Pond slider. Maintenance, care and feeding. Adviсe

North America is considered the homeland of the red-eared slider. But today these turtles can be found throughout the American continent, as well as in South Africa, Southern Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, etc.

Today, the population of these animals in some regions has increased so much that scientists are sounding the alarm: turtles threaten local flora and fauna. For example, in Israel, these creatures have discovered optimal living conditions for themselves and are now slowly but surely destroying plants, fish fry, tadpoles, beetles and invertebrates, thereby disturbing the ecological balance. Capturing new territories, red-eared creatures have chosen all local reservoirs and even sewers.

Under natural conditions, these reptiles live in ponds, small lakes, swamps and other bodies of water with weak currents and gentle banks. Fresh, and preferably warm, water, an island and dense vegetation - this is what a turtle needs for a comfortable existence in nature.

Turtles have long been a symbol of slowness, but this applies only to land turtles. Red-eared turtles move quickly and agilely both in water and on land. They are excellent swimmers. On land they are extremely cautious and, when they sense a threat, run to the water with lightning speed. If the turtle is full, then its favorite activity is to bask in the sun. At water temperatures below 18° C, the animal becomes lethargic, loses appetite, and at temperatures below 10° C, it buries itself in silt or sand and hibernates.

Why was the turtle called the red-eared turtle? Not only are they red, she has no ears at all. However, this does not mean that she does not hear. These reptiles hear low-frequency sounds well. And she was nicknamed the red-eared (or orange-eared) for the red or orange spots behind her eyes.

Habitat of red-eared turtles in nature

In nature, the red-eared turtle lives in small lakes, ponds and other bodies of water with low, swampy shores.

Leads a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Extremely curious about everything that happens around. If the turtle is full, it crawls ashore and basks in the sun. And if she gets hungry, she swims in search of food.

When the water temperature is below +18 °C, the turtle becomes lethargic and loses its appetite. We can say that such a temperature already poses a danger to her life. The turtle is able to notice danger at a distance of 30-40 m, after which it slides into the water with lightning speed (for which it received the nickname “Slider”).

Breeding

Reptiles reach sexual maturity at different ages; the process is influenced by the sex of the animal and lifestyle. If they live in an aquaterrarium, then females reach sexual maturity by 5-6 years, males by 4 years. In nature, turtles mature only at 8 years of age. The “wedding” period for reptiles occurs in the first spring months. The male approaches the female he likes, pokes his muzzle into her and begins to tickle her chin with his claws.

The female lays her eggs on land, in an area that she first prepares: she moistens it with water from her own anal bladder and digs a hole. The clutch consists of 5-10 eggs, the size of which is no more than 4 cm. When the laying process is completed, the female carefully buries the future offspring.

The incubation period is long and lasts up to 21.5 weeks. An interesting fact is that the sex of hatching turtles depends on the temperature: if the indicator remains above 30°C, then females appear, and if below 27°C, then males.

Why is the turtle called the red-eared turtle?

This turtle doesn't actually have ears (in the traditional way). And they even say that her hearing is poorly developed. In fact, I dare to assure you that she hears very well. But they nicknamed her red-eared or orange-eared because she has red or orange spots on the sides of the top of her head.

The red-eared turtle cannot speak, but it can hiss, snort and even make a sound similar to a short squeak. The turtle has well-developed vision and sense of smell.

Reliable determination of a pet's age

It is not difficult for a specialist to determine its age just by looking at a reptile. But what should inexperienced owners do when they get such an unusual pet? You can use several methods - measure the length of the carapace, evaluate the nature of its pattern, the shape and color of the shield.

Method I

It's not 100% correct, but it's still worth a look because it's fairly easy to do.

Initially, it is important to find out whether the turtle is male or female, which is not so easy to do, especially if we are talking about a young individual. And only after this can you measure the diameter of the reptile’s shell and compare the data obtained with basic information:

in the first year of life, the size of the carapace in red whales is 6 cm, regardless of gender;
in the second year of life, the diameter of the armored shield of females increases to 9 cm, of males - to 8 cm;
by the 3rd year, the carapace of females grows to 13-14 cm, and in males its length does not exceed 10 cm;
in the 4th year, the size of the shell of males and females increases on average by 2 cm;
in 5-year-old individuals, the length of the carapace is 18 cm in the case of a female, and 14 cm in males;
at 6 years, the female’s shield increases by 2 cm, the male’s by 3 cm.

