Turtles are a wonderful animal to keep as pets. Though
they aren't cuddly, and won't play fetch, they are still cute
and great pets. If you are thinking about getting a turtle for
a pet, it's important to get all of the facts before you're in
over your head.
The first thing that I suggest you do before buying a
turtle is to buy a book about keeping
turtles as pets, and then decide from there what type of turtle
plus what food they eat and how they live. It will also have
tips for when turtles get sick. Another thing to consider is that there are many laws and regulations on the transportation and housing of certain speicies of turtle. Be sure not to purchase turtles that are among these regulated turtles. Most pet stores won't sell these turtles, but it's important to check out the species you buy before buying a turtle.
Housing Your Turtle
Once you've decided the turtle you want to get, you should
find where he lives in the wild, so you can build a happy home
most closely related so he can be as happy as possible. Aquatic
turtles require a tank or aquarium, the kind for fish work great.
If possible, buy a large one so that your turtle can grow and still
have lots of room to swim. But, It's important to give
turtles a bit of land to rest on.
Land turtles can live indoors, but often require lots of
space, especially if they are big. Small tortoises and box turtles
can live in an aquarium (without water). Make sure they have plenty
of light, but if you put light too close, you can hurt their
eyes. If you decide to keep your turtle outdoors, make sure you
get a good fence around the area, burried 12in under ground bec
ause you don't want your turtle running away! Keeping your
turtle outdoors is a gret way to keep your turtle happy and
healthy, after all, turtles in the wild don't live in condos, so
it's most natural that yours won't. But, if you cannot accomidate
your turtle outside, your turtke will still be happy indoors.
Food
Food is very important because without food, your turtle
will not last very long. Some turtles are carnivores, while others
are herbivores. Most of the time, it's the land turtles who are
herbivores, but it's best to ask to people at the pet store
before you buy 50 lbs of lettuce for a turtle that eats worms.
You can buy food in packaging for both kinds of eaters. Tortoises
often like lettuce, which is good because it's inexpensive and
easy to get, but be sure you use romaine lettuce because it has
lots more vitamins than iceburg.
If Your Turtle Gets Sick
The best advice anyone can get about a sick turtle is
from a vet. I know vets can charge a lot of money, but if you
want a happy turtle, and you suspect he's sick, the first thing
you should do is see a vet. The vet can prescribe antbiotics for
your turtle or help him get better. Also, many diseases are
caused by improper care, so if you see a vet, he can tell what
you are doing wrong. Unless you know what you are doing, it is always best to seek care from a vet or reptile expert.
Of course, the best way to deal with illness is to
prevent it. To do this, make sure you are feeding your turtle
properly, have the turtle in good living quarters, and the turtle
is kept clean. If you have a water turtle, make sure you change
the water often. If this is too much trouble, you can buy a
filter that will replace it automatically. Take care of turtle,
and if you see a problem, try to fix it early, because your
turtle may not survive if you don't. Don't try to cure a sick
turtle yourself unless you are a trained vet.
