If you want to get a pet, namely a red-eared turtle, then before buying it, you need to find out how to feed it correctly and in what conditions it should be kept. After all, the life expectancy of the pet will depend on this.
The red-eared turtle is a native of the family of American freshwater turtles. It has an average body size: the length of the shell ranges from 18 to 30 cm, depending on the sex and subspecies of the individual. Life expectancy is about 30 years. This exotic reptile does not require special care, but lovers of these peaceful and stubborn creatures will need to know some rules.
Feeding the turtles
Taking good care of red-eared turtles primarily means feeding them properly. All turtles are diurnal animals, this significantly affects their diet. The main part of the diet is food of animal origin: bloodworm, earthworm, tubifex and dry aquarium food.
All turtles are happy to eat gamarus - water crustaceans, both live and dried. All of the above will be enough for young turtles. Adults can be fed beef or chicken, cooked or raw. Be sure to include insects in the diet of an adult turtle: cockroaches, beetles, flour beetle larvae.
The horned coil and the large pond snail are a few of the snail species that can be included in the red-eared turtles menu. Two or three times a week, they can be given fish, the pieces of which must be rinsed with boiling water before serving.
It must be remembered that the health of reptiles directly depends on the amount of vitamins in the feed, so if you are not sure that there are enough vitamins in the diet, then you must separately add them to food. For example, vitamins A and D in the form of an oily solution should be available to everyone who contains turtles. Once a week, you need to add a few drops of vitamin D to a piece of feed, and vitamin A - once every two weeks.
How to care for a red-eared turtle?
Keeping red-eared turtles seriously complicates such a moment as the organization of water and terrestrial space. The difficulty lies in the fact that, unlike other pets, turtles of this species require two elements: water and land. They spend most of their time in water, but land is also vital for them.
The volume of the aquaterrarium per turtle should be about 150 liters, but not less than 100 liters. Land in the form of an island must occupy at least a quarter of the total space. The water needs to be changed monthly.
Contrary to popular belief, red-eared turtles are very nimble, one might even say nimble creatures, so the glass walls of the aquaterrarium should be at least 35 centimeters higher than the highest point of the “island”.
To keep the turtle warm and comfortable, the aquaterrarium should be equipped with an incandescent lamp above the "island". If it heats up enough, then there will be no need to additionally heat the water.
Regrowth of beak and claws in a turtle
If you do not cut off the claws of the turtle long enough, then they will grow so much that they will interfere with her movement on. The claws should be trimmed periodically. This can be done by yourself with special scissors or by inviting a veterinarian for this. In no case should the beak be trimmed. With its help, the turtle has the opportunity to eat meat, tearing it into small pieces.
