I love turtles. What's not to love? They are fascinating creatures and can actually be far more loving than most people give them credit for. The unfortunate reality, however, is that far too many turtle owners do not get the facts of good pet turtle care, and they're poor turtle dies prematurely. So please read this article in its entirety. It will show you the five basic tips for good pet turtle care so that your turtle can live a long time, and truly enjoy its life with you!
Tip One:
Get knowledge... as much as possible. The more you know about your turtle, the more little tweaks you can make to its habitat, diet, and handling. This will make you a master turtle owner, easily making your turtle love the heck out of you!
Tip Two:
A little elbow grease is required. You must set up your turtle's tank, acquire the very best type of food for your turtle's specific breed, and establish go-to veterinary care by simply calling around and finding a vet who has experience with turtles.
Tip Three:
As far as your turtle's drinking and swimming water is concerned, avoid using chlorine at all costs. Tap water is definitely chlorinated, so you will not want to use it unless you have let is set in a big container for 24 hours, minimum. This will allow the chlorine to evaporate, and then the water will be usable. Of course, if you've got a couple dollars to spend, you should definitely invest in a few gallons of spring water.
Tip Four:
For 12 hrs. each day, a UVB lamp (mercury vapor) should be on an available to your turtle for basking purposes. This is an all-important step, as your turtle will be far more prone to premature death via bone disease if this lamp light is not made available. Please do not overlook the importance of the vitamin D producing mercury vapor lamp. It is literally the difference between life and death.
Tip Five:
You MUST maintain the proper temperature in your turtle's tank. Of course, this varies from species to species, but generally speaking, 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 70 degrees at night are generally accepted as rule of thumb. You will want to purchase an under water heater to achieve this. Again, knowing the unique requirements for your specific turtle's breed is absolutely necessary.
So these are five important guidelines for you to follow to ensure your turtle enjoys a long, happy life with you. Remember, turtles can live a very long time. In fact, some are known to actually outlast us! With this in mind, understand that your initial investment of time, learning, and money will be well worth it in the grand scheme of things.
I absolutely adore turtles. I think they make far better pets than most folks know. I applaud you for your commitment to becoming educated and really taking care of your special pet the right way. This will give you years and years of happiness. Yes, it's going to be a ton of fun. But right now, it's time to learn, learn, learn!
The truth of the matter is that far too many of these wonderful animals die prematurely at the hands of ignorant people. Do us all a favor and don't be one of them. Learn how to take care of your turtle, please.
So, are you ready to learn how to care for a pet turtle the right way? For the sake of your animal, I sure hope so. Go here: Caring For Turtles
