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A turtle is what a lot of people call an unusual pet. Well those people are right. There’s more to caring for a turtle than just petting them and feeding them. No, it takes a lot of time and effort. If you’re thinking of getting a turtle you really should learn some important facts beforehand.
First you need to buy a fish or reptilian tank. Depending on the size of the turtle, a 10 or 15 gallon tank could work, a rule of thumb is about 10 gallons per inch in length. Ask for some assistance at the pet store and someone will help you get the accessories for the tank such as rocks, lighting, heating, etc. Turtles need a thermal gradient, ie the water tempterature should be maintained at about 80 degrees, while the basking temperature should be about 90. The light used for basking should be a UVB light which is specially made for reptiles, these run about 20 dollars. Withouth the ultraviotet spectrum light your turtle could develop metabolic bone disease or shell disease. These extras are necessary for proper care. When you have the tank set up, make sure it is filled with water about 1/3 of the way. You want to have gravel rocks covering every part of the bottom. One of the most important things that so many people forget is that you need to have a large rock where your turtle can climb up on and be completely out of water. Your turtle will spend most of its time in water, but usually he or she will spend a few hours drying out.
Then there’s food. If you have a large enough tank, feeder goldfish are great. They’re very cost efficient (around 8 cents each) and it’s pretty fun to watch your turtle chase after them. That in turn gives your pet exercise. This is the best way to feed a turtle, but can get to be annoying running out for fish every few days. Personally I do what most of the other turtle owners do, I but the special floating food sticks. These aren’t that expensive (around $3 every month or so) and provide good nutrition to your pet. Now you may be wondering how much to feed your turtle. Just think of your eating habits. If you feed him and he runs to your food immediately and eats like crazy, you’re not feeding him enough. If he takes his time and moves slowly, you’re doing great. Also, most turtles won’t eat for the first few days when you get them. They need to get settled in order to be comfortable enough to eat. Just drop in 2 or 3 food sticks a day for about a week, at least until he starts getting comfortable.
The bad part about a turtle is the cleaning. I suggest a very strong filter system, otherwise you will have to scrub the tank every 3 days. Even with a filter you’ll need to clean out all the rocks, the tank, and the turtle himself once a week. You don’t really have to clean the tank often, but let me assure you the stench will travel through your house and it is totally unbearable.
I recommend reading a few books about turtles before purchasing one. They do require a lot of work, but in the end I think it’s worth it.
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