ᐉ What kind of water does a red-eared turtle need, how much to pour into the aquarium when keeping it at home

This species of turtle belongs to the freshwater turtle family. In nature, they can be found in small lakes or ponds with marshy banks, in small swamps, as well as in river floodplains. For normal life they need fresh water. Without it, the turtle will not live more than two days. Water is of great importance for them, as it replaces the gym, dining room and bedroom. But this does not mean that she only needs water. For normal development, especially in an aquaterrarium, the turtle should be given at least ¼ of the land area.

Aquarium water for red-eared turtles

Types of pet turtles

Domestic turtles can be divided into two large “families” - freshwater and land. And now more about their representatives, which you can have and keep in your home.

Land turtles:

Central Asian. Very slow and clumsy creatures. They have 4 fingers on the forelimbs. If we talk about wildlife, this species lives only in Central Asia. Listed in the Red Book. They do not like confined spaces, which is why their life expectancy in an apartment or house is very short. The best temperature for a terrarium is about 30 degrees.
Mediterranean. They live in various climatic conditions. These individuals are thermophilic. They love to lie under the sun's rays. The size of the largest animals of this species does not exceed 35 cm. There are 5 fingers on the forelimbs. The optimal temperature for keeping is 25-30 degrees.
Egyptian - representatives of this species are very small. They grow up to 12 cm in length. In nature, they are found in the vast expanses of Egypt, Libya and Israel. They love sand very much because they consider it protection. If danger arises, the turtle will rush to burrow under it. The best temperature is 26-30 degrees.
Balkan - similar to the Mediterranean. The size of adult individuals reaches 20 cm. A distinctive feature of this species is the spike at the tip of the tail. The temperature in the terrarium should not exceed 32 degrees.

Freshwater turtles:

European swamp. Numerous species of amphibious turtles. The shape of these individuals is slightly flattened. They grow up to 35 cm in length. Weight no more than two kilograms. There are sharp claws on the fingers. A long tail. They live in lakes, ponds and wetlands. Listed in the Red Book.
Red-eared. Near the ears of these animals there are red, yellow or orange spots. They grow up to 30 cm. These are very slow and lazy creatures. They love warmth. The temperature in the terrarium must be maintained between 30 and 32 degrees.
Far Eastern. These turtles do not have the classic hard shell. Their “shelter” is soft to the touch. Its surface resembles leather. The size of an adult can reach 20 cm. It has a long neck. Dangerous to humans. Difficult to educate. They may bite. They are bred only in rare cases.
Caspian. The shell of this species is flat and oval in shape. The maximum length is 30 cm. Males of this species have a longer tail than females. They love salty and fresh water. In the wild, they rise to great heights. These are long-lived among domestic turtles. Their average age is 25 years. When keeping, you need to maintain two temperature conditions: water - 22 degrees, air - 32 degrees.

Ways to maintain temperature in an aquaterrarium

One of the components of normal conditions for keeping a turtle is maintaining temperature conditions. The aquaterrarium should have space for water (3/4) and land (1/4).

Temperature conditions depend on the time of year. In this case, you should focus on the following standards:

In spring and winter +20-25°C and not lower, combined with 8-hour lighting.
In autumn +22-26°C, subject to 8-hour daylight hours.
In summer +25-28°C, with constant lighting for 13 hours.

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The water should be warm (not lower than +25°C), especially for keeping young turtles. A short-term decrease in temperature is allowed, but prolonged exposure to low temperatures leads to the appearance of various diseases or a deterioration in general condition.

You can maintain the desired temperature in various ways. A submersible aquarium heater with a thermostat is suitable for heating water. ¼ of the sushi also needs to be heated. This is the area where the turtle rests, sunbathing. Sunlight can be replaced with a Repty-Glo reptile lamp. It is possible to use other lamps, but the presence of a UV lamp is required. To prevent the turtle from getting burned, the lamp should be placed at a safe distance, which can be at least 60 cm.

Temperature

Despite the fact that the red-eared turtle is a resident of the tropics, it feels great even in the temperature conditions of our northern summer. Therefore, red-eared turtles do not require high water temperatures - room temperature (18-25°C) is sufficient. But at the same time, it is necessary to give the animal the opportunity to dry out and warm up well on land - on the island it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 33-35 ° C. Heating is required from above (an incandescent lamp, the most convenient is a mirror one), since heating stones lead to burns on the abdomen and paws. The heating should be turned off at night.