When a reptile reaches 6 years of age, its shell grows to its maximum size, and subsequently its diameter remains practically unchanged. Even if this happens, the increase is insignificant, and gradually the growth stops completely. The size of the carapace of a red-eared turtle is associated with the following factors:

variety of diet;
the size of the aquaterrarium;
living conditions;
the absence of hibernation or the presence of this period.

If you take into account such nuances, it is easy to understand that errors, often quite significant, cannot be avoided in calculations. Having obtained data in this way, you can correct the result using another technique - the most reliable.

II method

This method is based on determining the age of a reptile from the image on its carapace. Experts consider a turtle's shell to be its individual identifier, comparing it to a human fingerprint.

If the turtle eats well and lives in suitable conditions, then the shield pattern will be unique. But when a reptile lives in an unsuitable environment, is injured, becomes dry, or experiences other difficulties, its scutes can become deformed and peel off, which negatively affects the pattern.

There are a number of concentric rings on the shell that indicate its age. They appear in individuals after the first year of life, and then become intense during the 2nd and 3rd years. Every 6 months there are 2-3 more rings, after which the process slows down, and then only one ring appears per year.

If you count the number of rings, it is easy to find out how old the four-legged swimming pet is. Even if he came to a new home already as a large, adult individual. To get an accurate figure, you need to count the rings and take the average result. And in this case, some discrepancy with reality is possible.

III method

This method is based on assessing the color of the carapace - the intensity of the shade changes with age. The younger the individual, the lighter and calmer the color of its shell. After 4 years his tone becomes darker. Older red-eared turtles have an almost black shield, and this also applies to the rings.

As the reptile matures, the carapace becomes regular, oval in shape, and its surface becomes smooth, which is not the case in young animals. Young turtles are more active, energetic and inquisitive, they move more and climb everywhere. Old individuals are sedentary and phlegmatic; they can often be found resting. But such signs are observed not only in turtles, but also in other creatures - old age manifests itself in the same way in almost everyone.

It is worth noting that if the pet was purchased when it was still small, then there is no particular need to calculate its exact age. The main thing is to distinguish between the needs of young, adult and elderly reptiles and provide suitable food and amenities. But, regardless of age, the red ear needs clean water, ultraviolet rays, warmth and maintaining certain parameters of both water and air. This is the key to a healthy, long and fulfilling life for your pet.

Keeping and caring for a red-eared turtle at home

An adult turtle can reach a size of about 30 centimeters. As a rule, the age of such a turtle is more than 8 years. But, as a rule, they buy small young turtles the size of a matchbox or a little larger.

Attention! The shell of a young turtle is soft! Under no circumstances should you drop, crush or pet the turtle. You can easily injure her or put pressure on her internal organs! Therefore, until your turtle is one year old, refrain from physical influence. When transplanting, just sit it on your palm and don’t give it a chance to fall.

Features of nutrition in captivity

The main diet of a predatory turtle consists of protein food.

You can and should give her pieces of fish (for example, hake, cod or pollock), shrimp, live or dried worms, and mussels.
Beef liver will also work, but it can be served no more than once a week.
Plant foods play the role of a vitamin supplement. Chopped and scalded leaves of spinach, lettuce, plantain or dandelion are quite suitable as such an additive.

There are many branded ready-made foods, including Reptomin from Tetra or Nutrafin, produced by Hagen. There are also ready-made balanced vitamin food supplements on sale (from Tetra or Hartz, for example), which are not recommended to be neglected. These additives have a positive effect on the formation of the skeleton and shell of reptiles.

Thus, keeping a marsh turtle cannot be called simple and easy. But all the listed care features and troubles will more than pay off when your pet gets used to you. The animal will trustingly rush to get out of the water in order to get pieces of tasty food from the hands of its owners. As a rule, the turtle gets so used to people that it does not hide its head under its shell, allowing itself to be stroked and even picked up.

