Turtle

The painted turtle is one of the most common wild turtles in the United States and is also a popular choice to have as a pet. Nonetheless, despite the latter, you need patience and lifelong commitment if you need to take care of one at home since it is quite demanding in terms of its care requirements. You need to be quite hands-on as it requires heavy maintenance.

However, do not be discouraged by the fact that the painted turtle is difficult to take care of. Keep on reading and we will share some practical tips on how to take care of it.

Physical Characteristics

The appearance of the painted turtle will differ depending on its breed. However, as they are named, one characteristic that they share is the presence of a visible marking on their shell, which makes it look like they have been painted.

Southern Painted Turtle

This is not only the smallest from the group but also has the reputation of being the most attractive. The average size is four to five inches. The carapace is dark green with visible orange stripes. The plastron, on the other hand, is solid yellow.

Western Painted Turtle

With an average length of seven to eight inches, this is the largest from the types of painted turtles. They have a green carapace with yellow reticulations and their plastron is usually reddish.

Eastern Painted Turtle

The average size of these turtles is five to six inches. They are known for being able to tolerate the cold weather. In fact, they can be active even under ice. Their carapace is glossy black.

Midland Painted Turtle

The physical characteristics of this type is similar to the Eastern Painted Turtle, including its size and color.

Behavior

The painted turtles are known for being timid. They would want to be left on their own instead of being handled by humans. Otherwise, this can result in stress and health problems. In the wild, when the temperature gets cold, they can be usually seen hibernating.

Environment

Painted turtles are semi-aquatic, which means that they are living both in water and on land. However, most of them will spend their time in the water, so you have to take such into consideration if you plan to have it as a pet at home.

When choosing a housing or enclosure for the pet, you should consider its maximum size to determine the right tank. The minimum capacity should be 20 gallons for one painted turtle. When they are adults, they will spend most of the time swimming, so be sure to give an enclosure that is big enough for their needs.

The enclosure should have a hiding place under the water when they need to hide. It will also be good to add plastic leaves, which will mimic the conditions in their natural habitat. With this, one of the products you might want to consider having is the Fluker’s Repta Vines Pothos.

which will look like real leaves when used in the tank.

Proper temperature and lighting will also be critical in creating an environment that promotes the best for the painted turtle. As a responsible pet owner, invest in a product like the Exo Terra Thermometer.

to properly monitor the environment. To add, you might also want to have the Exo Terra Intense Basking Spot Lamp

As with the other turtle species, you also need to ensure the highest quality of the water. The clarity is important for the turtle to stay healthy. Invest in a filtration system that can effectively get rid of the contaminants that can negatively impact the health of the turtles. Regular siphoning of the water is also important, as well as a replacement within one to three weeks.

Foods and Vitamins

Most of the painted turtles will eat when they are swimming, although there are also some cases when they will feed on land. They are omnivorous, so be sure to provide a perfectly balanced diet with enough plant and animal matter. Some of the foods that should be regularly given include duckweed, water hyacinth, insects, worms, fish, and water lettuce, among others. They will also do well with commercial turtle pellets when combined with those that have been earlier mentioned.

As for their nutritional requirements, it is recommended that their diet should consist of 30 to 40% of protein, low fat, Vitamin D, and a high ratio of calcium to phosphorus. For their vitamins and supplements, one of the best products that you might want to consider giving to your pet is HERPTIVITE Multivitamin for Reptiles.

Health Problems

The health of the painted turtle will be highly dependent on the maintenance of their enclosure. Use a product like the Zoo Med Wipe Out Cleaner.

if you want to keep their cage free of bacteria that can cause infections. When the tank and the water is clean, they can exhibit a number of problems, especially those that will be visible in their shell.

Painted turtles are also known to be prone to swollen eyes, open wounds, difficulty breathing, and inability to swim.

Other Tips for Taking Care of Painted Turtle

Below are other things that you can do to provide tender loving care to your pet:

• See to it that the temperature in the tank ranges from 72 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, the humidity should be approximately 70%.
• Use a container when feeding the turtle instead of just dropping their food in the water. This will make it easier to maintain an ideal living condition and prevent contamination. The Fluker’s Food/Water Reptile Corner Bowl.

  

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  will make a perfect place to feed them.

• A painted turtle is not one of those pets that demand human affection or contact. In fact, as mentioned earlier, they hate it when they are handled. With this, be careful when you have to hold the turtle, such as when feeding. Handle the turtle only occasionally, such as when you have to take it off the enclosure.

Chicken turtles are native to the United States, specifically in the southeastern part of the country. There are three subspecies that belong to this group – Florida chicken turtle, Eastern chicken turtle, and Western chicken turtle.

