Terrarium for a land turtle - what it should be

Shape and material required for a terrarium

A terrarium is a wide and long closed box, of small height, with special holes for ventilation.

The best material to use is non-toxic plastic, which is very light and easy to use. You can also try materials such as plexiglass, wood and regular glass. You can leave the transparent side through which you will open the turtle and feed it. It is important to take into account that in some cases turtles simply do not notice glass walls and often hit the glass with their shells. In this case, it would be better to glaze the walls with a beautiful terrarium background.

The terrarium can be made in the shape of a square or rectangle. It is very practical when, when opening the terrarium, you can slide the glass out of special grooves or simply remove the glass, which is attached to special magnets. The height of the side should be made no less than 10-20 cm in order to conveniently pour soil there and so that the turtle does not have the opportunity to crawl out.

How to choose an aquaterrarium

A terrarium for a red-eared turtle must be chosen based on its lifestyle: it cannot live without water (after 2 days of lack of water, dehydration occurs), but it also needs islands of land. Based on these needs of the reptile, the aquarium should be low, but quite deep and wide. If you follow all the rules, you can avoid many diseases of the red-eared turtle.

The terrarium should be low, but wide enough

Where can I buy a terrarium?

You can purchase housing for turtles in specialized pet stores, order it, buy one that has already been used, or make it yourself (glue together prepared glass, install ventilation and the necessary lamps). If you have a limited amount, you can use cheaper suitable methods:

Separate section of floor

The temperature in the room should be stable, no more than 26 degrees, and the lamps should be turned on above the designated pen. You need to select a suitable area in the corner, which is covered with a piece of linoleum or laminate, after which it is fenced off on the open sides with a special fence. We pour gravel into the prepared pen, maybe hay or sawdust, and install lamps and a house. You can bring several land turtles into this enclosure. You can fence it with an ordinary wooden fence, which will be 2-3 times higher than the length of the turtle itself.

Glass aquarium

A horizontal aquarium can also be used as a terrarium. It is recommended to take aquariums for aquatic turtles that have a place on the lid to place a UV lamp, and also have convenient ventilation holes, but without a guard.

Plastic container

Typically, such a container is inexpensive, but has a large area. It is important to place the lamps correctly and practically. It would be better to close it a little on top so that all the heat does not escape outside. For small turtles, you can use a carrier for the first time, it is important to somehow place our lamps above it, and inside it - a house. This container is also quite suitable for rodents.

Regular wooden box

Such a box will also be inexpensive, but will provide a lot of space. Here it is also important to place the lamps well and conveniently. It will be much better if it is closed on five sides and has a glass side at the front. A good option is a wide, high shelf that has sliding glass. Do not forget about special openings for better ventilation and for lamps. The wooden bottom should be covered with laminate or plastic.

Cabinet shelf

Here you will need to try hard and make holes, and then attach the lamps well. You need to choose a shelf that is wide and high so that the turtle does not get burned.

How to keep a land turtle

Land turtles are one of the most unpretentious animals kept at home. And many owners do not suspect that the conditions of their placement can increase the lifespan of the reptile, and this is important for a pet that has become dear and loved.

There are 2 options for a turtle to stay in the house: in a terrarium and freely kept on the floor. Each of them has its own pros and cons.

Contents in a terrarium.

Advantages and disadvantages

It is easy to maintain the required temperature, light and UV exposure levels.

Availability of soil for digging.

Protection from accidental damage.

Availability of drinking bowl and feeder.

Lack of movement, especially when the size of the terrarium is less than the established standards.

If the terrarium is installed incorrectly, there is a risk of overheating.

Free keeping at home.

Advantages and disadvantages

No confined space.

Possibility of independent choice of resting place (hibernation).

Failure to comply with the required parameters of temperature, illumination, lack of UV radiation.

Susceptibility to drafts, ingestion of dust and small objects.

Crawling into cracks and high risk of injury.

Difficulties in feeding and cleaning up after the reptile.

Thus, the advantages of keeping a turtle in a specially equipped terrarium outweigh the advantages of keeping it free. And the owner of a turtle living in a terrarium always has the opportunity to let it out for a walk, while watching it and avoiding injury and stress.

Place where you want to install the terrarium

First you need to select the place where the terrarium will be located, as well as the number of its “inhabitants”. It is necessary to calculate for 2 individuals; moreover, it is worth considering that over time the turtles will grow, so it is recommended to make the terrarium “for growth”.