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Aquarium – terrarium for the red-eared turtle

An aquarium for turtles or reptiles is correctly called a terrarium. Indeed, a terrarium is different from an aquarium.

A terrarium for a red-eared turtle must have an island with a smooth and rough entry. If the approach to the island is high and slippery, then the turtle will not be able to climb onto it. But it’s better to remove the soil and algae. The algae will still be torn out and chewed, and the soil will make cleaning difficult and is not at all necessary for the terrarium.

The size of a red-eared turtle's terrarium depends on its age. For a small turtle up to 3 years old, an aquarium measuring 50 by 30 centimeters with a height above the island of at least 12-15 centimeters will be sufficient. In this case, the water level should be at least one and a half times the size of a turtle with outstretched paws.

Adult turtles require a much larger terrarium. I recommend the following size: 120 cm long, 50 cm wide and at least 80 cm high.

In general, the terrarium for a red-eared turtle should be high. An adult turtle can easily jump over the side of its home, just let it catch its claws on the top of the aquarium! She will pull herself up, stretch out her muzzle and go! It will fall over.

Once, a river crab escaped from an ordinary aquarium in this way, having previously killed all the algae in the aquarium. I searched for the fugitive for three days throughout the apartment. Surprisingly, I found him alive. I returned the brawler to his natural habitat due to our differences with him.

We've decided on the size of the turtle's terrarium, and what about the island? An island is vital for a turtle. If she does not warm up and dry on it, she will very soon begin to hurt. This applies to both small and adult turtles. What are the requirements for the island:

The island should be such that the turtle can easily climb onto it
The island must be dry so that the turtle can dry completely on it.
The size of the island should be such that at least two turtles can fit on it at the same time.
The island must be super durable, since turtles are also destroyers.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Red-eared turtle

Male turtles reach sexual maturity when their shell is 10 cm in diameter, and female turtles are mature when their shell is 15 cm in diameter. Both males and females are ready to reproduce at the age of five to six years. The male is smaller than the female, although this parameter is sometimes difficult to apply since the individuals being compared may be of different ages.

Courtship and mating take place underwater from March to July. During courtship, the male swims around the female, directing his pheromones towards her. The female begins to swim towards the male and, if she is receptive, sinks to the bottom to mate. Courtship lasts about 45 minutes, but mating takes only 10 minutes.

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The female lays between two and 30 eggs depending on body size and other factors. Moreover, one individual can lay up to five clutches in one year, with time intervals of 12-36 days.

Interesting fact! Fertilization of the egg occurs during oviposition. This process allows fertilized eggs to be laid in the next season, since the sperm remains viable and available in the female’s body even in the absence of mating.

In the last weeks of pregnancy, the female spends less time in the water and looks for a suitable place to lay eggs. She digs a hole-nest using her hind legs.

Incubation takes from 59 to 112 days. The offspring remain inside the eggshell for two days after hatching. During the first days, the cubs still feed from the yolk sac, the reserve of which still remains in the egg. The area through which the yolk is absorbed must heal on its own before the turtles can swim. The time between hatching and immersion in water is 21 days.

What else should a terrarium for red-eared turtles be equipped with?

A terrarium or aquarium for turtles should also be equipped with a small incandescent lamp so that the turtle can bask under it. And also a durable water filter, which will allow you to increase the interval between cleanings in the turtles’ home.

Many stores and breeders recommend UV lamps. Like it’s useful and so on. I managed without them. Moreover, exposure to these lamps must be strictly dosed so as not to harm the turtles. Well, he's in the swamp... such troubles!

Also, the terrarium must have an automatic water heater with a temperature controller. The water in the terrarium should not be cooler than 20 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the turtles will be lethargic and may get sick. A comfortable temperature is considered to be between 22 and 28 degrees. In principle, with a gradual increase in temperature, turtles can tolerate 32 degrees, but there is no point in specifically heating them to such a temperature. Set the regulator to 22 degrees and sleep peacefully.

