How to Take Care of Turtles

Turtles are quiet and gentle creatures that
make great pets. Although they are not cuddly, they are adorable and easy to
take care of. Although taking care of turtles is not entirely difficult, it is
important to keep their environment well maintained. Since these creatures
spend most of their time in the water, it is necessary to give them enough
water to swim and a place to climb on when they choose to.

If you have been struck by the cuteness of
turtles and want to get one as a pet, here are some important things you must
know before you get yourself one.

Turtle or Tortoise?

This is an important distinction. Turtles
spend most of their time on water while tortoises live on land. You might get a
tortoise and end up drowning it by putting it on water. So before you get a
shell-covered animal, make sure whether it is a turtle or a tortoise.

A Turtle’s Environment

When building a home for your turtle, the
bigger the space, the better. A terrarium is often the best choice. Turtles
require water and land, with enough room to explore. It is very important to
maintain a turtle’s environment because most problems are caused from not
building them a good home.

One of the most important factors is water.
The water inside your turtle’s terrarium has to be kept clean. A very strong
filtration system needs to be used and the water has to be changed regularly.
Frequent water changes ensure that the water is clean and free of particles
that can lead to infections.

If you don’t have the time to maintain a
turtle’s environment, it is better to opt for a land-dwelling tortoise. This
will involve keeping the terrarium clean, of course, but there will be less
water to change.

A Turtle’s Diet

Turtles generally eat insects, small fish,
and dark, leafy greens. There are also canned or pelleted turtle food
available. Turtles also don’t need to be fed every day. Usually, they only
require four to five times a week (however, a young water turtle would need to
be fed every day).

For more information on caring for your
turtle, read PetMD.com’s full article here.

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