dangerous drafts; contract infections and various diseases. He is capable of crawling into the most unimaginable nooks and crannies of the apartment, getting stuck and dying of hunger if the owners do not remember about the pet in time. In addition, members of the household can easily crush the turtle. Under no circumstances should an animal be exposed to such danger. You need to keep the turtle in a terrarium.
The terrarium must be located at least twenty centimeters from the floor to avoid drafts affecting the pet. The approximate dimensions of the terrarium, which, among other things, must be horizontal: 60 x 130 centimeters, but the larger the better. Housing for turtles should be fairly free, because they move very quickly, despite the common stereotype about their slowness.
Some owners in summer months They create a real paradise for their turtles: they build special enclosures on the street or on the balcony.
If you decide to build a pen on the balcony, then you need to follow some rules:
- the balcony should not have cracks in the floor into which the pet could fall, and it should also not be glazed, otherwise the turtle will die in the wild heat;
- the aviary must be protected from birds, drafts and cold winds;
- It is imperative to place houses in which the turtles could hide, and also to provide access to direct sunlight (another argument in favor of the fact that the balcony should not be glazed, because glass does not conduct ultraviolet rays).
You can use the fenced space of the balcony as an enclosure. The height of the fence should be four times the size of the turtle and be completely smooth, without gaps or protrusions that would allow the pet to escape from the enclosure.
The enclosure should be placed outdoors away from growing poisonous and harmful plants. The height of the fence should be high enough to prevent escape. The pen should be large: two by two meters.
An additional security measure will be a kind of bend of the fence inward. The walls of the enclosure must be dug very deep into the ground, because the turtles can dig under the ground at any moment.
The fence should be smooth, opaque, insurmountable, and not arouse the turtles’ desire to climb on it. It can be made from concrete slabs, boards, beams, stones and reinforced glass.
An excellent option for protecting turtles from birds, dogs and cats is a net stretched over the top. The enclosure should have a kind of slope where rainwater will flow.
The pen can be planted inside useful plants: mint, clover, quinoa, dandelions, thyme and juniper. Turtles mainly dig in corners, so large rocks can be placed there. If you prepare a hole for your pet in advance, in which he can hide from temperature changes, this will help reduce his desire to dig in the ground.
Priming
The presence of soil is required in the terrarium.You can use sawdust or hay in combination with flat stones and pebbles, the size of which exceeds the circumference of the turtle's head. Sawdust is less preferable due to its rapid contamination, which makes it necessary to replace it frequently. You should not cover the floor of the terrarium with earth, sand and cat litter, because your pet can eat these particles, which will lead to serious consequences.
Must be inside the terrarium need to arrange the house, in which the turtle can hide if necessary. The house should definitely be the right size for the pet. You can use a box or flower pot as a shelter.
In addition to constructing the house, the location of the drinking basin and feeding trough is mandatory.
A swimming pool is very important to turtles because they love to climb into it and drink. Boiled water at a temperature of thirty-three degrees is changed in the bathhouse every day to avoid contamination.
Various harmless vegetation, as well as stones, are placed inside the terrarium. There is no need to clutter the home too much, because the turtle needs a lot of free space.
The house and the pool should be located in the cooler part of the terrarium, and a flat stone should be placed directly under the lamp on which the turtle will bask.
Microclimate and heating
In nature, the turtle lives in warm areas, which means that it needs to be provided with similar conditions at home.Optimal temperatures – twenty - thirty five degrees.
Turtles must be heated. An ordinary incandescent lamp is perfect for this purpose. It must be placed at a height of no lower than twenty centimeters and no higher than thirty. The lamp must provide light for at least twelve hours a day.
In addition, an ultraviolet lamp, which is vital for turtles, must be placed in the terrarium. IN winter time the lamp should work every day, and in the summer - once a week. Without enough ultraviolet rays, your pet's shell will suffer greatly.
Care
Your pet needs to be carefully looked after to ensure a happy life.
Ninety percent of a turtle's diet should consist of plant food and ten - from an animal. From plant products you can give duckweed, lettuce, seaweed, dandelions, clover, plantain; from animal food - worms, freshwater snails, shrimp and crustaceans. Young individuals need feeding every day, adults - three times a week.
A drinking bowl with water must be freely available. It is necessary to clean the feeder along with the soil, as well as pour fresh water every day.