Like people, turtles can have individual temperature preferences (like you and me, turtles can also be “walruses” and “freezing creatures”). Based on recommended temperatures, consider your pet's individual needs. If you notice that the turtle constantly sits on the island at +35°C, most likely the water is too cold for it, and it is worth purchasing a heater in order to raise the temperature by 1-2 degrees. If a turtle constantly swims and does not want to dry out on land, then it is worth lowering the water temperature just enough so that the turtle has a desire to get ashore and get full-fledged “sun” baths.

If the turtle is mainly on land, this can lead to dehydration and starvation of the animal. If a turtle is constantly in water, neglecting air baths, this will lead to the growth of algae on the shell (this looks very unpleasant), as well as to disruption of calcium metabolism due to insufficient UV irradiation (ultraviolet radiation does not penetrate into the water column).

Aquarium water

The amount of water in the aquaterrarium should be sufficient for the turtle to move freely. As a rule, the water level reaches about 25 cm and can fluctuate within small limits, depending on the age of the reptile.

The turtle needs fresh water with a pH reaction in the range of 6.5-7.5, which corresponds to ordinary tap water. But given the fact that the water is treated with chlorine, such water must be left to stand for 24 hours. Chlorine is a volatile substance and during this time there will be practically no trace of it in the water. This water is used for partial replacement.

It is not recommended to completely replace the water, so as not to disturb the microclimate and ecosystem of the aquaterrarium. In this case, it is better to perform partial water changes more often during cleaning.

Step by step guide

In order to change the water correctly, follow these steps:

Remove the pet and place it in a separate container while cleaning.
Drain the liquid and remove all decorative elements. If the replacement is partial, then save ⅔ of the poured liquid.
Use a soft sponge or cloth to clean the inside of the aquarium and its main components. For severe stains, take a little baking soda and thoroughly rinse the washed parts in several passes.
Return all elements to their original places and add filtered liquid. For partial replacement, mix it with the drained one.

IMPORTANT! A soil cleaner/vacuum cleaner works well to remove dirt particles settled at the bottom.

Timely water changes will rid the aquarium of harmful formations and protect your pet from possible diseases.

Cleanliness is a guarantee of health and longevity

The diet of red-eared turtles is based on animal food, so the water becomes unusable quite quickly. To slow down the pollution process, it is better to transplant the turtle to a separate place with warm water while eating. To do this, you can take a basin of suitable size. But this does not mean that you can’t rush into cleaning. It should be noted that the more water a reptile has, the less often cleaning can be done. To regularly purify water, you can use a powerful filter. For young turtles, a small submersible pump is suitable, but for an adult turtle this will not be enough and to maintain it you will have to install a powerful remote filter. The water itself does not require any additional treatment, except to give it the opportunity to settle well.

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Reptile Neighborhood

The red-eared turtle lives on land and loves to live in the water. She is very demanding of her environment. Therefore, choose aquariums that match the size of the animal, as well as those with access from the water to land.

Do not move new household members into terrariums with seasoned reptiles. The animal experiences stress from a change in environment and therefore becomes aggressive. Create a quarantine for 2 months. Newborn turtles should be treated with care and should have a separate place to live. Pets of the same size live next to each other without harming each other.

The proximity of red-eared turtles to aquarium fish in the same aquarium is not allowed. Reptiles can harm or eat fish. The maximum that can be done is to block a glass wall with small holes between them.

What water is suitable for red-eared turtles?

The red-eared slider belongs to the American freshwater turtle family. Under natural conditions, they prefer small warm lakes and ponds with marshy banks, floodplains and shallow swamps. These reptiles vitally need fresh water, without which adults can survive for no more than a couple of days. For red-eared turtles, water is a bedroom, a dining room, and a gym. However, for proper development and health, a pet in an aquaterrarium needs a small (about ¼ of the entire surface) island of warm land.

Is it possible to sleep in a refrigerator?

Biologists recommend placing turtles in the refrigerator during hibernation, because it is easy to maintain the same temperature. First, the turtle is placed in a cardboard box, which is not much larger in size than the animal, the voids are filled with torn paper, and placed in a refrigerator with a temperature of +12 degrees. The temperature is reduced every day by 1 degree until it reaches +5.

To overwinter in the refrigerator, the turtle can be buried in a substrate of turf soil, sand and fine gravel. The layer of mixture above the turtle should be within 8-9 cm, but to prevent it from suffocating, the refrigerator door must be opened for 10-15 minutes every 2 days.

Ways to maintain temperature in an aquarium

Creating optimal conditions for these reptiles is a multi-stage task and not an easy one. The aquaterrarium must be spacious and necessarily elongated. Water occupies ¾ of the total volume of the home.

