How to raise a turtle well? Mastering the correct keeping method is key
Many people nowadays love keeping turtles. First, they think turtles are relatively easy to keep; second, turtles can bring wealth and ward off misfortune; third, turtles symbolize longevity. Moreover, turtles are truly cute animals, and in ancient times they were even called divine beasts. There are also more and more turtle keepers today, but many problems come up during keeping. In fact, turtles also have their own suitable ways of living, environment and food. Many people still do not know how to keep their baby turtles. Next, let Qinnong Web introduce the methods for keeping turtles.
1. Living environment
Turtles are amphibians; they need water and also a bank, so we need to create a suitable living environment for our baby turtles. The more luxurious option is to set aside a dedicated pool for the turtle at home; the next option is to use a water tank, but the water in the tank should not be too much, generally slightly higher than the turtle's shell. The tank can have a high-low slope to create a place to rest at the higher part, or stones can be placed in the middle of the tank to form a shallow bank. Also, the water used for keeping turtles cannot be tap water directly; it should first be left in the sun for two days. Many people think turtles do not need frequent water changes. If you think so too, then you are wrong. Keeping turtles requires frequent water changes, about once every two to three days, but changing the water also has its techniques. Each time, only change two-thirds of the water, and try not to feed them in the water.
2. Feeding
A newly bought turtle is very shy, so when feeding, stay farther away and do not stare at it to see whether it is eating or has finished eating. After it gradually becomes familiar with you, every time you go to feed it, it will raise its head and look at you; that begging expression is really super cute. Also, when feeding, pay attention to changes in temperature. As the temperature changes, the number of feedings and the amount of food will also change. When a turtle has just woken up after a long hibernation, feed it once every three days on average, generally best between 10:30-14:30. Just as a person who has just woken up certainly cannot eat much, turtles are the same. In autumn, when the temperature difference changes greatly, the best feeding time should be 10:00-11:00, and on average once a day. The standard for food amount is generally that it can be finished within one hour after feeding. Uneaten food should be removed promptly to prevent the turtle from eating spoiled food and getting sick. Of course, there is one more thing to note: before the turtle enters hibernation, it must be fed enough to ensure it can store enough energy to get through winter.
3. Temperature
Temperature includes two kinds. One is the temperature of the water in which the turtle lives; the water is generally kept at a constant temperature and cannot suddenly become cold or hot. The second is sunlight. Turtles need to bask in the sun from time to time, but the basking time should not be too long. If it is too long, it will sunburn its shell and may even cause skin disease, so each session is generally basically 15-20 minutes.
4. Food
Turtles eat everything, but attention should also be paid to nutrition, otherwise it will lead to malnutrition and cause various diseases. Generally, small turtles can be given relatively better calcium-supplementing feed, or choose foods with high calcium content, such as small fish and small shrimp. Also, do not feed turtles cooked food or food that has been frozen, as this can easily kill the turtle.
5. Diseases
The most common disease in turtle keeping is pneumonia. The early symptoms of pneumonia generally include reduced appetite, poor spirits, and something similar to nasal mucus. If your turtle is like this, then you need to find a way to make it take medicine. The usual method is to prepare its favorite food, then sprinkle amoxicillin powder on it and let it eat it. After about a week, your turtle will be fine.
Although turtles seem relatively easy to keep, they are actually quite particular, and many details need attention, otherwise your turtle may get sick if you are not careful. After reading this, friends who have learned it can also recommend other better keeping methods to us. If you want to learn more about turtle-keeping techniques, you can follow us.