A thermometer will also be useful to know the water temperature. But remember, it must be durable and fasten well. In such cases, a sticker thermometer comes to the rescue. This thermometer is glued to the outside of the lower corner of the terrarium or aquarium. It does not interfere with your cleaning inside, is not accessible to smaller brothers and is quite accurate (error up to 1 degree Celsius).

Arrangement of the aquarium

Proper arrangement of a future place of residence for a turtle will require certain skills and costs from you. When setting up housing for your red-eared slider, you will need to do the following:

Buy an aquarium. To maintain activity and good health, the turtle will need an aquarium with a volume of at least 150 liters. If you think that you can get by with a smaller container, then your pet will grow with curved shells and sooner or later will begin to get sick;
Set up a piece of sushi. These turtles do not spend all their time in the water, so they will definitely need a place to walk and warm up. An island for a reptile can be bought at pet supermarkets, which offer a large selection of artificial options for this element of the aquarium. If you decide to set up a terrarium yourself, you need to remember that the turtle should be provided with a sloping climb so that it can easily climb onto land. It could be a stone or a piece of wood. The main thing is that the material is non-toxic, has a surface with a pronounced texture, is stable and does not have sharp corners. The land should occupy about a quarter of the aquarium and be heated;
Pour soil. By and large, soil is used only for aquarium decoration. Turtles do not need it. However, you can decorate your turtle's habitat to make it look more attractive. Let’s immediately make a reservation that you cannot use fine soil - a turtle can swallow it, and caring for such an aquarium will be problematic. For decoration you need to use only large stones;
Provide heating for sushi. Wild turtles will often come ashore to bask in the sun, so you need to give your pet the same opportunity. To achieve the required temperature of the shell (31-35C0), you need to place the lamp strictly above the piece of sushi. It is also advisable to install a thermometer, since both overheating and insufficient heating are equally dangerous for turtles. There is no need to place the lamp too low - this can cause burns. In addition, the lamp must be splash-proof;
Provide UV radiation. Turtles need not only heating, but also proper lighting of their place of residence. Under natural conditions, the body’s production of all the necessary elements for the absorption of calcium and the production of vitamins is ensured by the sun’s rays, but in an apartment, a turtle needs a UV lamp, which, like a heating lamp, must work for at least 10-12 hours a day;
Pour water. These turtles are a freshwater species, so they spend a lot of time in water. The level of the water surface in the aquarium should be such that the reptile can turn over freely if it suddenly tips over on its back. In general, in this case it is better not to save money - the turtle should be comfortable swimming, and a large volume of water becomes polluted much more slowly. Before pouring water into the aquarium, it must be left for 24-30 hours to get rid of chlorine. Water for turtles should be warm - 22-28C is considered the norm. It is better to periodically check the water temperature to prevent hypothermia and install heating in the aquarium;
Equip the aquarium with a filter. Turtles not only eat in water, but also empty their intestinal contents into it, so you have to constantly monitor the cleanliness of the water. The best solution is to install an external filter, which will cost you quite a lot. You can install a small internal filter, but in this case you will still have to change the water at least once a week (without a filter - 2-3 times a week);
Consider a place to install the aquarium. The turtle's housing will have a decent weight - a glass aquarium, water and equipment will weigh a total of 200-300 kilograms, so not every table will be able to hold this load. The place for the aquarium should not be in direct sunlight or in drafts.

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Correct location for a red-eared turtle terrarium

Yes, it’s not worth posting anywhere. Under no circumstances should the terrarium be placed in an area of direct sunlight, for example, on a windowsill. Do not place it in a drafty area; if the turtle gets cold, it will die. Do not place her home next to your sleeping place. Young people still sleep at night, but adults won’t let you sleep... they are drawn to exploits at night. The ideal place for a red-eared slider would be a bright corner of the room away from the window.

How often should you clean a red-eared turtle's terrarium?

