Red-eared turtles are very cute, curious, interesting animals, it is not surprising that more and more people choose them as pets. However, to keep a red-eared turtle at home, you need to create certain conditions for it that resemble its natural habitat. This can be achieved by equipping the turtle with a special terrarium. It can be made from a regular aquarium.
Instructions
Step 1
The size of the terrarium is determined based on the size of the turtle itself, multiplied by seven (in length) and by 3 (in width). Since in nature red-eared turtles live both in water and on land, both of these environments must be recreated in the terrarium: the turtle must have a place where it can swim and thus maintain its water balance and a place free of water in order to the animal could dry the surface of the body in order to avoid various diseases. The height of the terrarium is made 15-20 cm above the maximum water level in it. The latter, in turn, must be at least 2 times the height of the turtle, so that, accidentally falling on its back, it can roll over on its own and not choke. In order to divide the terrarium into water-dry zones, as a rule, an inclined glass is glued into it, along which the turtle can get out on land, connected to a horizontal glass, on which the animal will rest. The glass surface is made rough (but not scratching!) So that the turtle does not slip into the water. This can be achieved in different ways, more often fine sand is glued on the glass in an even layer.
Step 2
Another vital need of the turtle is sunlight, therefore, when choosing the shape of the terrarium, you need to proceed from the fact that it can be kept in a sunny place in the apartment - this is the best option. If it is not possible to ensure that the sun's rays enter, you need to think about an artificial source of ultraviolet radiation - if it is absent, the turtle can develop rickets. For example, if possible, a custom-made lid with a built-in UV lamp can be made to fit the size of the terrarium. It is not necessary to equip the terrarium with a feeder, the main thing is not to overdo it with the amount of food and give it gradually, as the turtle has eaten the previous portion.
Step 3
At first, you can also do without living plants in the terrarium: young turtles are carnivorous and only with age begin to add plant food to their diet. The water in the terrarium needs frequent changes, so when making a custom aquarium, ask the master to provide a drain hole in the bottom parts.
Step 4
The important point is that turtles grow rapidly. If you take a small turtle the size of a potato chip into your home, you might be surprised to see how quickly it has grown. The size of an adult is about 30 cm. Therefore, when deciding to purchase a turtle, think in advance if you can provide it with decent living conditions.
