Turtles are absolutely cute animals, and they make awesome pets! A certain type of Turtle is called a Red-Eared Slider, and they can live up to 20 years! However, in order for your pet turtle to survive, you need to provide them with a variety of food such as vegetables and meat. Besides that, you need to set up a proper tank for them to live in, in order to keep them healthy and active. Here is a guide on how to take care of your pet turtle and be a responsible owner!
TANK
First of all, you need to have a suitable tank for your pet turtle. The size of the tank may also depend on the size of your turtle, as they can grow bigger!
You must include filtered water, a basking dock with a basking light(UV), and a working filter. You may also add other decorations such as underwater plants or pebbles.
FOOD/DIET
Do remember to provide your turtle with a balanced diet! However, you must also take note of what your pet turtle can eat and what it cannot eat! Here are some of the foods you can provide your turtle with!
- Vegetables (eg. carrots, romaine lettuce, cucumbers)
- Meat (eg. chicken or fish -> try not to feed your turtle raw or frozen meat)
- Pellets
- Insects (eg. small bugs, worms)
- Fruits (eg. bananas, apples or pears)
Here are some things you must NOT feed your turtle!
- Chocolate (mostly foods with artificial sugar in them)
- Foods that are high in salt content (eg. canned meat)
Also, you should be aware of how many times to feed your pet turtle! Personally, I would recommend feeding your turtle 1 to 2 times a day. It is best to feed your turtle regularly if possible. However, red-eared sliders can go many days without food!
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR PET TURTLE IS HUNGRY!
Normally, signs of hunger include:
- Your turtle approaching you when you are near
- Your turtle swimming around, trying to look for food
- Your turtle ‘Begging for food’ (sometimes, they may splash some water in order to get your attention to feed them)
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU FEED YOUR TURTLE TOO MUCH?
If you are constantly feeding your turtle too much food, you may notice that your turtle is becoming obese, or overweight! You can tell when there are noticeable fats billowing out of your turtle’s armpits or neck.
TURTLE BEHAVIOR
Normally when you are raising a red-eared slider as a pet, you may notice some changes in their behavior or activeness! Here are some of the weird behaviors of your turtle and what it means:
FLUTTERING
This is an action where your turtle uses its hands to flutter against another turtle’s face. This happens when one turtle is showing Dominance against another turtle. You may need to worry about this, as this action may lead to a fight between your turtles!
TURTLE KEEPS OPENING ITS MOUTH
This happens sometimes when your turtle is hungry, or when it is not comfortable living in its current condition. If that is so, you may want to consider applying minor changes to your tank (eg. changing the water). Also, your turtle may just be showing aggression towards you!
However, there is also one possibility to why your turtle is doing this -> Respiratory Infection. This is when your turtle constantly produces mucus from its nostrils, or its eyes may be swollen. If this happens, consider bringing your pet turtle to the vet for a check up!
YOUR TURTLE STARES AT YOU
This is very common, especially when your turtle recognizes you as its owner! Thus, there is nothing to worry about.
YOUR TURTLE KEEPS BASKING
You may notice that your turtle is always basking. This probably means that they are uncomfortable with the current water temperatures, or they are lightly infected with a virus.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR TURTLE CLEAN!
When it comes to cleaning, there are some things you may have to do in order to keep your turtle in a clean condition!
- You may notice some dirt on its shell. If this is so, use a brush and scrub its shell gently, until the shell is clean.
- Also, rinsing your turtle with clean water is another good way to give your turtle a bath!
- Brush its arms and legs while soaking in warm water.
SICK TURTLE?
Sometimes, you may be wondering if your turtle is sick. You can tell through:
- Swollen eyes, with pass coming out of it
- Basking very often
- Lack of appetite towards food
If you notice any of these, you can consider bringing your turtle to the vet.
SAFETY PRECUSSIONS TO TAKE NOTE OF WHILE TAKING CARE OF YOUR TURTLE!
You must take note of these while taking care of your turtle!
- Wash your hands after handling your turtle! -> Red-eared Sliders carry a virus called ‘Salmonella’ that can infect you!
- Turtles may bite you, while they carry the virus. So, wash your hands!
- Do NOT drink tank water, they are harmful!
- Always remember to change the tank water regularly (once a week if possible)! The water may get contaminated with leftover foods or turtle feces!