Hygiene
All turtles go through a molting process. At this time, they need to pay increased attention; add baking soda to the bathing water in the following proportions: one teaspoon per liter of water. During the molting season, you can carry out such baths using soda no more than twice. There is no point in spending money on oils or lotions that supposedly help the shell, because in reality there is almost no benefit, but they can cause harm in the form of clogging pores on the skin.
Turtles need to have their beaks and claws ground down. For this purpose, pebbles and large stones are placed inside the terrarium. You can trim your turtle’s claws yourself if they grow too long and cause inconvenience. Nail scissors or tongs are suitable for this purpose. If the owners do not have the courage to do this themselves, then they can contact a veterinarian.
If you have a representative of a tropical species, the terrarium sometimes needs to be sprayed with water.The bathing ritual is very important. Adult turtles should take baths once a week, and young turtles (which are not yet three years old) generally once every three days. The water in the container should be at such a level that the pet's head is necessarily on the surface. You can wash the turtle with a soft sponge. You need to carefully run it over the face, shell and paws, then wipe the pet and release it into the terrarium.
Appeal
You need to handle the animal with care and precision; you cannot handle it too much, only when necessary. Do not cause stress or endanger the animal.
Hibernation
It is not recommended to allow a turtle to hibernate at home.The fact is that only a professional can provide optimal conditions for hibernation for an animal. If the outcome is bad, the pet may not wake up. If you notice that a turtle sits in a corner for a long time and tries to burrow into the ground, then you can assume that it is about to hibernate. Then it’s worth feeding her well and reading special literature to ensure best conditions for pet.
Land turtles are quite cute creatures with whom it is pleasant to share part of your life. It is imperative to remember that we are responsible for any creature that we take into our home, which means we are obliged to create for it comfortable conditions for life. Keep your pets properly!
The turtle has been living with us for almost ten years. My husband bought it, and I take care of it, well, everything is as usual. If you are thinking of buying such a creation for small child- not worth it. And in general, when buying it, think ten times - is it worth it? I’ll tell you why later.
Turtles are relatively easy-to-care creatures, but they also require special conditions. They are often bought as gifts for children, without thinking that they are not so easy to maintain.
Under no circumstances should turtles be kept on the floor; cold and drafts are harmful to them. And let them assure you that their turtle lived well for five years somewhere behind a closet, do not listen to them. Turtles live in hot climates, they need heating, absence of drafts and ultraviolet light.
It is best to keep them in spacious containers (for example for clothes). They need a place to walk, a place to eat, rest and sleep. You can’t keep them in a dark aquarium or jar, they need space. Unfortunately, there are no terrariums for such turtles in pet stores; you can actually find special custom-made terrariums on the Internet, but they are quite expensive.
The turtle needs to be cleaned regularly; pebbles, stones, and hay are suitable as filler. But we add wood filler because it makes it much cleaner. But its disadvantage is that a turtle can swallow it.
Whatever filler you use, the terrarium must have large stones on which the turtle can walk, exercise its muscles and grind its claws.
To sleep, you need a box (made of wood, plastic or Corton), where she can hide and sleep. Although they rarely drink water, they still have to keep it standing and change it every day.
Turtles definitely need heating; an incandescent lamp of approximately 60 W is suitable for this purpose. Every day, 12 hours a day, all year round
They definitely need ultraviolet light to grow their shells. Lamps are sold in pet stores, ours are 15 watts. The cost is approximately from 1000 to 2000. It must be changed every 1.5-2 years. In the summer, it is necessary to take the turtle out into natural light and walk it, while making sure that it is not dragged away by other animals and that it does not run away. Despite their slowness and clumsiness, turtles crawl and bury themselves somewhere with enviable persistence. They are almost invisible on green grass. It is enough to turn away for a couple of minutes to lose sight of her.
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The land turtle is herbivorous. She doesn’t need any meat, cottage cheese or eggs. You definitely won’t go broke on food for a turtle. She eats little, once a day. In the summer, all food grows underfoot - dandelion, clover. And other food - apples, zucchini, pumpkin, etc. - is quite cheap or for nothing. Winter is another matter. But you can easily feed a turtle in winter, although it’s a little more expensive. But considering how little she needs, buying zucchini, salad and apples once a week is quite manageable.