The most optimal home for them is a dark room or north side. The whole problem is that the bright rays of the sun that will penetrate the room will greatly warm the terrarium, which is closed on all sides, and special ventilation holes simply cannot withstand such a temperature. After all, the temperature in the terrarium itself can reach 400 C, which can even lead to the death of the animal. That is why it is also impossible to use attics and attics of the house for their placement. Even the most powerful air conditioner is not able to save the terrarium from overheating.

Those who have cottages are recommended to use basements or semi-basements that have good heat and water insulation to place terrariums. Otherwise, sometimes during floods or after heavy rains, it will be necessary to pump out water from the basements. You can set aside a place for a terrarium even in a small room: near a blind door, on the wall. But it is not recommended to combine such dwellings, especially damp ones, with television or other equipment. Indeed, if water gets into them, they can be damaged or, worst of all, lead to a fire. It is very easy to place one terrarium, but if you have several of them, you will need to make a stand. The material for its manufacture directly depends on the volume and type of terrarium. If it is small in size, it will be enough to build a wooden structure, or you will have to use a steel angle or pipe. Cold-loving rocks are placed on the lower tiers, and heat-loving rocks, respectively, on the upper tiers. If necessary, the shelves can be insulated using foam plastic. It would be good if the terrarium for heat-loving and cold-loving species would be located in different rooms.

Selecting a sealant

Glue plays the main role, because it is thanks to it that the entire structure is fixed and further retained. There are many types of substances that can be used to connect pieces of glass to each other. But with regard to aquarium glue, the following requirements are put forward:

• non-toxic;
• high strength;
• elasticity;
• presentable appearance;
• relatively fast setting;
• ease of application;
• long service life;
• high degree of adhesion.

Sealant for aquariums
Silicone sealant has all these properties

But when purchasing, you should pay attention to the fact that it is 100%, without impurities and not antibacterial, otherwise the living creatures will simply die. Today there are three main colors available: white, transparent, black. If you use the first one, the aquarium will have the appearance of a certain incompleteness

The second is well suited for products up to 100 liters. Anything more is best glued with black. Small structures with it look very bulky, but in large ones, on the contrary, it emphasizes the lines and gives elegance. The choice of those who have been assembling aquariums for some time often falls on Dow Corning 911, KNAUF 881 or Kleiberit Suprasil 590E

If you use the first one, the aquarium will have the appearance of a certain incompleteness. The second is well suited for products up to 100 liters. Anything more is best glued with black. Small structures with it look very bulky, but in large ones, on the contrary, it emphasizes the lines and gives elegance. The choice of those who have been assembling aquariums for some time often falls on Dow Corning 911, KNAUF 881 or Kleiberit Suprasil 590E.

Climatic and ventilation conditions

Special holes for ventilation need to be made at the top or on the sides, or at the bottom. To heat a turtle's home, they do not use thermal cords or thermal feeders, but a regular incandescent lamp up to 60 W. Heating from below can harm the kidneys. And the lamp will be located in one corner and thereby form a warm zone in which the turtle will eat and bask, and the bathing suit will also be placed there. On the opposite side, where there is no lamp lighting, it will be a little cooler; you can install a house there. In a warm corner it should be about 300C, and in a cold corner - from 25 to 280.

Design for aquarium

Having finished installing equipment in an aquarium for turtles, you can begin the most pleasant and exciting thing - decorating the tank. When creating and thinking through the design, you can give free rein to your imagination: create a rocky river bank near a forest, or a tropical corner with vines and bright flowers. The stores sell a lot of decorative elements that will help you create a design to suit every taste and please the owner of the turtles. However, there are some minor rules that should be followed when registering:

• Decorations and other items placed in the aquarium must be made of non-toxic materials and not have sharp ends.
• The soil for the water part is small and smooth, for example pebbles.
• The vegetation in the tank is planted alive, but in no case is it poisonous - the turtles will certainly taste it. If this is not possible, then choose artificial types of flora made of silk or plastic.
• When decorating an aquarium, do not use fresh stumps or driftwood - the objects emit toxic substances. To place decorations in a tank, the item must remain in the liquid for a long time.