Previously, these turtles are commonly eaten in the regions where they are found. According to some people, they taste like chicken, which is exactly where they got their name.

The chicken turtles are not protected species, which makes it fairly easy to own them as pets.

Physical Characteristics

The physical appearance of chicken turtles will vary across the subspecies, although they share many similar characteristics. The Florida Chicken Turtle has yellow or orange lines in its carapace without markings in its plastron. The Eastern Chicken Turtle, on the other hand, is duller compared to the color of Florida Chicken Turtle. The carapace has narrow brown or green lines. On the other hand, the Western Chicken Turtle has a flatter carapace compared to the two and has dark markings along the edges of its plastron.

One thing that is common in the three subspecies of chicken turtles is that they all have large inquisitive eyes. Their necks are also long and marked with noticeable stripes. They have a pear-shaped carapace and webbed feet, which make it easy for them to swim.

These turtles are mid-sized, usually from six to nine inches. The males are usually smaller, and the females can reach a length of up to 12 inches.

Behavior

While the turtles are aquatic, they are usually seen on land, especially when they are migrating or looking for an area where they can create burrows. They are known to be active and they spend most of their time basking. They are most active during the day and they hibernate in mud and vegetation.

Environment

The chicken turtles are semi-aquatic, which is why you can find them both on land and in water. When they are in the water, they prefer places that are quiet and calm, such as ponds, cypress, marshes, and other places with heavy vegetation. They also like bodies of water with soft substrates.

In captivity, on the other hand, chicken turtles will thrive in a place that has clean and aerated water. The water should be filtered to avoid health problems. Another important component of their modified environment is a basking spot. A good example of the latter is the Exo Terra Crocodile Skull Terrarium Décor.

When it is elevated, it can provide a spot where turtles can go if they need a break from the water.

When the chicken turtle is kept indoors, a stock tank or a large tub is a must. If the tank is large enough, up to three of these turtles can be kept in the same place. If ever they show signs of aggression, however, they have to be placed in isolation.

As for the size of the tank, the average depth should be 20 inches, length is 84 inches, and width is 48 inches. A 75-gallon tank, meanwhile, will be good for up to two male chicken turtles. Since females are larger, one turtle will need a tank with an average capacity of 125 gallons.

To mimic the conditions of their natural habitat, it is also important to put a driftwood or artificial plants. One of the best products to have is the Exo Terra Plastic Terrarium Plant.

They are a realistic replica of plants that will provide the turtle with a natural hiding spot.

Chicken turtles can also live in outdoor ponds, although it is necessary to provide them with an area for hibernation when they get tired of swimming.

Foods and Vitamins

Similar to many other types of turtles, they are omnivores. A varied diet of plant and animal matter will be necessary to keep them in their best state of health. When they are younger, most of them are carnivorous. To be specific, some of the foods that can be given to chicken turtles include fish, tadpoles, crustaceans, aquatic insects, and crayfish. Plants, such as water lettuce and water hyacinth, should be introduced once the turtles mature.

For the vitamin supplements, like with the other turtles, calcium is one of the most important to be a regular part of their diet, especially for their shell and bones. One of the best is the Rep-Cal Phosphorus-Free Calcium with Vitamin D3.

It is made using 100% oyster shell and is formulated to improve the turtle’s ability to absorb calcium. When this is given, the turtle will not require any other supplementation.

Health Problems

One of the reasons why chicken turtles are popular as pets is the fact that they do not suffer from a lot of health problems, especially if you are cautious of how to take care of them.

However, if the water is not clean, they can exhibit different forms of shell and skin infection. More so, if the water supply is contaminated, it is not unusual for them to have abscesses in the ears.

Obesity can also be a problem, specifically if you feed them only with commercial turtle pellets. To avoid this, they should be given a varied diet.

Other Tips for Taking Care of Chicken Turtle

Take note of the things mentioned below when taking care of chicken turtles:

• Those that are held in captivity as pets should not be released in the wild. Having non-native species in the wild can introduce diseases and confusion.
• To prevent the spread of infection in the enclosure of the chicken turtle, one product that can prove to be promising is the Zoo Med Wipe Out 1 Cleaner.

  

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• For the captive care of the pet turtle, ensure the best living conditions. In this case, it is recommended that the air temperature should be 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. For the basking temperature, it can be as high as 90 degrees. The water temperature, on the other hand, should be 75 to 85 degrees. To make it easier to monitor the temperature, invest in a product like the Zoo Med Economy Analog Dual Thermometer and Humidity Gauge.

