| Top Ten Things to Consider When Keeping Turtles | | | | available in a good guide book on turtle care. |
| for Pets: | | | | 7. Filtration is important. Your turtle tank needs to |
| 1. Turtles are easier and cheaper to care for than | | | | have adequate filtration. This almost definitely means |
| dogs or cats, but also more interactive than fish. | | | | buying a good filter from the pet store. If you have |
| 2. Turtles are not difficult to care for if you know | | | | previous DIY experience building filters for fish tanks, |
| how to. Fortunately there are guides available to | | | | then you will need to make a filter that is double the |
| teach you how to properly care for a turtle. You'll | | | | strength for the same size of tank if it had only fish |
| need to get one. | | | | in it. |
| 3. Turtles require enough space to swim and/or live | | | | 8. Water changes need to be done weekly. The key |
| in. Aquatic turtles need to have a large area to swim | | | | to this point is working out a good system. If you |
| in. Terrestrial turtles don't need as big an area, but | | | | siphon the water into a bucket, and then pump it |
| many owners like to keep them outdoors in a pen or | | | | from the bucket to the sink or outside, you'll find |
| enclosed area. Mini-turtles are becoming more popular | | | | that changing the water only takes 15-20 minutes |
| and they require the least space of all. You'll have to | | | | once a week. |
| make sure that you have the housing space before | | | | 9. Some turtles hibernate in the winter. There are |
| you consider turtles for pets. | | | | many different types of turtles for pets available. |
| 4. Turtles need UVB light. Turtles get vitamins A and | | | | Some turtles like the very popular Red Eared Slider |
| D3 from UVB light, and so they will require either | | | | will not need to hibernate (although they do in the |
| sunlight or a UVB bulb as their primary lighting. Lack | | | | wild). Most terrestrial turtles will need to hibernate |
| of proper light leads to horrible shell deformations, | | | | however. Again a good guide book will provide all the |
| infections, and softness. | | | | information needed for properly hibernating a pet |
| 5. Turtles need a basking lamp. This is important, but | | | | turtle. |
| easy to provide. A simple incandescent light bulb is | | | | 10. Turtles live for a long time! Turtles typically live for |
| good enough as the turtle will use this light for | | | | 20-50 years! |
| regulating body temperature. The light should be | | | | Keeping turtles for pets is a great idea for those |
| placed above a dry land basking area. | | | | who have considered the above points. Caring for |
| 6. Turtles need a varied diet. Reptile pellets, | | | | turtles is not difficult, but it is absolutely imperative |
| vegetables, and live foods will make up your turtle's | | | | that you get the information you need. Invest the |
| diet. It's very important that you learn about your | | | | time and money to learn how to be a great turtle |
| turtle's dietary needs. This information should be | | | | keeper. |