i jus got a small turtle and i was wonderin how i builds up its affection wit me and how do i clean the tank.what type of water do i use and if i found the turtle outside not frm a pet shop wat do i feed it do i feed it regular food r do i need to feed it special food wat ever information u can give me about turtles is helpful because i never had one before.
2007-03-26 18:37:52 · 5 answers · asked by LD 1 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
Ok, besides the fact that I cant read a word you typed, I'll try to answer your question.
Turtles need to live in large tanks(if you're going to keep him in a tank) or ponds. I have my baby turtle in a 55gal tank. If you plan on keeping an adult you will need a 100-150gal tank or a large pond outside. You can also buy a horse trough or cow trough from a local farm. The larger ones hold hundreds of gallons and are perfect "mobile ponds" for turtles. Also, they can be kept in your basement during winter.
They need to have water that is at least their length deep, and a basking area that can be made out of wood, rocks, or bought at the store. Either way, it needs to let them out of the water completely, with a light above them to let them bask. The basking area needs to be 90* or so, so he can properly digest. He also needs a 2.0 and 5.0 UV light. If you can only afford one, get the 5.0 as it will be better. They need UV to make the vitamin D3, so they can absorb calcium. Otherwise, they will get a soft shell and have MBD(metabolic bone disease) and its very hard to treat and your turt will die a horrid death.
As far as feeding goes, you will need to feed him a combination of turtle pellets, dried krill, baby shrimp, feeder fish, live crickets, mealworms, and earthworms. You can go to flukerfarms.com to get cheap food for your reptiles.
As far as getting your turtle to trust you, you cant make any sudden movements, you cant pick him up from the tank EVER, and you need to feed him and watch him eat so he doesn't associate you with bad. Chances are if you're taking him from the wild, he's not going to trust you for a long, long time.
Also, turtles are not pets that you can play with. They stress very easy and can die quickly from it. The turtle is only to be watched, fed, and taken care of. Also, it CAN spread salmonella. Not that it will, but dont put it in your mouth.
Please also buy from a pet store, the animals will adapt better and you will not have a dead pet within a few weeks. Most wild turtles wont eat in captivity.
2007-03-27 03:05:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What type of turtle do you have? I have three. I have one Russian tortoise that I've had for 6 years, a giant Sulcata toroise that I've had for a few months, and a baby snapping turtle that I rescued. If I was you I would look online to research what type of turtle you found. Each type requires different care. For example, if you have a box turtle of some sort, you shouldn't keep it in water. Actually, I wouldn't reccomend keeping any thing you stole from nature but if you insist on keeping it as a pet, then do some research about it. Your turtle should have a big enough tank for it to adequately get excercize. The tank bedding should be determined by what type of turtle you have...I can't tell you what to use unless I know what kind you have. However, I do know that land turtles are mostly vegetarians, but wild land turtles will also eat bugs. Wild turtles might reject any pellet food you buy from the pet store. I would try to feed it veggies and insects from bait shops such as worms or crickets. If it is a water turtle (does it have webbed feet?) then it most likely eats meat, which means you'll have to feed it worms, crickets, or tiny fish. Always make sure you give your turtle dechloronated water. Don't give it water straight from the faucette. As far as building affection, my tortoises love me but my wild snapping turtle thinks my fingers are food. If you have a land turtle the best way to establish trust is to handle it carefully (washing your hands before and after touching it) and when you feed it try to keep your fingers out of view..you don't want it to associate your fingers with it's food. Over time your turtle will learn to trust you and will anticipate seeing you. Just get online and do a little research so that you know you can give your new turtle the best home possible.
2007-03-27 11:36:52 · answer #2 · answered by happy hippy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Contrary to the person that posted before me, turtles are NOT dumb. They happen to be very intelligent, and can be very loving with the proper care and affection. Be sure to take him or her out a few times a day and love on him/her and feed him/her by hand some succulent green lettuces. Every time you touch and feed him/her, she or he will get more used to and attached to you , and eventually will be your best buddy. Have fun with him or her, and ignore anyone that is ignorant enough to tell you that reptiles are stupid!
2007-03-27 02:25:08 · answer #3 · answered by ~~Rina~~ 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You can't. It's a reptile. It's dumb as a rock.
Take it to a pet store and they will tell you how to feed it. Box turtles are fun and they eat crickets usually, but some turtles need different food, like goldfish, which they will snatch out of a dish of water... it's cool to watch :)
2007-03-27 01:43:15 · answer #4 · answered by polly_peptide 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Any one who has not had a reptile as a pet can not appreciate how truly unique each one of them is. The secret to forming a relationship with a reptile is to spend time with it every day.The best advice I've seen on the care of feeding of young turtles has come from MadkinsO, who refers you to two websites,http://www.redearslider.com or http://austinsturtlepage.com
Best of luck with your new friend, I love each and every one of mine, diva's though they may be!!!
2007-03-27 03:32:29 · answer #5 · answered by Darla G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