A cozy and properly equipped aquarium for turtles is a must for keeping funny reptiles. Having created your own little world with clean water, beautiful plants and interesting decorations, where the turtle will feel protected, you can safely move a tenant there and admire the pet.

Examples of Terrariums

Making an island

There are two ways to independently equip a turtle hatch for a red-eared slider with the necessary access to land. In the first case, the island is assembled with small pieces of flat pebbles and installed on the bottom. The stones must first be washed and boiled, then laid out into a kind of hill. You can use the shape of a grotto or arch to further decorate the aquaterrarium. The stones are fastened together with a small amount of sealant, and the structure is left until completely dry. The finished island is lowered into the water so that the upper part protrudes above the surface and it is convenient for the turtle to climb onto it.

To make an island shelf, use a piece of glass or plexiglass; durable plastic is also suitable. To attach it, perform the following sequence of actions:

1. Marks are made on the walls of the aquarium at the required height (the distance to the top of the walls should exceed the diameter of the shell of an adult turtle).
2. The structure is turned over to the side to which the shelf will be attached, and the surface of the glass is degreased.
3. For gluing, adhesive-sealant is used, the shelf should be located in the corner, supported on at least two sides, and you can also install a shelf that will be attached to three sides.
4. To make it convenient for the turtle to climb onto the island, a ladder is made - a strip of glass or plastic, which is attached to the shelf and rests on the bottom.
5. Small pebbles and glass granules are glued to the surface of the ladder to prevent the pet's paws from slipping.

It is recommended to glue the island shelf at the stage of assembling the aquarium itself. Sometimes bulk soil - sand or pebbles - is used to form sushi. To do this, part of the aquarium is separated by a partition of the required height - the resulting container is filled with sand, and the rest is filled with water. The turtle climbs out of the water onto land along an inclined ladder. This method is not very convenient due to the difficulties of cleaning an aquaterrarium with bulk soil.

Drinking bowls

Almost all turtles need water. Only the Central Asian turtle has enough water, which it consumes with succulent food and during water procedures in the pool. In general, the requirements for drinking bowls are the same as for feeders, and in addition, they must be shallow so that the turtle does not drown, and with gentle edges so that it can easily climb in and out.

The water in the drinking bowl should not cool down. Its optimal temperature is 30-31 °C, so it should be located in close proximity to the heating zone, under a light bulb or heater. The drinking bowl should be massive, not tip over and easy to clean. Plastic containers at hand for drinking bowls, and especially for pools in terrariums, are completely unsuitable. Special automatic drinking bowls are also produced for reptiles, including those with a thermostat and automatic level maintenance.

Features of reproduction

Reproduction of land turtles requires compliance with certain conditions. Mating is usually carried out in the spring, when the amphibian has completed the wintering period. Full breeding requires the presence of one male and 2-3 females. In order for them to reproduce without problems, the individuals are first placed next to each other so that they can get used to and get comfortable.

Turtles reproduce using eggs, they lay them, and after some time they hatch. The incubation period lasts from 2 to 6 months.

You definitely need to know all the features of this type of turtle, they will help you figure out how to care for them. In addition, they will ensure rapid establishment of reptiles in the apartment and accelerate their growth process. But do not forget that the most important thing is the proper arrangement of freshwater housing and a balanced diet.

What properties should a corral fence have?

The size of the enclosure, as well as its design, depend on whether the animals will be in it only in the summer, or whether they will live there all year round. During the cold season, pets can be kept in greenhouses, which have a special compartment for turtles.

In the enclosure, it is a good idea to plant green treats for turtles, such as lettuce, clover, cucumbers, dandelions, pumpkins, lavender and many others. You just need to make sure that the plants do not grow close to the fence, especially climbing ones. In this case, the turtle will have an extra chance to leave the enclosure.

A good soil for turtles would be a mixture of river sand with small stones, which should replace part of the soil in the pen. Pesos

By day it will heat up, and at night it will give off heat to the turtle, which can burrow into it.

Decor

Once you have completely assembled the structure of the dwelling for the land turtle, you can move on to the final stage - designing the terrarium. It is advisable to cover the bottom with a special primer. In addition, it is necessary to provide lighting, install a bowl for feeding the pet and decorate the terrarium with decor.

As can be seen from the above, creating a terrarium with your own hands is a fairly simple and quick undertaking. The main thing in the manufacturing process is a responsible approach and careful attention to detail.