  

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In some parts of the world, softshell turtles are eaten as a delicacy. Their meat is often used as the main ingredient for a tasty soup. In the wild, on the other hand, they are known as aggressive foragers. Meanwhile, at home and as pets, they are quite demanding when it comes to care and maintenance. That being said, this is not exactly the best choice for a pet if you are just a beginner.

Physical Characteristics

One thing that makes it unique when compared to other turtle species is the absence of a hard and brittle shell or carapace. The shell is flat, and it has no scales or epidermal chutes. They have a streamlined head and a long neck. These turtles also have elongated snouts.

There are different subspecies of this turtle, each demonstrating a different appearance, although in general, they are the same. The spiny soft-shelled turtles, for instance, have spiny protrusions outside of the shell. The smooth softshell turtle, on the other hand, has no protrusions. Their carapace is shiny and they usually have big patterns. Meanwhile, Florida softshell turtles are known for being large.

Behavior

As it has been mentioned in the introduction, softshell turtles are known for being foragers. They can also be aggressive. They usually exhibit a ferocious behavior when they feel that they are going to be disturbed by predators.

Unlike others, softshell turtles are not also cuddly. With this, you might want to avoid it as a pet when there are children at home.

Environment

To succeed in taking care of a softshell turtle as a pet, you need to create an aquatic habitat that can effectively mimic where it lives in the wild.

When choosing an enclosure to serve as the housing of the turtle, the first thing that you have to do is to determine its size. The Florida softshell turtle can grow over two feet and the weight can reach up to 40 pounds, which means that if it is the breed that you plan to have as a pet, you need to choose a large aquarium.

The quality of the water in the tank is important to create a healthy environment for the softshell turtle. Invest in canister and submersible filters to make sure that the water will be free of impurities that can harm your pet. Fungal and bacterial infections will also be common if the water is not kept clean.

In terms of the heat requirements, they will be at their best when the temperature is more than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. To eliminaate guesswork, the Zoo Med Labs Digital Thermometer.

will be a great product to have, which can also be used in measuring the humidity in the tank.

The right substrate material will also be essential. For this breed, soft sand is the best to put at the bottom, which will be the same as what the softshell turtle will find in their native habitats. You should avoid using gravel as the substrate. They are rough and can be abrasive on the fragile body of the softshell turtles.

Heat and UVB lights will also be essential components of their enclosures. The UVB rays are important to allow reptiles like turtles to make use of the calcium in their diet. Especially when they are kept indoors, you need to provide light for about 10 to 12 hours. For easy installation of the light bulb, use the Zoo Med Reptile Lamp Stand.

, which can also offer easy adjustments based on how near or far you need the light to be.

Similar to most turtles, a softshell will also need a basking spot. Aside from the installation of a basking lamp, you also need to have a platform where it can rest when it needs a break from the water. With this, one of the best products that you can have is the Fluker’s Castle Crib Reptile Basking Platform.

Foods and Vitamins

Softshell turtles will prefer eating on water than on land. In the wild, their diet consists mostly of insects, eggs, amphibians, and fish. When they are captive, on the other hand, they are adaptable to their environment. They can eat turtle pellets. However, to provide these turtles with a balanced meal, it will also be a good thing if they will be given mealworms and crickets, among others. To keep their foods fresh, consider investing in an airtight container, such as Gamma Seal 5-gallon Bucket Storage with Sealed Lid..

It will also be good to provide a supplement that will give them the vitamins and minerals that they need. In this case, the Herptivite Multivitamins.

can be a great choice. This is a powder that can be added to the regular food of turtles.

Health Problems

The soft carapace of the softshell turtle can be a problem. In the wild, they are known as a common target amongst alligators. Even at home, they are at risk, especially if you have dogs around. Their shell can be easily prone to injury, so you should always keep an eye.

It is important to frequently check the physical appearance of the turtle, especially the carapace. If it is crusty or if it appears that it suffered from an injury, this is a sign of a problem. Get in touch with a veterinarian as soon as possible before the problem becomes worse.

Some of the most common signs that will be indicative of an illness include swollen eyes, loss of appetite, runny nose, wheezing, discoloration of the shell, and unresponsiveness.

Other Tips for Taking Care of Softshell Turtle

While softshell turtles are not the easiest to take care of, with the right knowledge, you can be sure that it will grow healthy. With this, below are some of the most important things to keep in mind:

• Avoid holding a softshell turtle, especially if it is not yet familiar with you. It might feel threatened and bite you in an instant. Although these turtles are generally timid, they hate it when they are handled.
• Because of their aggressiveness, it will also be best to keep a softshell turtle in isolation. Besides, it is usually large, so it will be great if it will be kept on its own in an enclosure.
• Regular clipping of the beak of the softshell turtle is also important, but this should be done only by an experienced veterinarian.