| Painted Turtles can make great turtle pets for the | | | | submerged in water. Their diet includes tadpoles, |
| novice owner. These beautiful reptiles earned their | | | | insects, small fish, crustaceans, worms, and aquatic |
| name from the red and yellow stripes that decorate | | | | vegetation. Turtle pets can also be fed with |
| their bodies, giving the impression that these | | | | pre-manufactured turtle food and supplements, |
| attractive patterns have been painted on by hand. | | | | although it is always better to prepare a diet that |
| Painted Turtles usually live in ponds, lakes, and | | | | consists of larger, natural food. |
| slow-moving rivers, which have squashy, muddy | | | | Painted Turtle hatchlings need carnivorous meals, with |
| bottoms. They are mostly active between the | | | | such offerings as insects, worms, and small fish. |
| months of May and October, when the temperature | | | | Adults require the addition of plant material to their |
| becomes warm enough for mating. When the winter | | | | diets. Adult painted turtles also require less food than |
| season comes, they will hide themselves deep in the | | | | their younger counterparts, eating only a few times a |
| mud at the bottom of a body of water. The mud | | | | week instead of every day. |
| serves as an insulator during hibernation, helping the | | | | When considering housing for your turtle pets, a |
| painted turtle regulate its temperature and conserve | | | | breeder tank is advised, especially for the hatchlings. |
| energy, ensuring that it will not freeze to death | | | | However, should you prefer to purchase an aquarium, |
| during the harsh winter period. | | | | make sure to calculate a tank size of at least 280 |
| Even though painted turtles prefer to spend most of | | | | liters (approximately 74 gallons) per turtle. You should |
| their time in water, these turtles can be frequently | | | | also provide an area in which your turtle pets |
| seen on rocks or floating logs, basking and enjoying | | | | canbask or dry off. You can allot an area for this by |
| the sun. Some turtles bask by sticking their noses up, | | | | placing manufactured turtle ramps, which are sold in |
| breaking the surface of the water while they are | | | | pet stores, into their tank, or by placing large, wide |
| afloat. | | | | rocks in strategic locations. |
| There is actually a biological reason for this behavior | | | | Keep a close watch on your turtle pets, so that they |
| of these turtles. Painted Turtles do not have the | | | | do not become exposed to too much sunlight or |
| capacity to control their body temperature or | | | | artificial lighting. This is important because turtles can |
| generate heat on their own. They are dependent on | | | | be killed within minutes if they become overheated. |
| the sun to help them attain sufficient body heat so | | | | You should establish and stick to a regular schedule in |
| that they are able to digest food efficiently. Painted | | | | cleaning the housing of your turtle, as it has the |
| turtles mustnormally spend two hours daily in the sun | | | | tendency to become messy. Otherwise, algae and |
| for this purpose. | | | | bacteria can grow in the housing, which may |
| Painted turtles enjoy a vast array of food, but are | | | | eventually lead to illness. |
| not able to ingest food unless their mouths are fully | | | | |