Which turtle species is the easiest to keep and also good-looking?
Turtles are ancient reptiles still living today, with very sturdy shells; when attacked, they can retract their heads, tails and limbs into the shell (except sea turtles and snapping turtles). Most are carnivorous, feeding on worms, snails, shrimp and small fish, and they also eat plant stems and leaves. They are now one of the more popular pets. Let's take a look below at what kind of turtle is the easiest to keep and also good-looking!
What kind of turtle is the easiest to keep and also good-looking?
1. Red-eared slider: The red-eared slider is an aquatic turtle, with extremely high intraspecific density and very strong interspecific competitiveness, and it tolerates hunger. Its food includes algae, duckweed and other herbaceous plants floating in the water, clams, small fish, shrimp and other crustaceans, and snails and various mollusks.
2. Chinese pond turtle: The Chinese pond turtle is an aquatic turtle and can also come onto land as a reptile. It inhabits rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds and other waters, and has a fairly broad diet: corn, small fish, shrimp, snails and so on are all eaten, and it likes small fish and small shrimp the most.
3. Yellow-margined box turtle: The yellow-margined box turtle often moves about in moist places such as forest edges, rivers and lakes, eating insect-based animal food and fruit-based plant food. In captivity it can be fed greens, cabbage, water spinach, rice, earthworms, frogs, birds, mice, pork and duck intestines, etc.
4. Stone money turtle: The stone money turtle is also called the yellow-throated pond turtle, stone turtle, green-haired turtle, etc. It lives in waters of mountain basins or river valleys in the semi-mountainous areas of hilly regions, and often moves about in nearby small thickets or grass. It is omnivorous, and under artificial keeping it especially likes fresh meat.
What breeds of pet turtles are there?
1. Red-eared slider: The red-eared slider is also called the Brazilian red-eared turtle, elegant painted turtle, emerald turtle, etc. It is native to the central United States to northern Mexico. Because the red-eared slider combines medicinal, ornamental and edible value, is low-priced, extremely easy to keep and brightly colored, it has led to large-scale breeding and selling.
2. Small snapping turtle: The small snapping turtle is also called the snapping turtle, flat-backed snapping turtle, etc. Its carapace is like a hemispherical roof, with some tiny saw-tooth edges, and its color ranges from dark olive green to brown. Its head and limbs are very powerful, its tail is quite long, while its plastron is relatively small.
3. Alligator snapping turtle: The alligator snapping turtle is also called the true snapping turtle, alligator-shelled turtle, true snapping turtle, etc. It has retained the features of primitive turtles; its carapace, mouth and tongue are all very peculiar, making it look like an armored dinosaur. The upper and lower jaws at the front of its mouth are hook-shaped and extremely sharp, able to bite off a person's finger.
4. Chinese pond turtle: The Chinese pond turtle is also called the pond turtle, ink turtle, mud turtle, etc. Its carapace is rather flat, with three longitudinal ridges; its plastron is brownish yellow, and each scute has large dark brown patches. Its snout is short, and the sides of its head and throat have yellow stripes and yellow spots edged in dark color that extend backward to the neck.
5. Yellow-throated turtle: The yellow-throated turtle is also called the yellow-throated pond turtle, stone money turtle, yellow-board turtle, etc. Folk belief holds that this breed of turtle, like the money turtle, has feng shui effects that help the keeper improve financial luck and career luck, and it has long been known as the “ancient stone turtle”.
6. Long-necked turtle: The long-necked turtle is the oldest surviving reptile, also called the snake-necked turtle, long-necked turtle, etc. Its head cannot retract into the shell and can only bend to the sides. Its body is relatively small, generally with a shell length of 15-25 cm.
7. Burmese tortoise: The Burmese tortoise is also called the yellow elephant tortoise, pillow turtle, dry turtle, etc. Although Burmese tortoises are often sold in farmers' markets and pet markets in other provinces and cities, they are not produced locally; most are imported from Southeast Asia and then distributed to various places.