The red-eared turtle's aquarium or terrarium must be cleaned regularly. Clean water is especially important for young turtles. Therefore, turtles up to one year old need to change the water three times a week, replacing 50-70% of the water. It is advisable to do this half an hour after feeding. The newly poured water should not be cold or hot, but should be allowed to stand for at least 5 hours. Even though the red-eared slider is an aquatic turtle, it breathes air like a human. Bleaching fumes are no less harmful to her than ours!

conclusions

Before getting a yellow-bellied reptile, you need to re-read the description of the article in detail again; a red-eared turtle may die if environmental conditions do not meet its needs. Keeping turtles requires knowledge of care information and the availability of all the necessary equipment for a comfortable habitat for the red-eared representative. To keep a reptile, it is necessary to provide the aquatic environment and land surface, the proper temperature, and also take care of the cleanliness of the home when keeping it at home.

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How to properly feed baby red-eared turtles

Very often you can hear that the red-eared turtle does not eat. This happens, especially when small turtles are not fed correctly or when a large turtle is sick or is preparing to lay eggs. In order for the red-eared turtle to eat, you must first feed it correctly!

Feeding baby turtles is very different from adult turtles. The young turtle has a small mouth, the chitinous plates (these turtles do not have teeth, but have razor-sharp plates) have not yet become stronger. Therefore, they must be fed in a special way. First of all, food for a small turtle should be small, preferably in powder form. Dried daphnia are perfect (they are fed to guppies); they are sold at any pet store that sells fish. In general, fish food containing algae, calcium, and fats is excellent for turtles. The main thing is to crush it for small turtles.

Small turtles need to be fed three times a day. You may ask why so often. For the reason that the turtle is still small and stupid and may miss feeding at some time. If the food has not been eaten within 20 minutes, it should be removed from the surface of the water by taking a regular piece of paper. The leaf must be placed on the surface of the water (feed) and immediately lifted back. The food should remain on the leaf. Napkins should not be used.

Adult turtles can be fed larger foods. It is enough to feed turtles once a day. But even if you don’t feed them for two to four days, they won’t die of hunger, but they will become very hungry.

How to organize an acquaintance correctly

Before purchasing, you need to study all the necessary information: look at a photo of a red-eared turtle, get advice on its contents from a seller in a pet store, read reviews from the owners.

It is necessary to evaluate your capabilities, because creating comfortable conditions for an animal requires time and financial costs. Young individuals require daily attention and a special diet.

It is better to buy a turtle in a specialized pet store, where it was provided with proper care, than in the market from random sellers. In this case, the likelihood of acquiring a healthy pet increases.

In any case, getting acquainted with a reptile should begin with a veterinarian to make sure that it does not have diseases. This is especially true for those who already have similar or other pets.

IMPORTANT! You should not place the red-eared turtle with its relatives. Adult turtles are aggressive towards young ones and can injure them. It is better to place the new family member separately, giving him time to adapt.

If there is a child in the house, he needs to explain that he should not often pick up the turtle or bother him.

What can and should you feed red turtles?

Red-eared turtles need to be fed a variety of foods. Not only meat, but also plant food is important to them. It is extremely important that your turtle gets calcium, vitamin A, and vitamins E and B. There are several types of turtle food available. You can stop there, but I went much further!!!

Red-eared turtles do well on the cheapest pelleted cat food. Why cheap? Because it contains an outrageous amount of calcium, which is harmful for cats, but just right for a turtle.

With great pleasure, turtles eat small aquarium snails - coils. This is their natural and favorite food. They begin to eat them at about 2 years of age.

Carrots, cabbage leaves, tender lettuce leaves, cucumbers are wonderful food for turtles. They will happily eat plant foods.

Fish, shrimp (shrimp heads, shells), meat are a delicacy for turtles.

Attention!!! Red-eared turtles should not be fed cold or hot food. This is extremely dangerous for them!!!

A red-eared turtle eats in the water. Therefore, after meat, shrimp, fish and other food, it is necessary to clean up. To avoid unnecessary cleaning, I fed them this food an hour or two before cleaning.

Perhaps this knowledge will be enough for you to begin with so as not to starve the turtles.