Foods high in calcium are very useful - dandelions, parsley. In the summer, be sure to give dandelion flowers and leaves every day, fortunately it comes across until the fall.
Also give zucchini, apples, pumpkin, beets, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, and various berries. Make sure that the food is varied, and not just cucumbers every day. Give cabbage rarely, as it interferes with the absorption of calcium.
The turtle has no teeth; it bites off food with its beak and swallows. Therefore, the food must either be finely grated or, on the contrary, coarsely chopped so that she can take a bite. She bites off with her beak, moves her head to the sides and helps with her front paws.
Water, I repeat, should be freely available to the turtle, as they sometimes drink, especially in the heat. And so they get moisture from juicy vegetables and fruits.
Periodically give vitamins for turtles, ground cuttlefish shell, eggshells. So that she eats it, grind it and sprinkle it on her favorite food.
It's also pretty simple. Periodically bathe in warm water.
Turtles have constantly growing claws and beaks. Some sources advise filing them with a file. We've never done this. The only thing is that at the veterinary clinic they shortened her beak. We did this with ordinary wire cutters. There are no nerve receptors there, so it doesn’t hurt turtles, it’s like our nails. In nature, they wear down naturally when the turtle climbs and digs.
If these conditions are not met, the turtle may get sick, which is what happened to us. I ask animal defenders not to throw slippers or burn them at the stake, my conscience has already done that.
I took care of the turtle exclusively. While we didn’t have children, I managed. And with my first child, I didn’t forget about her either. She even asked him to keep an eye on her - to make sure there was always water, to bring her food. At first he liked it. Then he forgot about her.
But when the second child was born, there was no time for her. Then both of our lamps broke and the turtle was left without light for some time, and we didn’t have the time or money to buy them all. The food was also bad - monotonous. Without light, she became lethargic, ate little and rarely went out.
So one day I decided to give her a bath, took her in my arms and felt that the shell below was soft... I felt how she was breathing and the shell was moving up and down. I even felt sick.
We ran to the veterinary clinic (not everyone treats turtles by the way, call in advance and find out), the doctor scolded us, threatened to sue and diagnosed us with rickets, lack of calcium.
Treatment was prescribed - liquid calcium injections for five days, ultraviolet light, dandelions, walking in the sun. The first injection was given right there, but the rest were given by my mother-in-law. The injections were made with the thinnest syringes - insulin, in the paw. By the end of the treatment, the turtle became active and began to go out and eat. Of course, we immediately bought and installed both lamps, varied the diet and took them outside in sunny weather. If it was not possible, then they put it in a box on a window in the sun. In this case, the window was opened, since ultraviolet radiation does not pass through glass.
By the end of the treatment, the shell became much harder. Activity has returned.
By the way, at the veterinary clinic the doctor told us that it was a boy, but all this time we thought it was a girl. This can be identified by the lower part of the shell and tail. I also counted the rings on the turtle and approximately reported its age - 15 years.... turtles, like trees, have annual rings on their shell, from which, in addition to age, you can also determine the conditions in which the turtle was kept. If the rings are clear and large, the conditions were good, and if they are lubricated, then accordingly bad conditions. Our turtle did not hit the mud with its face - the rings were clear and large :)
I definitely don’t recommend a turtle as a gift for children. Of course, at first they are delighted with her, they take care of her, but then they quickly get bored with her. And you will have to take care. The turtle does not cause any particular joy - you can’t pet it, you can’t play with it. In the morning he goes out, eats, sits under the lamp and comes back. Get ready for the fact that you will simply contemplate it.
I really got the hang of stroking the top of her head with my finger, but she was very timid and quickly hid her head.
Its undeniable advantage is that it does not take up much space in the apartment,
Doesn't run around the apartment
Doesn't knock furniture
Doesn't howl, doesn't bark and doesn't piss in slippers
It is also suitable for allergy sufferers; it will not cause fur throughout the apartment.
You only need to walk him in the summer and not every day.
There will be no smell from it.
Eats little, food is not expensive
Therefore, if you wanted an animal that you can put in a box and forget about it, then a turtle is definitely not suitable. Better then get a cockroach
But overall, this is a cute animal, and if you put in a minimum of effort, you will be able to provide her with normal conditions.
That's all I wanted to tell you about keeping turtles, I will be glad to answer your questions in the comments. I hope my review was helpful)
Thank you for your attention!