8. Yellow-margined box turtle: The yellow-margined box turtle is also called the yellow-margined box turtle, splint turtle, snake-eating turtle, etc. Its back is brownish red with a light brown vertebral keel, and its belly is brownish black, while its surroundings and the marginal edge of the carapace and plastron are yellow. The carapace and plastron are connected by ligaments, and the front and rear lobes of the plastron are also connected by ligaments.
How should pet turtles be kept properly?
1. Choosing a turtle: First observe whether it keeps opening its mouth to breathe or has a runny nose, and at the same time check whether it has wounds, shell defects, and whether it has strength when you pull its turtle claws. After buying it and bringing it home, it must first be isolated and observed; besides adapting to the new environment, also pay attention to whether there are signs of disease.
2. Choosing a fish tank
① Fish tank size: Do not buy a fish tank that is too small for keeping a small turtle. The size of the fish tank should be at least 5 times larger than the small turtle. At the same time, do not let the turtle soak in water all the time; just add enough water to reach half of its body.
② Fish tank setup: Put some sand or stones in the fish tank for keeping the turtle, which helps the small turtle bask its back and get ventilation and prevents shell rot. The water should be changed once a week.
3. Light control: Place the small turtle in a place where it can get sunlight, but avoid exposure to intense sun, and there must be a shaded place and a pool or water basin for rest and play. Also, small turtles have a relatively large amount of activity; proper exercise of the limbs and body is good for bone development.
4. Feed selection: Turtles are omnivorous animals; they eat animal feed such as small fish, small shrimp, snails, clams, earthworms, maggots, and poultry and livestock trimmings, and they also eat plant feed such as tubers, vegetables, grains, and aquatic plants.
5. Feeding food: Turtles are generally fed once every 3 days. The feeding amount can be increased or decreased as appropriate according to the turtle's size; generally they can be fed 5-10% of their body weight. In spring and autumn, when the temperature is moderate and appetite is stronger, it can be appropriately increased, and before winter arrives, feed a bit more than usual.
① Fixed time: In spring and autumn, when the temperature is lower, it is suitable to feed at 8-9 a.m. From Grain Rain to the Autumn Equinox is the peak feeding season, but during the hottest summer period it is suitable to feed at 16-17 p.m. Fixed times can let the turtle eat on schedule and obtain more nutrition.
② Fixed location: Along the edge of the pool, set up fixed feeding points in sections at fixed locations. The food platform at the feeding point should be close to the water surface, making it easy for the turtle to swallow water and bite food. Fixed-location feeding can let the turtle form a habit, make it easier to find food, and at the same time make it convenient to observe the turtle's condition.
③ Fixed quality: The feed given should stay fresh. After feeding, leftover food should be removed promptly to prevent the feed from rotting and smelling, which would affect the turtle's appetite and pollute the water quality.
④ Fixed amount: The feeding amount of feed depends on the temperature, water quality, the turtle's appetite and its activity. It is appropriate if there is a little left after the meal. Generally, feed once every 2-3 days.
6. Water quality management: During keeping, whether to change the water should be decided according to how clean the water quality is. When the water is found to be polluted or cloudy, it should be changed. In summer, the water should be changed more frequently; in winter, less; during hibernation, it is even less suitable to change it much, and the new water added should be slightly higher than the usual water temperature by 1-2°C.
7. Temperature management: Turtles are ectothermic animals. When the water temperature drops below 15°C, they lie still at the bottom and begin hibernation. At the turn of spring and summer, when the water temperature rises back above 15°C, they begin to move and forage. The most suitable temperature is 25-30°C, and above 35°C they stop feeding.
8. Disease prevention and control: When keeping turtles, often use potassium permanganate solution to disinfect the turtle, and add an appropriate amount of oxytetracycline or furazolidone to the feed. These measures have a very good effect on preventing disease in turtles. In addition, prevent attacks on the turtle by enemies such as mice, snakes and cats.
9. Hibernation management: Turtles begin feeding in early April each year, and feeding activity reaches its peak from June to August. When the temperature drops below 18°C, they begin to stop eating, and below 15°C they begin hibernation. They generally hibernate from November to April each year, but the situation differs for each kind of turtle, so management needs to be strengthened.