The water temperature for red-eared turtles, as well as the length of their daylight hours, depends on the time of year. The following indicators will be ideal for adult representatives:

in winter and spring: 20⁰С (not lower) - 25⁰С with 8-hour lighting;
in summer: 25-28⁰With lighting up to 13 hours;
in autumn: 22-26⁰С and 8 hours of daylight.

For young individuals (up to three years old), the water temperature should not fall below 25 degrees.

Short-term temperature deviations are acceptable, but prolonged exposure to low temperatures leads to deterioration of health and serious diseases of the lungs and skin.

A conventional immersion heater for aquariums with a thermostat allows you to maintain the temperature within the required limits. To heat a dry area, additional sources of light and heat may be required: a Repty-Glo lamp for reptiles is best suited, a regular incandescent lamp with a power of up to 60 W, ultraviolet or medical “solar” is also suitable, you can use a mirror-coated lamp and point it at a certain area, thereby creating a warmer (but not more than 33 degrees) zone. To avoid burns to your pet, the light source must be located at least 60 cm from the water level.

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Aquarium water

The depth of the reservoir in the terrarium must correspond to the age and size of the turtle, allow it to move freely, and on average be at least 25 centimeters.

Fresh water of medium hardness with an active pH reaction in the range of 6.5 - 7.5 is suitable for keeping red-eared turtles. This is an approximate indicator of tap water, but it is better not to pour it directly from the tap. Tap water is disinfected with chlorine, which will evaporate within a day when it settles. This one, settled, is best used for partial replacement. It is not advisable to completely change the water during cleaning, since it takes quite a long time for beneficial microorganisms to mature and form the correct microclimate. And since regular cleaning is needed, the ecosystem will never come into balance with a complete change of water.

Cleanliness is a guarantee of longevity and health

The basis of the redfish's diet is animal food, so the water in the aquarium becomes contaminated very quickly when feeding. To avoid this, you can place your pet in a separate container (a plastic basin of a suitable size) filled with warm water during meals. But even with this method of feeding, cleaning should be regular. The more water your pet has, the less often you need to clean his home. A prerequisite for cleanliness and ventilation is the presence of a powerful filter. For kids, an internal submersible filter is sufficient, but after three years a more powerful external filter is required. Water for red-eared turtles at home does not require additional additives or treatments.

UV irradiation

One of the biggest problems of little red eared cats is calcium metabolism disorders (gastric tympany, rickets, hyperparathyroidism). The reason for this is the lack of UV radiation. It is vital for small and adult turtles to receive a sufficient amount of ultraviolet rays, because if they are deficient, vitamin D3 is not absorbed in the required amount from food. The synthesis of vitamin D3 in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet radiation is the main source of this vitamin in the turtle’s body.

Repti Glo 5.0 lamp for ultraviolet irradiation.

Therefore, in addition to the incandescent lamp, a special UV lamp for animals in temperate climates (Repti Glo 5.0, Repti Zoo 5.0 or any other terrarium UV lamp with a UVA content of 5%) should be installed above the island. Both lamps (incandescent and UV) should shine for 8-12 hours a day. They need to be turned off at night. The UV lamp must be replaced regularly; the period of effective operation is indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging.

Water for the red-eared turtle: what to use, how much to pour into the aquarium

Features of keeping and caring for the red-eared turtle are based around water - the main condition for a comfortable life for a freshwater reptile.

Let's figure out how much water a red-eared turtle should have in the aquarium and what characteristics it should have.

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Rules of detention and causes of mortality

No matter how strange it may sound, the main cause of death of red-eared turtles is the breeders themselves. Today, many people have such pets. But unfortunately, novice breeders make a lot of mistakes that lead to death. This is all due to improper maintenance and care of pets. At home, many owners have turtles that are not able to live even 5 years.

Initially, you need to clearly know that turtles are cold-blooded. This means that their existence directly depends on the temperature and microclimate in their terrarium. Animals cannot independently regulate their body temperature, such as dogs or cats. The optimal temperature range for red-eared turtles is from 26 to 35 degrees. This is precisely the value found in natural conditions in ponds and other reptile habitats.

All this means that the temperature regime cannot be left to chance by breeders. The room in which the aquarium with the reptile is located should not be the main indicator for keeping it. After all, if the room is approximately 25 degrees, then the water temperature will be several degrees lower, and this is below the required norm.

When buying red-eared turtles, which live mostly in water, you should carefully approach the issue of maintenance and think through the conditions for this in advance. The reptile's home is a large aquarium with an island of land or a terrarium. For one individual, it will be enough to buy or make an aquarium of 200-250 liters, with 100 liters of volume in water. If there is a pair of reptiles, then the parameters will need to be multiplied in half.