List of suitable products

Beef, turkey, rabbit, chicken. Meat should be periodically subjected to short-term heat treatment, combined with raw meat, otherwise animals may develop rickets.
Low-fat river fish: cod, carp, bream, pike perch, pollock, hake, sprat.
Crustaceans, mollusks, squids.
Liver, heart, stomachs.
Insects: grasshoppers, earthworms, crickets.

IMPORTANT! It is safer to buy insects from pet stores. In their natural environment, they can be poisoned with chemicals. A poisoned insect is not suitable for food.

Vitamins, supplements. The diet must contain calcium for proper development of bones and shell. It is added to products in the form of a special powder for reptiles. Due to the lack of calcium, the shell can become deformed or even fall apart in advanced cases.
Vegetables: zucchini, broccoli, eggplant, bell pepper, grated carrots.
Greens: meadow grass, lettuce.
Dried seaweed.
Aquatic vegetation: duckweed, spirogyra. Algae must be grown separately, otherwise the turtle may overeat on them.

How to distinguish the sex of red-eared turtles

To be honest, it is difficult to distinguish the sex of small turtles. This can definitely only be done at puberty. In males, the carapace has a depression on the abdomen closer to the tail. The claws and tail of male red-eared sliders are SIGNIFICANTLY longer than those of females. At the same time, the tail is thinner and the male at the same age is smaller than the female.

In general, the relationships between red-eared turtles are interesting. The female almost never responds to the male with aggression, even when he bites her and does not behave like a gentleman. And it doesn’t matter that the female is physically larger and stronger.

It is common for a red-eared turtle to bite another turtle. Such a “spectacle” can occur in the case of a fight for food, in the case of male dominance, and so on. It's not scary until it gets to the wounds.

How to stop one turtle from biting another. Very simple. If there are several turtles in one aquarium, then throw food in different corners of the aquarium. Then the struggle for food will not be so intense. Remember that turtles need a spacious aquarium. If you have two turtles in a 30-liter aquarium, then fights cannot be avoided. Imagine being locked in a stuffy minibus and being driven for 10 hours, but you want to sit down, but there is nowhere! Everything is simple for the animal, it begins to fight for a place on the bridge, for food, and so on.

But sometimes this doesn’t help, and then you have to keep the turtles away for a while. Especially if wounds have already appeared.

The male cares for the female in the following way. He swims up to her from the front, face to face. He stretches out his front paws in front of her muzzle and seems to be tickling her muzzle. But as soon as you throw a shrimp into their home, all the courtship comes to naught and the struggle for prey begins. When they see a shrimp, turtles simply lose their heads.

Appearance and features

Photo: Animal red-eared turtle

The length of the shell of this type of turtle can reach 40 cm, but the average length ranges from 12.5 to 28 cm. Females are usually larger than males. Their shell is divided into two sections: the upper or dorsal carapace (carapace) + the lower, abdominal (plastron).

The upper shell consists of:

vertebral shields, which form the central elevated part;
pleural shields located around the vertebral shields;
edge shields.

The scutes are bony keratin elements. The carapace is oval and flattened (especially in men). The color of the shell changes depending on the age of the turtle. The carapace usually has a dark green background with light or dark markings. In young or newly hatched specimens, this is the color of the green foliage, which gradually darkens in mature specimens. Until it turns dark green and then changes shade between brown and olive green.

The plastron is always light yellow with dark, paired, irregular markings in the center of the shields. The head, legs and tail are green with thin, irregularly shaped yellow lines. The entire shell is covered with stripes and markings that help in camouflage.

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Interesting fact! The animal is a poikilotherm, that is, it cannot independently regulate its body temperature and is completely dependent on the temperature of the environment. For this reason, they need to sunbathe frequently to stay warm and maintain their body temperature.

Turtles have a complete skeletal system with partially webbed feet that help them swim. The red stripe on each side of the head distinguished the red-eared slider from other species and became part of the name, as the stripe is located behind the eyes where their (outer) ears would be.

These stripes may lose their color over time. Some individuals may have a small marking of the same color on the top of the head. In addition, they do not have a visible outer ear or external auditory canal. Instead, there is a middle ear, completely covered with a cartilaginous tympanic disc.