Things to Remember When Making Your Pet Turtle’s Habitat

 

Creating a proper turtle’s habitat involves a lot more than just throwing some water in an aquarium. Turtles have certain needs that must be met in order to keep them happy and healthy. While baby turtles don’t require a great deal of room, as your turtle grows, you need to accommodate its size.

Before taking a trip to the local pet shop, review this information to make sure that you are taking into account everything you will need for a turtle’s habitat.

Size and Type of Enclosure

Regardless of whether your turtle is aquatic or semi aquatic, the turtle’s habitat should ideally be a long and low aquarium. Before purchasing the aquarium, find out how big your turtle will grow to be. As previously stated, a baby turtle won’t require much room, but some can grow to be up to a foot in diameter.

If you have a turtle that will grow to be 8 inches or larger, you should plan on housing it in an aquarium that is larger than 20 gallons. If you own multiple large turtles, be prepared to add at least an additional 10 gallons of space per each additional turtle. If you choose to keep two small turtles, they will be more than happy to cohabitate a 20 gallon aquarium with no problems.

Ventilation of the enclosure is very important, as is proper UVB light access, so be sure to use a mesh aquarium lid. Your turtles will have a failure to thrive if they are deprived proper light and suffer from poor ventilation.

Land/Water Issues

It is very important to create a proper balance of land and water in your turtle’s habitat. The amount of water and land it will require depends mainly on whether it’s aquatic or semi-aquatic. Aquatic turtles need 75% of their habitat to be water, while semi-aquatic turtles can tolerate no more than 50% water.

Depth of water varies depending on how large your turtle is. Turtles love to swim, so make sure that the depth of the water is as deep as your turtle’s shell is wide. This will allow your pet to enjoy a pleasant swim without fear of it not having enough room.

Basking land can be created from myriad items. You can buy landing docks, floating lily pads for smaller turtles, or aquarium rocks for your pets to relax on. You may also opt to make your own by placing driftwood or stacking flagstones inside the aquarium—use your imagination. The most important thing here is that you make the land masses accessible to your turtles. Sharp and steep angles will prevent your turtles from being able to climb onto the land, so provide gentle slopes.

Decorative Items

Turtles like to feel secure in their home. Try to make your turtle’s habitat as natural as you can by adding small stones, driftwood, etc on the basking areas. In addition to this, plants (real and artificial) are welcome decorative items that will keep your turtle happy and safe feeling.

If you own small turtles you may also wish to provide a hideaway box in the basking area. If your turtle feels a bit skittish he can hide in there while basking. This will help prevent any undue stress on your turtle.

Filter

Do not forget the water filter. Many people skip this item, insisting that they will clean the turtle aquarium at least once a week. Unfortunately, these promises often times go forgotten and the turtle can get sick and die. Even if you are diligent in your cleaning, there may be a time when you are out of town for an extended period of time.

Filters vary in price, but if the cost is a concern, you can save money by not purchasing a basking area. Simply make your own.