The island itself with land must be located on approximately 3 parts of the entire bottom area. It is made from glass, stone or wood. It all depends on preferences or materials that are available to create with your own hands, in addition, the entrance to the island should be smooth, and all surfaces should be rough. To prevent the turtle from dying prematurely, it is created from natural materials or from those that are not toxic. You also need to additionally equip a ladder for entry.

It is also not allowed to use soil in an aquarium. And if it is used, then it should be twice as large as the reptile’s head. Turtles simply love to taste everything, as a result they can swallow any decorative element or small stones. The result may be suffocation or disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, which ultimately leads to death.

You should be no less careful when handling large elements of decoration. Although turtles are not always large, they are very strong and can break an aquarium with a stone or figurine. Each island with land must be equipped with special ultraviolet lamps, at a height of approximately 30 cm

They are necessary to maintain the health of the turtle, as well as for the warming and normal development of the pet. You will definitely need to install a heater in the aquarium. This is due to the fact that the water must be within a certain temperature range

Each island with land must be equipped with special ultraviolet lamps, at a height of approximately 30 cm. They are necessary to maintain the health of the turtle, as well as for the warming up and normal development of the pet. You will definitely need to install a heater in the aquarium. This is because the water must be within a certain temperature range.

All turtles are quite sloppy and create a lot of dirt around themselves. However, they love clean water. Therefore, breeders should buy an additional cleaning filter, which will have double the supply. In other words, if there is 100 liters of water in the aquarium, then the filter should be 200 liters and so on. When changing the water in the terrarium, you should only use settled water. It is prohibited to use water that has been passed through a household filter. Typically, this purification adds silver to the water to remove infections and bacteria. All this slowly poisons the turtles and, as a result, intoxication and failure of the animal’s internal organs begins. After this comes death.

Main characteristics

Red-eared turtles need water with medium hardness and a pH in the range of 6.5-7.5. At home, regular tap water, free of chlorine, is suitable.

IMPORTANT! Don't be alarmed if young turtles rub their eyes in a new pond. Irritation is caused by chlorine residues and goes away on its own after some time.

For the safety of your pet, you need to pour filtered water into the aquarium. For large volumes, it is cheaper and easier to purchase special filters installed in the water tap. If the turtle is small, then a regular filter with a replaceable module will do.

In addition to filtration, the water must be settled. It helps:

Get rid of chlorine fumes. Water can be added to the aquarium within a day.
Create the optimal temperature. For normal activity, the pet needs a temperature within 22-28°. For quick heating, a special heater installed on the outside or inside of the aquaterrarium will help.

The water in the turtle is changed depending on the presence of an aquarium filter:

with a filter, 1 partial change per week and 1 full change every month is enough;
without filter - 2-3 partial changes per week and 1 full change every week.

Caring for your turtle

The first thing you should pay attention to when purchasing a pet is its appearance and size. A turtle that is under 5 cm in size at the time of purchase will be very difficult to raise. At this age, small individuals are susceptible to various infections and diseases. This is how natural selection takes place. Therefore, a turtle 5–7 cm in size will be the best choice when purchasing.

You should also carefully examine the color of the shell. The claws and tail must be intact. The skin looks healthy and the eyes shine. After the pet is in the aquarium, watch how it swims. A healthy turtle should swim smoothly, without leaning in different directions.

Healthy turtle

Features of treatment

After purchasing a pet and moving it into an aquarium, it may go through an adaptation period. Typically it will take 2 to 5 days. At this time, the animal becomes a little inhibited, or, conversely, very active. There is no need to panic and pick up the animal. Give him peace and time to adapt to new conditions. After a while, the turtle will get used to the new environment and become calmer.

When trying to pick up a turtle, do it very carefully and always with both hands. Not all representatives are willing to make contact. Some may flounder, hiss, and defecate in fear. The shell becomes slippery in water; keep this fact in mind when removing your pet from the aquarium.

After you hold the turtle in your hands, be sure to wash them with soap. Despite being kept clean, turtles are often carriers of salmonellosis. To avoid the spread of infection, you must always monitor the condition of the aquarium and the quality of the food.

Cleaning the shell

Since green algae in an aquarium is a source of infection, it is important to regularly clean not only the container, but also the turtle’s shell. They cannot do this themselves. During the decomposition process, algae also fall under the surface of the shell, and as they decompose, they harm the shell.

You will get used to the fact that once every 3-5 days you need to take the turtle out of the water and wipe its shell with a clean cloth, a special soft napkin, or gently brush it with a toothbrush. During the process, you should try to remove all small particles of algae and other dirt.

Cleaning the shell with a toothbrush

Some unscrupulous owners try to make the turtle's shell beautiful and lubricate it with various oils or creams to add shine. This is strictly prohibited, as it harms the skin and interferes with the healthy “breathing of the body” of the pet.

When cleaning a turtle's shell, you should not use various oils and kerma, as this will harm your pet's health.

Water level

The water level in the aquarium should allow the turtles to move freely. The approximate figure is calculated based on the body length multiplied by 4. An adult female with a 20 cm shell requires at least 80 cm of depth in order to make flips without hindrance.

IMPORTANT! The lower limit of the depth should not be lower than 40 cm, and when keeping several reptiles, it is necessary to increase the volume of liquid by 1.5 times.

Water for red-eared turtles should fill about 80% of the aquarium. The remaining part is allocated for sushi, used by reptiles for rest and warming up. To prevent escapes, make sure that there is at least 15 cm from the top edge of the aquarium to the water surface.

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Frequency and basic rules

The frequency of water changes depends on several important factors:

Number of living turtles. Overcrowding is bad for the cleanliness and health of aquarium inhabitants.
Aquarium volume. The larger the size, the slower it gets dirty.
Power of an aquarium filter - the main tool for water purification. Aquatic turtles eat, defecate and molt in the pool, filling the aquaterrarium with harmful substances. It is very difficult to control constant cleanliness without a filter, so your pet runs the risk of getting sick.

If red-eared turtles do not have a filter in the aquaterrarium, then the water will have to be changed frequently:

1 time every 3 days – partially (30-40%);
Once a week – completely.

IMPORTANT! There is no need to drain the water every time after cleaning the aquaterrarium. Disruption of the microclimate is stressful for the turtle.

If there is high-quality filtration, the water needs to be changed:

1 time per week – partially;
Once a month – completely.

Tap water is suitable for red-eared reptiles. The main thing is not to forget to rid it of the chlorine used for processing. The volatile substance evaporates within a day, so liquid can be added only after it has settled.

The importance of water during hibernation

Hibernating red-eared turtles spend the winter in a small body of water, absorbing oxygen from the water with special membranes located inside the oral cavity and cloaca.

IMPORTANT! It is not recommended to put your turtle into hibernation on your own. Monitoring sufficient oxygen and water temperature at home is problematic. This practice is dangerous for your pet.

If hibernation occurs without additional stimulation, then the reptile is placed in a separate terrarium filled with wet sand, or left in water, lowering its level to the ground.

How to treat an animal?

If this is your first time getting such a pet, don’t get lost. There is nothing difficult about caring for red-eared turtles at home. You just need to know what they are capable of and how they perceive our world. These four-legged animals have well-developed vision and sense of smell (turtles distinguish colors, detect other people's motor activity at a distance of up to 40 meters, and look for food by smell). But they hear poorly: after all, their ears are covered with skin. Only vibration and dull sounds are available to them. The shell is not just armor and protection, it is a part of the body that is very sensitive to touch because many nerves pass through it. Taste buds are also well developed: pets can refuse tasteless food in favor of some favorite treat.

The animals themselves make a variety of sounds: squeaks, snorts and hisses. Do not forget that turtles cannot breathe underwater; to breathe, they must rise to the surface. In general, these are very sensitive creatures that require special care. Organizing it is not at all difficult, the main thing is to follow the recommendations correctly.

As soon as you have a pet, get ready for a pleasant acquaintance, try to get to know your red-eared friend (or friend) better. Read the article: How to determine the sex of a turtle! Show it to the veterinarian: you won’t be able to make sure on your own that the new family member hasn’t brought a bunch of turtle diseases. If you already have turtles living in your house, don’t rush to add a new one to them. Arrange a kind of quarantine for her for 2-3 months (during this period you can make sure that the red-eared one is healthy).

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Your pet needs time to adapt to an unfamiliar environment. During this difficult period, try not to bother him with your attention, do not pick him up.

About little red-eared turtles

Almost all future owners of turtles want to get them when they are still small - cute, touching and funny. But raising such a baby to the average size of a one-year-old is not easy: the mortality rate in babies is very high. And most often - due to improper handling of them.

So what not to do?

Remove the yolk sac on the plastron from small animals yourself.
Create stressful situations.
Take the extra one at a time.

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Living conditions need to be made as comfortable as possible. What to feed baby red-eared turtles? Exclusively food of animal origin: 70% small lean fish and 30% by-products, insects, squid, shrimp, etc.

A terrarium for a red-eared turtle of any age should be placed so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight or drafts. But unlike adults, babies need a different temperature regime: water - 26-27 degrees, land - 32 degrees.